H ow committed is Sarah Quinn to her clients? She once volun- teered to travel across the country for a trial during the third tri- mester of her second pregnancy. She delivered the closing argument in that trial and earned a winning result for her client. Marissa Downs, partner with Laurie & Brennan LLP, sums up Quinn’s dedication like this: “She is a very dogged litigator. She is grit personified.” Quinn’s peers say that this young attorney is that rare breed of law- yer, one who boasts the full package of analytical skills, intelligence, the ability to see the big picture of a case and the knowledge and where- withal to secure favorable testimony. As they say, when Quinn needs to be tough, she is tough. When she needs to take a gentler approach, she does. “In my experience, lawyers are either scholars or fighters,” said James Wideikis with Chicago’s Costello Ginex and Wideikis, P.C. “It is very rare for them to have both qualities. In Sarah’s case, she has both.” Wideikis and Quinn tried a complex specific performance case, rep- resenting Planet Fitness. The case centered around a complex commer- cial lease that Quinn and Wideikis believed the defendant breached. The two attorneys found themselves on a “rocket docket,” with the case set for about three months after it was filed. As documents came in, Quinn was not only able to review them crit- ically, but synthesize them into hers and Wideikis’ theory of the case. During depositions, Quinn assisted Wideikis with the lead witness. She traveled to California to secure an evidence deposition by herself. Quinn also handled the direct examinations of the clients and pre- sented a strong closing argument in a case that had a value of about $12 million. The result of this work? Quinn and Wideikis won the case, and the ruling and fees were recently upheld on appeal in the First District. “I got to see firsthand how Sarah handles a case from start to finish,” Wideikis said. “It was spectacular.” In addition to being a rising legal star, Quinn is dedicated to her com- munity. Jeremy Duffy, chief legal officer at the Illinois State Board of Education, worked with Quinn when the two served as teachers in un- derprivileged communities through the Teach for America program. Since that time, Duffy said, Quinn has continued to volunteer her time on issues related to improving education for all students, includ- ing working with the Leadership for Educational Equity organization to ensure equitable outcomes for all students. Duffy said that Quinn has been a leader in this organization, volunteering her time to promote key initiatives, attending conferences and even running for the local school council for her neighborhood school. “Not only is Sarah an excellent attorney, but she is also an awesome human being who dedicates her time and energy to ensuring that all students have access to an excellent education,” Duffy said.
SARAH QUINN
AGE 3 6
FIRM Husch Blackwell
LAW SCHOOL Notre Dame Law School
AREA OF PRACTICE Employment law
2023 ILLINOIS ATTORNEYS TO WATCH
She is a very dogged litigator. She is grit personified.”
40 Under Forty 2023 CHICAGO LAWYER & CHICAGO DAILY LAW BULLETIN
56
Powered by FlippingBook