Former Belleville judge, widowed mother swears daughter into Illinois Bar
A retired St. Clair County associate judge had the honor of swearing in her daughter to the Illinois State Bar Association.
Alexis Otis-Lewis swore in her daughter, Lauren Burd, to the Illinois State Bar in a private ceremony at the Chicago Daley Center on November 18.
To make this momentous occasion happen, Burd had to first get permission from the Illinois Supreme Court because all of the swearing-in ceremonies had been done virtually because of Covid 19 fears.
To Burd, however, a virtual swearing in didn’t rise to the level of the occasion.
Burd sent an e-mail to now-retired Justice Anne Burke to ask if her wish was even possible.
“Her court emailed me back saying ‘absolutely,’” Burd said.
She called her mother in Belleville to give her the good news.
Burd’s father, Fruenz Lewis, an Illinois State Trooper for more than 20 years, died from heart issues when she was 10 years old. She said Otis-Lewis has been “the perfect mother” ever since and she wanted her to share in the biggest moment of her professional life.
“We have all heard recently how important the rule of law is in having an orderly society,” Otis-Lewis said she told her daughter during the ceremony. “As a lawyer you are now entering a profession where you may be called to write the law, interpret and or enforce the law. Your role as an attorney and counselor of law will be to help people solve issues within the law and with integrity.
“As a mom I could not be more proud of you. As a retired judge, I welcome you into this noble profession.”
Otis-Lewis said it was a moment she will always remember.
“Such a great moment for me. She’s my only child,” she said, adding that she didn’t ever believe her daughter would follow her footsteps into a career in the law.
Burd said the moment was emotional and exciting.
“It has been the two of us since my dad passed away from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease when I was 10-years-old,” she said. “She was always there, making sure I got through high school undergrad, business and law school.”
Burd, who received her undergraduate degree from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, was working in the music business in income tracking and data analytics on and off for about 10 years, she said. She said she spent her time looking at licensing information and royalties for songwriters.
“I had to be able to read a music contract,” she said.
Oftentimes, that led Burd to her company’s legal department consulting with attorney’s there. She noticed that they were making the money while she was doing all of the work.
It reminded her of something her mother told her — “Being a lawyer gives you the option to do a wide variety of things,” she said.
Burd suddenly saw herself helping songwriters and artists to understand their contracts before making big decisions.
“Many of them don’t understand their contracts. They know they’ve signed with a major record label,” she said.
With a degree from the University of Illinois-Chicago School of Law and, now, a membership to the Illinois Bar, Lewis has accepted a job at the University of Illinois in its contract and procurement department.
Burd said she hopes her story will teach others “Despite the losses, disappointment and failures, with faith, persistence and determination, you will win,” she said.
This story was originally published January 10, 2023 at 5:30 AM.
