LaGuina Clay-Clark: In her own words

LaGuina Clay-Clark is a candidate for the Turkington vacancy in the 1st Judicial Subcircuit.

Having been a victim of racial profiling, I know what it feels like to experience an unjust system. As a frequent traveler, I was often stopped and searched by U.S. Customs at O’Hare Airport from 1983 to 1998. Each and every time I returned to our beautiful and beloved country, I was detained, taken to the back room and was humiliated and degraded based solely on the fact that I was African American and female. As it turns out, about 60 other African American women had been experiencing the exact same form of racial profiling during the same years. Some of us were detained for hours, even days, had cavity searches, removed from the airport to hospitals, handcuffed to beds and forced to ingest laxatives. We could not make phone calls. No one knew where we were, because until you cross the border back into the United States, you have no rights as citizens. None of us had committed any crimes and a large number of us were lawyers, teachers, doctors, Rhodes Scholars, nurses and other professionals. We sued U.S. Customs for racial discrimination, among other things. We fought hard from 1997 to 2005. The harassment stopped after a long hard legal battle. So, I understand completely. When people come to court they are only looking for a fair shake. We should not be judged based on the color of our skin, or where we live or how we dress. We all want and deserve justice based upon impartiality, fairness and equal protection under the law. Justice for everyone – justice for all of us.

I was appointed Judge by the Illinois Supreme Court in March 2007. I interact with hundreds of people, on a daily basis. I have presided over countless trials and hearings; and pride myself on my patience and calm demeanor as I handle all matters that come before me with respect and integrity. My ongoing experience as a judge only strengthens my resolve to always treat people with dignity and respect and to continue to work hard to ensure that all people are treated fairly before the law.

I was born, raised and lived in Chicago my entire life and currently reside in the First Subcircuit to which I was appointed. My past combined experiences as Trial Judge of the Illinois Court of Claims – 7 years; Circuit Court Arbitrator – 7 years; Sole Practitioner – 15 years; and Chicago Public School Teacher – 17 years; and my dedicated service to the community afforded me a smooth transition to the bench.

I attended John Marshall Law School part-time while teaching school full-time. Upon graduating, I opened my law practice. I practiced full-time and continued to teach full-time simultaneously for seven years until I resign from teaching to dedicate all of my time to my practice. During my 17 years as a teacher, I was consistently evaluated “Superior” the highest possible rating for a teacher. During my 15 years of practice, I represented my clients with zeal and dedication.

As a Commissioner, I served as a Trial Judge on the Illinois Court of Claims for seven years. Commissioners are appointed from across the state to preside over the multitude of claims that are filed yearly. I presided over countless trials and wrote many opinions. During the same seven years, I also served as an arbitrator for the Circuit Court of Cook County Mandatory Arbitration Program.

More importantly, I have always recognized the need and obligation to give back to the very community that raised and supported me. Throughout my legal career, I volunteered my time to various organizations. For seven years, I served as pro bono attorney to the Rainbow PUSH Legal Clinic. Also, as a pro bono attorney for Center for Disability and Elder Law, I rendered legal representation on behalf of our Senior Citizens, homebound and disabled in the community. Always trying to give more, I wrote a weekly legal column for four years for a local newspaper as a pro bono columnist. I dispensed pertinent, legal information covering a multitude of topics. Additionally, in an effort to level the playing field, I worked as a pro bono counsel for First Defense Legal Aid. During 12-hour shifts, upon receiving calls from indigent detainees, I traveled to the various Chicago police precincts and protected their rights.

I have been found qualified by the Cook County Bar; Black Women’s Lawyers’ Association; Chicago Bar Association; Illinois Bar Association; and Hispanic Bar Association. I am proud to be the only one in my race endorsed by the Chicago Federation of Labor – AFL-CIO; Independent Voters of Illinois-Independent Precinct Organization; and the Chicago Fire Fighters Union. Please visit my website for a host of other endorsements and information at www.judgeclayclark.com. My opponents are both fine attorneys; however, I am the only one who is currently a sitting Judge. I respectfully ask for your vote on February 5, 2008 to continue to serve and represent our community in the highest esteem.