HR0786 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0786 LRB103 40677 LAW 73429 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate Sarah F. King on her installation as president of the Women's Bar Association of Illinois (WBAI); and

WHEREAS, The WBAI was first established in 1914 by nine women lawyers practicing in the Chicago metropolitan area; one of the oldest and largest bar associations in the State of Illinois, it serves as an influential voice in promoting the interests and welfare of women in the law, offering mentorship and networking opportunities, career advice, and events that promote and empower women leaders; and

WHEREAS, Sarah King, a partner at Clifford Law Offices, P.C., concentrates her practice in representing those who have been catastrophically injured or killed as a result of medical negligence; in a career built over a decade with Clifford Law Offices, she has gained substantial trial experience working cases alongside distinguished attorneys, including the firm's founder, Robert A. Clifford, and senior partner, Keith A. Hebeisen; she takes great pride in her work and has amassed verdicts for her clients totaling nearly $300 million, and these results include the record birth injury verdict in the State of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, In addition to her leadership roles within the WBAI, Sarah King is the current chair of the Women's Bar Association Political Action Committee; she is also a past president and long-serving board member of Women Everywhere: Partners in Service Project, which is a collaborative effort of lawyers and judges coordinating volunteer activities to help women and children; she remains committed to promoting and advancing women lawyers; to that end, she co-founded the Women's Caucus of the Illinois Trial Lawyer Association (ITLA), and she is also a long-serving member of the ITLA Board of Managers and was elected treasurer for the 2023-2024 term; and

WHEREAS, Sarah King earned her Bachelor of Arts from Loyola University Chicago in 2008; she earned her Juris Doctor from DePaul University College of Law in 2011, where she was inducted into the Order of the Coif; and

WHEREAS, A staunch advocate for women's rights and a supporter of women in law, Sarah King understands the opportunity she has as a woman trial lawyer to create positive changes in the judicial system by fostering equality and inclusion for women both inside and outside the courtroom; the theme for the 2024-2025 bar year is Together, In Service, with a strong focus on serving members through programming and advocacy that advances equality in the legal profession, serving the women of Illinois by aiding in the enactment of legislation that promotes the welfare of women and by giving back to the community through meaningful outreach and volunteer efforts; and

WHEREAS, Sarah King will be installed as president of the WBAI for 2024-2025 at its 110th Annual Installation Dinner and Awards Gala at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago on June 27, 2024; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Sarah F. King on her installation as president of the Women's Bar Association of Illinois for the 2024-2025 bar year, and we wish her all the best in her new position; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Sarah King as an expression of our esteem and respect.