Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice P. Scott Neville, Jr., will be honored today, July 29, as the recipient of the William H. Hastie Award by the National Bar Association (NBA) at the 2026 Thurgood Marshall Awards Luncheon in Nashville, Tennessee. Presented by the NBA’s Judicial Council, the award recognizes excellence in legal and judicial scholarship and a demonstrated commitment to justice and the rule of law.
The William H. Hastie Award honors the legacy of Judge William H. Hastie, a trailblazing jurist whose distinguished career included service as a United States District Judge, Governor of the United States Virgin Islands, and Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. He also served as Dean of Howard University School of Law and mentored future Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. The Hastie Award is the Judicial Council’s highest award.
Chief Justice Neville has served as Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court since October 26, 2025. He is the Court’s 123rd Chief Justice and the second Black Chief Justice in Illinois history.