IL NAELA honored the Glenview lawmaker for championing protections for older adults and families at its Fall UnProgram on October 23
BARTLETT, Ill., October 23, 2026 — The Illinois Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (IL NAELA) presented its 2026 Legislator of the Year Award to State Representative Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-Glenview, 17th District) on Friday, October 23, at the chapter's Fall UnProgram at Bartlett Hills Golf Club.
The award recognizes a member of the Illinois General Assembly whose work has made a lasting difference for older adults, people with disabilities, and the families who care for them. This year, Rep. Gong-Gershowitz carried several measures that IL NAELA members see at work in their practices every day.
A Record of Protecting Older Illinoisans
In the 2026 session, Rep. Gong-Gershowitz was the House sponsor of House Bill 4649, a bipartisan measure drafted by IL NAELA member, Amy Delaney. The law lets courts issue temporary restraining orders to stop financial exploitation, freeze assets and lines of credit, and bar a scammer's contact with the victim, while keeping funds available for necessary living expenses. Governor JB Pritzker signed it into law in July 2026, effective immediately.
She also sponsored two bills drafted by IL NAELA: HB 4462, which eases the burdens current law places on attorneys and families administering Powers of Attorney for Property, and HB 4463, on substitution of guardian’s ad litem. Both passed the House Judiciary–Civil Committee in February with bipartisan support.
An attorney by training, Rep. Gong-Gershowitz has represented the 17th District since 2019 and chairs the House Judiciary–Civil Committee, where much of the state's probate, guardianship, and estate legislation is heard.
"Representative Gong-Gershowitz understands that the law only works if it works for real families," said Melissa Kallio, President of IL NAELA. "She listened to the attorneys who sit across the table from seniors and caregivers every day, and she turned that experience into legislation that stops scammers faster and makes Powers of Attorney easier to use. We are proud to name her our Legislator of the Year."
The award was presented during IL NAELA's Fall UnProgram, an interactive, discussiondriven continuing legal education day for elder law attorneys from across Illinois on Friday, October 23 at the Bartlett Hills Golf Club, Bartlett, IL.
Pictured left to right: Rep. Gong-Gershowitz and IL NAELA President Melissa Kallio at the Fall UnProgram award ceremony.
