LAYLA SULEIMAN GONZALEZ, OF COUNSEL

Dr. Suleiman González has over 25 years of experience in government, compliance, regulatory and nonprofit law. She is a recognized national leader on language and meaningful access compliance under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, making her a sought after expert with a track record of over 100 keynote and panel presentations.

For over eight years, Dr. Suleiman González served as the federally appointed court monitor responsible for overseeing compliance with the Burgos v. DCFS consent decree in Illinois, a class action lawsuit brought under Title VI.  Her experience also includes several executive level roles including Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Results Officer in various government agencies and nonprofits where she provider leadership on compliance and regulatory matters. She is an expert in nonprofit and healthcare compliance, including HIPAA and behavioral health regulations, providing guidance to many nonprofit clients and government boards and commissions.

She has extensive knowledge of the legislative process, including administrative rulemaking, and has drafted several pieces of legislation which are now law. Dr. Suleiman González recently wrote legislation to create the first-in-the-nation statewide language access policy and the Middle Eastern North African (MENA) ethnic category.  In prior years, she wrote legislation to codify the Governor’s Office of New Americans, the Illinois Latino Family Commission, and a uniform racial classification policy for the state of Illinois.

With this diverse portfolio, Layla serves as a strategic partner that can quickly assess a range of government and regulatory issues and provide clients with actionable and balanced legal advice to put them in the best position possible.  

EDUCATION:  

  • DePaul University Chicago - College of Law, Chicago, Illinois. Certificate in International Human Rights. Juris Doctorate   

  • Loyola University Chicago - Chicago, Illinois, Doctorate in Philosophy (Ph.D.), Psychology  

BAR ADMISSIONS: 

  • Illinois Supreme Court

CERTIFICATIONS: 

  • STANDARDS OF PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE INSTITUTE FOR CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICERS (National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education/NADOHE)

  • CERTIFIED MEDIATOR (Center for Conflict Resolution/CCR)

  • IMMIGRATION ACCREDITATION (U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE)

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS/BoARDS:

  • American Bar Association, Member (2008-Present)

  • Illinois Bar Association, Member (2008-Present)

  • Hispanic National Bar Association, Member (2024-Present)

  • Chicago Bar Association, Member (2024-Present)

SELECT PRESENTATIONS: 

  • “A Survey of Latina State Legislators: Experiences, Strengths and Challenges,” Latina State Legislator Caucus, Board of Latino Legislator Leaders (BLLL), November 2021 (Invited Presenter). 

  • Commencement Speaker, St. Augustine College, Chicago, IL, May 2018 (Invited Keynote)