Illinois Bar Foundation Gala set for October 20

The Illinois Bar Foundation will hold its 24th Annual Black-Tie Gala on Friday, October 20, at the Four Seasons Hotel, 120 E. Deleware Place. The general reception begins at 6:30 p.m.; a VIP reception starts at 6:00 p.m.

The IBF will confer its Distinguished Award for Excellence on Patrick A. Salvi at this event. The Gala is meant to raise funds for the IBF's programs assisting lawyers in crisis and advancing equal justice.

Music will be provided by the Ken Arlen Evolution Orchestra; there will be live and silent auctions, and a full seated dinner before the awards program. Valet parking and coat check will be complimentary.

There will also be a program book. Ads start at $200 (with options up to $1,500). For more information about the program book, click here.

Sit down dinners with dance bands at the Four Seasons don't come cheap. Even if parking and coat checking weren't on the cuff.

Still, some FWIW readers may need to keep the smelling salts handy....

Tickets for this event are $500 each. Judges or lawyers working for non-profits will be admitted for $400 each. Either way, tickets including the dinner and the VIP reception are $1,000 each. Tickets can be obtained via this page of the IBF website.

And, yes, thanks for asking, there are sponsorships available:

• Champions Sponsor - $1,500 (non-exclusive)
  Includes two tickets, half-page recognition in the printed program book, inclusion on all promotional materials and on display screens throughout event


• Half Table Sponsor - $2,500 (non exclusive)
  Includes half table of five, recognition in the program book, inclusion on all promotional materials and on display screens throughout event


• Gold Program Book Sponsor - $2,500 (non-exclusive)
  Includes two tickets, gold-page recognition in the printed program book, with full-page displayed in program book and on digital display screens, inclusion on all promotional materials and on display screens throughout event


• Table Sponsor - $5,000 (non-exclusive)
  Table of 10, half-page recognition in the program book, inclusion on all promotional materials and on display screens throughout event


• Young Lawyers Sponsor - $10,000 (non-exclusive)
  Table of 10 with priorty seating, underwrite half-table of five to be filled with ISBA Young Lawyers Division members, recognition from the podium and in program presentation, full-page recognition in the program book, inclusion on all promotional materials and on display screens throughout event


• Benefactor Sponsor - $10,000 (non-exclusive)
  Priority seating table of 10 and VIP Reception access for all guests, recognition from the podium and in program presentation, full-page recognition in the program book, inclusion on all promotional materials and on display screens throughout event


• Gala Patron - $20,000 (non-exclusive)
  Table of 10 with Priority Seating and VIP Reception access for all guests, Credit for $5,000 Fund-a-Need Contribution, Special recognition from the podium and in the program presentation, Full page recognition in the program book, Inclusion on all promotional materials and on display screens throughout event


• Gala Partner - $25,000 (non-exclusive)
  Two tables of 10 with Priority Seating and VIP Reception access for all guests, Special recognition from the podium and in the program presentation, Full page recognition in the program book, Inclusion on all promotional materials and on display screens throughout event

Now, if you've worked through this list and still haven't found a level of support that you can get behind -- let's face it, you want something exclusive -- there are still a couple of options: You can underwrite the orchestra (a $10,000 contribution - but you get your own table of 10 - maybe near the band? - access to the VIP reception, recognition from the podium and all the other stuff those non-exclusive folks have) or, for $50,000, you can be the one and only Presenting Sponsor.

The Presenting Sponsor will get three tables of 10, all with priority seating and VIP Reception access. The Presenting Sponsor's firm logo will be included in the Gala logo. The Presenting sponsor will get special recognition from the podium, recognition on the program cover, and, basically, anywhere the IBF can find a way to drop the Presenting Sponsor's name, said name will be dropped.

There's nothing on the IBF website page, wherein all these ticket and sponsorship options are displayed, that discusses the strewing of rose petals in the path of the Presenting Sponsor as he or she advances into the ballroom. The hotel might have something to say about that. But... if you've got the 50,000 smackers, and a willingness to part with same, but your heart is set on rose petals, you can at least ask Jessie Reeves (at jreeves@illinoisbarfoundation.org).

In fact, all questions about the event or ads in the program book should be directed to Jessie Reeves at jreeves@illinoisbarfoundation.org.