Join the NIU College of Law for the next Race and the Law Conversation, “Housing & Racial Disparities” on Wednesday, August 31 at 6:00 p.m. with Antoinette “Toni” Jackson, principal with The Banks Law Firm and Professor Robert G. Schwemm, Ashland-Spears Distinguished Research Professor Emeritus at the University of Kentucky College of Law. NIU Law Clinical Professor Colleen Boraca will moderate.
Wednesday, August 31, 2022
6:00 – 7:00 p.m. CST
Register Now for this virtual Event via Zoom
About this Event
The NIU College of Law Race and the Law Conversations series provide a platform with expert panelists who will engage in much needed conversations on a wide range of racial and social justice issues including, but limited to, racial inequality, police brutality, mass incarceration, voting rights, environmental justice, and immigration.
-PANELISTS-
Antoinette “Toni” M. Jackson
Principal, The Banks Law Firm
Antoinette “Toni” M. Jackson is a principal with The Banks Law Firm in Houston, Texas 
and has represented housing developers since 1992. She a strong commitment to community has enjoyed a law practice that has been the perfect marriage of practicing law and giving back to the community. Ms. Jackson became a housing attorney at a time when it was not a recognized practice area after a nonprofit approached her about acquiring and financing an affordable development. Since that time, she has continued to represent for-profit and non-profit developers and public housing agencies in commercial real estate development and affordable housing financing.
Ms. Jackson focuses her practice in mixed-finance transactions which include LIHTC and new markets tax credits, FHA financing, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac platforms and other public funding sources. Toni also works on tax exempt bond transactions and transactions utilizing disaster recovery funding as well as the most recent community development financing tool utilizing Opportunity Zones.
Ms. Jackson has been a passionate advocate for affordable housing and throughout her career has worked extensively on efforts to increase home ownership and rental housing for low to moderate income families. She frequently serves as a speaker and guest lecturer in the area of affordable housing and community development law including disaster funding and recovery, housing choice/disparate impact issues and issues related to diversity, equity and inclusion.
She is a former Chair of the Governing Committee of the American Bar Association (ABA) Forum on Affordable Housing and Community Development Law and Past President of the Texas Affiliation of Affordable Housing Providers (“TAAHP”). Ms. Jackson is also a former board chair for Houston Habitat for Humanity and was the first woman to serve in that role for the organization. Ms. Jackson is an active member of the Texas Spring Cypress (TX) Chapter, The Links, Incorporated and continues to volunteer with a number of other organizations on a local, state and national level.
Ms. Jackson has received numerous recognitions for her volunteerism, philanthropy, professional and community leadership. She received the Jean MacDonald Lifetime Achievement in Housing by TAAHP and been recognized by the NBA Women Lawyers Division for her commitment to diversity as Outstanding Minority Partner in Majority Firm. She is also a past recipient of The Carl Umland Award given by HHFH for service to the organization and the Houston community. Ms. Jackson currently is an adjunct professor at her alma mater, Thurgood Marshall School of Law Texas Southern University.
Professor Emeritus Robert G. Schwemm
Ashland-Spears Distinguished Research Professor Emeritus
University of Kentucky College of Law
Robert G. Schwemm is the Ashland-Spears Distinguished Research Professor Emeritus at the University of Kentucky College of Law. He began his fair housing career as an attorney with the Leadership Council in Chicago in the 1970s, and has written and lectured extensively on fair housing law ever since. His works include the major treatise in the field, Housing Discrimination: Law and Litigation, and 25 of his law review articles are available at http://works.bepress.com/robert_schwemm.
Professor Schwemm has been plaintiffs’ counsel in several landmark housing discrimination cases, including three in the U.S. Supreme Court: Meyer v. Holley; Gladstone Realtors v. Village of Bellwood; and Village of Arlington Heights v. Metropolitan Housing Development Corp. From 1986 to 1990, he was Vice-Chair of the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights, and in 1991, he served as a special attorney and scholar-in-residence with the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. His current activities include advising the National Association of Realtors on fair housing matters.
-MODERATOR-
Professor Colleen Boraca
Clinical Associate Professor
NIU College of Law
Colleen Boraca joined the NIU College of Law’s clinical faculty in 2014 and directs NIU’s Health Advocacy Clinic in Aurora, IL. The clinic is an interdisciplinary partnership between NIU College of Law, Hesed House and Aunt Martha’s Health Center.
Prior to joining the NIU College of Law, Professor Boraca was a supervising attorney at the AIDS Legal Council of Chicago. In addition to a regular caseload of discrimination and government benefits issues, she headed the Council’s Family Support Project which works with attorneys and social workers to help families affected by HIV/AIDS access quality health care, achieve financial stability, and make thoughtful future plans for their children. Professor Boraca served as a Cook County assistant state’s attorney for seven years in both the Child Support Enforcement Division and the Seniors and Persons with Disabilities Unit. She is a former chair of the Chicago Bar Association Mental Health and Disability Law Committee. Professor Boraca co-chairs the Kane County Bar Association Elder Care, Disability and Mental Health Committee as well as MLP Illinois, a task force consisting of representatives from medical-legal partnerships throughout Illinois.
Professor Boraca’s dedication to clinical education started as a student attorney and teaching fellow at the Loyola University Chicago Elder Law Clinic. She served as an adjunct clinical professor in Loyola’s Health Justice Project during the 2012-2013 year, teaching courses on Health Justice and Interdisciplinary Health Advocacy.
Professor Boraca was honored as Marquette University’s Klinger College of Arts and Sciences 2017 Young Aluma of the Year. In 2014, The Chicago Daily Law Bulletin named her as one of “40 Under 40” Illinois attorneys to watch. In 2011, Professor Boraca was a recipient of the Chicago Bar Foundation Sun-Times Public Interest Law Fellowship, an award that recognizes commitment to public interest work, academic achievement and integrity
Professor Boraca received her J.D., cum laude, with a certificate in health law from the Loyola University Chicago School of Law. She graduated with an H.B.A., cum laude, from Marquette University in Political Science and Communication Studies.
