Illinois Legal Aid Online's (ILAO's) annual benefit event raises funds to open opportunities for justice across Illinois. Designed for people without lawyers, ILAO builds better justice one tap at a time, 24/7/365.
Participation in and contributions to The Light in the Night support ILAO's justice-building work, including help to more than 2 million Illinoisans in 2024.
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ILAO is proud to announce Lanesha Minnix as its 2025 benefit chair. Lanesha is executive vice president and global chief legal officer for Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA), a Fortune 50 integrated healthcare, pharmacy, and retail leader with over 330,000 employees headquartered in the Chicago metro area. Lanesha oversees the company’s global legal, compliance, corporate governance, and corporate security function for WBA, reporting to the CEO.
Lanesha previously served as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for Ecolab Inc., and as the General Counsel for Flowserve and BMC Stock Holdings. Prior to her General Counsel roles, she held legal roles of increasing responsibility at ABM Industries and Shell Oil Company. She began her legal practice as a corporate associate at K&L Gates. She is a member of The Chicago Network and the Executive Leadership Council.
For 2025 sponsorship opportunities, please contact Alexa Markoff at [email protected].
Thank you to our 2025 sponsors
Justice Sponsors
Equity Sponsors
Integrity Sponsors
Lanesha and Scott Minnix
Dignity Sponsors
Alston & Bird LLP
Chapman and Cutler LLP
Chris Comerford & Virginia Kim
Consilio
Cornerstone Research
Crowell & Moring LLP
Goldman Sachs
Jones Day
Levenfeld Pearlstein, LLC
Stout
Patricia Brown Holmes is a nationally respected attorney and Managing Partner at Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila LLP. She is known for handling high-stakes litigation, internal investigations, and crisis management for major corporations. Patricia is a former judge, prosecutor, and defense attorney who brings unmatched insight and discretion to complex legal matters. She is the first Black woman to lead a major U.S. law firm, not women- or minority-owned. Patricia is also a sought-after mediator, speaker, and leader in ethics, DEI, and mentoring within the legal profession.
ILAO applauds Patricia Brown Holmes for her powerful voice for justice and equality.
Murray Coffey is a legal industry leader with 30+ years in legal management and over two decades dedicated to business development at AmLaw 100 firms. A former ILAO Board member, he now serves as Senior Strategic Advisor to the Midwest Chairman at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP.
Passionate about high-growth organizations across industries, Murray thrives on challenging convention and treating precedent as guidance—not limitation. Beyond his legal career, he is a creative storyteller, prolific writer, engaging speaker, and respected thought leader, committed to science, reason, and the boundless creative potential within every individual.
ILAO acknowledges Murray Coffey for helping to build a more inclusive world.
