Illinois Jaycees Honors Long Grove Native as 2019 Illinois Outstanding Young Person
The Illinois Jaycees selected Sara T. Ghadiri as an honoree of its Outstanding Young Persons of Illinois awards program. The Outstanding Young Persons (TOYP) program annually recognizes young people throughout Illinois who excel in their chosen fields, endeavors and show a great commitment to their respective communities. Ghadiri, 29, is being recognized in the category of political, legal, and/or governmental affairs.
Ghadiri is an attorney at Chapman and Cutler LLP specializing in subjects as consumer finance, employment law, trust litigation, and bank regulatory advice. She was made her firm's first Pro Bono Counsel in 2018. As part of her pro bono practice, she has helped people dealing with contracts, family law, immigration and domestic violence proceedings. She led a change to Illinois law that allows survivors of domestic violence to seek safety-related waivers to the publication and public record requirements for legal name changes.
In addition to her own cases, Ghadiri works on connecting clients who need help but are unable to pay with other Chapman and Cutler LLP attorneys. Ghadiri has been recognized by Chapman and Cutler LLP and was awarded the Pro Bono and Volunteer Achievement Award in 2017, for her work with several legal aid organizations around Chicago. In addition, Ghadiri has also won awards from the American Bar Association and LAF, one of the largest legal aid providers in the Chicago area.
Ghadiri also serves as Assistant Director of LegalTrek, a summer program designed to provide a hands-on, comprehensive overview of the legal profession to diverse college students. The program was on the verge of being discontinued due to lack of funding, and Ghadiri was instrumental in finding a new home for the program at DePaul College of Law and securing her law firm as a sponsor.
Ghadiri has also worked with the National Immigrant Justice Center to assist asylum seekers and often helps with DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) renewals and asylum cases. Ghadiri graduated with a Bachelor's degree from Illinois Wesleyan University and a law degree from University of Iowa College of Law.
"I am honored to be recognized by The Illinois Jaycees for helping others fight for justice in a career that I love," said Ghadiri.
The Illinois Jaycees will recognize this year's honorees at an awards banquet on May 4, 2019 at the Wyndham Springfield-City Centre. The event is supported by friends and employers of the honorees, local Jaycee organizations, Illinois businesses and the Illinois Jaycees Charitable Foundation. Friends, local businesses and organizations can offer congratulations to the honoree and support the program by purchasing space in the banquet program. Additional Details can be found at www.iljaycees.org/toyp-2019.
About the Jaycees
Leadership development through community involvement has been the basis of the Jaycees since its inception in 1920. The goal of the not-for-profit organization is to provide members a means to reach their full potential through networking and personal growth opportunities and is ideal for proactive young people, ages 18 to 40. Members enhance a variety of skills as they work together to plan and run civic and individual development activities in their home communities and chapters. Illinois is the largest Jaycee state in the United States. To locate a chapter nearest to you, email servicecenter@iljaycees.org.