Toby Eveland, the chairman of the Illinois State Bar Association's Diversity Leadership Council and an associate in the litigation practice of law firm Arnstein & Lehr's Chicago office, has been selected one of the "Best LGBT Attorneys Under 40" by the National LGBT Bar Association.
He was honored earlier this year in Los Angeles.
"I was incredibly honored," to be selected, he said. "The fact that the National LGBT Bar Association chose to recognize me in a group of 40 attorneys from across the country for our professional and civic contributions actually was quite humbling."
Eveland, 34, who is single and lives in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood, is the immediate past chair of the ISBA's Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI).
The National LGBT Bar Association established this award to recognize LGBT legal professionals under the age of 40 who have distinguished themselves in their field and demonstrated a profound commitment to LGBT equality. There were 40 honored in 2011, Eveland said.
"One of the things that made the award so special was, two of my dear friends who also are attorneys here in Chicago were recognized, too," Eveland said. "Sharing the experience with [fellow attorneys] Jordan Heinz and John Litchfield made it all the more special." (All three are former Windy City Times 30 Under 30 honorees.)
Eveland also serves on the Board of Directors for several prominent organizations, including the AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC), Equality Illinois and the Test Positive Aware Network (TPAN).
"I learned [about] volunteering early on from my mom," Eveland said. "She taught us that, if you're passionate about something, you have to get out there and donate your time, donate your talents and donate your resources.
"I am very committed to making sure that we have full equality for the LGBT community. I'm very committed to making sure that we win the fight against HIV and AIDS, and eradicate the stigma that's associated with the disease."
Eveland has a 9-year-old dog, Beulah, which he got from the Chicago K-9 Rescue Foundation. Eveland is a devout sports fan, especially his beloved Alabama Crimson Tide football team. He also enjoys college basketball and NASCAR.
Eveland has run the Chicago Marathon three times, most recently in 2010. He also has participated in multiple sports through the Chicago Metropolitan Sports Association (CMSA).
