Jaylin D. McClinton’s Post

It is with great excitement and pride that I announce I will be the recipient of a Meritorious Service Award from the Cook County Bar Association (CCBA) at their upcoming Annual Installation and Awards Banquet Ceremony! Throughout law school and beyond, this phenomenal legal organization has been a source of constant support—personally and professionally—in my life. I look forward to celebrating the achievements of Black jurists, lawyers, and public servants alike as we gather to watch Raymond Rushing’s passing of the torch to Nicholas Cummings, both incredible men, who have prioritized friendship and mentorship on my journey. #BlackLawyersMatter

I am excited to share that I will be inducted into the True Star Media & Foundation Legacy League tonight! At 14-years-old, I landed my first-ever job as a Graphic Design intern. For three months before high school, I would travel from Roseland to the South Loop working under the tutelage of Rhonda Jackson, CSM, CSPO Scrum/Product Owner and Polina Zionts. That experience laid the foundation for my strong belief in the dignity of work and embracing my identity as a working professional. It also gave me a platform to let my creativity and imagination shine through—something more kids should be able to do! Eventually, I would make the jump to the Sales & Marketing team where I learned directly from DeAnna Sherman. While it might be a surprise to most, as a teenager, I was a lot more shy and timid when faced with public speaking. Ms. DeAnna encouraged me as a young person and helped me find my voice. For 20 years, True Star has been at the forefront of empowering youth to curate narratives and tell their own stories. I look forward to celebrating many more! #EmpowerTheFuture

Arguably one of the most important—if not the most important—non-profit organizations in my life. I am honored to serve as President of the Associate Board for Just The Beginning – A Pipeline Organization! #DEI

Yesterday, I was proud, in my capacity as Vice Chair of the American Constitution Society (ACS) Chicago Lawyer Chapter, to host the Honorable Joy Cunningham and the Honorable Jesse G. Reyes for a non-partisan candidate forum for the 1st Judicial District vacancy on the Supreme Court of Illinois. For democracy to persevere, we need people in elected office representing all parties who are committed to the rule of law, to the U.S. Constitution, and to election integrity. Thank you to University of Illinois Chicago School of Law Professor Steven D. Schwinn for moderating! #CourtsMatter

How does “Professor McClinton” or “Mr. Jaylin” sound? This fall, I was very excited to co-teach a course designed for high school students focused on Democracy & Law at my alma mater, the Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology! Seeing young people—in particular young Black and Latino men—genuinely interested in how government, the legal system, and politics all work together was a beautiful sight. In the photo, I am pictured with a majority of the class for their capstone project: a mock trial regarding the First Amendment. Today is our last class session and my last day teaching. It is my hope that all the participants take the tools learned and make our democracy stronger. I am immensely grateful to Carolyn Shapiro, Dee Runaas, and all the presenters for the opportunity to join them over a 10-week period in what is a full circle moment given my past participation in After School Matters programming as a teenager. #CivicsEducation

This past weekend, I celebrated the 15th Anniversary of November 4th, 2008, the day when then-United States (U.S.) Senator Barack Obama was elected as President of the United States of America. Back then, I was 15 years old and a freshman in high school. In 2016, I was blessed to join the Obama-Biden team as a White House intern in the Office of Management & Administration. I am so thrilled that people—I have come to know and even some I will never know—used their voice in a room to change my life and give me an opportunity in public service that I will never forget—no matter how old I get. On Saturday, hundreds of former interns gathered to commemorate such a pivotal moment in our history joined by none other than a woman and role model who needs no introduction: Ms. Valerie Jarrett. I was excited to be a part of the planning team that helped execute a seamless celebratory event. #YesWeCan #YesWeDid #ThanksObama #Interns44 #ObamaAlumni

Earlier this week, I returned to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s Bruce D. Nesbitt African American Cultural Center (BNAACC), also affectionately known as the “Black House”, as their featured Alumni Speaker Series guest. It was amazing to be in the room with current students, faculty, and staff to share how the orange and blue prepared this #firstgen college graduate for a long term career in advocacy, law, and public service. Thank you for the opportunity to return to campus! #BlackIllini

I am thrilled to continue my service with the American Constitution Society (ACS)’s Chicago Lawyer Chapter for the 2023-2024 year as a Co-Vice Chair and Path to the Bench Liaison, responsible for ensuring that we have a federal bench full of civil rights, plaintiff side, public interest, and union side lawyers! I look forward to working with all of my colleagues on this year’s board.

There is no place like the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign! I am excited to return to campus and the “Black House” later this fall for an alumni conversation about my time navigating our state’s flagship university and beyond as a first-generation #college student! #FirstGen

Last Friday, I was thrilled to return to the Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology for an alumni panel during the #CKOrientation for new 1Ls. I hope my words of encouragement will help them navigate their first year of law school and beyond. It was also great to be among C-K alumni legends including Scott M. Curran, Amy Curran, Katie Jahnke Dale, and Philip edison!