Author of the Year Award
Honoring our Authors who have made outstanding contributions to Illinois continuing legal education.
About the Author of the Year Award
The IICLE Author of the Year Award is an annual recognition presented by the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education (IICLE) to honor exceptional contributions by volunteer authors. The award celebrates individuals who have demonstrated outstanding dedication, initiative, and impact in co-producing IICLE legal publication. Recipients are typically selected for:
- Exceptional contributions to new and revised practice handbooks.
- Going above and beyond in volunteering time and talent.
- Positive collaboration with staff and fellow contributing authors.
- High-quality legal writing.
2025 Recipient Nrupa Patel
Nrupa is an experienced litigator, having served as a prosecutor for four years in the Macon County States Attorney’s Office. During her time there, she prosecuted 12 jury trials and handled a variety of matters, including felony, traffic, domestic battery, and juvenile delinquency.Utilizing and leveraging her previous experience and knowledge of the criminal justice system, Nrupa primarily practices criminal defense and family law at BRE Law. Nrupa is multilingual, giving her the unique ability to assist clients in Spanish, Hindi, and Gujarati.
Nrupa is a native of the Chicago suburbs. After graduating from high school, she attended Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois. There, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and International Studies. Following her graduation from Bradley University, Nrupa attended Northern Illinois University College of Law. At NIU, Nrupa participated in Moot Court, Mock Trial, and was Vice President of the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund. She graduated in 2012, and subsequently moved to Central Illinois.
Past Recipients
The following individuals have received the Author of The Year Award for their contributions to Illinois continuing legal education:
- 2022 – Name – Location
- 2021 – Name – Location
- 2020 – Name – Location
- 2019 – Name – Location
- 2018 – Name – Location
- 2018 – Name – Location