On September 20, 2023, HSPRD Partner Charlie Wysong represented client Morgan Urso in front of the Illinois Supreme Court. Urso, a LaGrange teen hockey player and mental health advocate, was banned from her hockey team after sharing her mental health struggle with her coach. Mr. Wysong argued to ensure youth sports teams and organizations like Team Illinois and the Amateur Hockey Association of Illinois must follow the Illinois Human Rights Act and protect sports players from discrimination based on their mental health condition, disability, or other status protected by state law.
“This is the first case in decades that the Illinois Supreme Court has considered about this part of the Human Rights Act,” said Mr. Wysong. “We urged the Court to recognize that discrimination in public will not be tolerated in Illinois.”
Earlier this summer, attorney General Kwame Raoul filed an amicus brief in support of Morgan and urged the Illinois Supreme Court to confirm that the Illinois Human Right Act prohibits discrimination in public places throughout Illinois, including by youth sports teams. Morgan was also supported by leading civil rights advocates from across the state including Equip for Equality, Access Living, Center for Disability and Elder Law, Chicago Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights, Legal Council for Health justice, Equality Illinois, the Shriver Center on Poverty Law, and Legal Aid Chicago.
Click here to access the IL Supreme Court’s recording | No. 128935 | Case name: M.U. v. Team Illinois Hockey Club, Inc.
