Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism Commissioner Trisha M. Rich has been named to the annual Crain’s Chicago Business “40 Under 40” list. Ms. Rich is a Chicago-based Partner at Holland & Knight where she practices complex commercial litigation, legal ethics, and professional responsibility. She has served on the Commission on Professionalism since 2017.
“On behalf of the Commission on Professionalism, I would like to congratulate Trisha on this well-deserved honor,” said Hon. Debra Walker, Chair of the Commission on Professionalism. “Trisha is a leader in legal ethics and professional responsibility, areas of unique importance at this time of discord. Through her work at the Commission, Holland & Knight, and the Attorney Defense Initiative, she embodies the ideals of professionalism. Trisha is the only practicing lawyer to be named to the 2018 list, a testament to her leadership in the legal profession.”
Since 1989, Crain’s Chicago Business has highlighted 40 influential young leaders who are reinventing what it means to do business in a range of Chicago-area industries. In 2018, honorees included entrepreneurs, artists, and academics from the University of Chicago, Twitter, Facebook, and the Obama Foundation, among others.
Ms. Rich is a national leader in legal ethics and professional responsibility, and a frequent speaker on matters of ethics and risk management. She serves on the Commission on Professionalism’s education and mentoring committees, where she promotes professional responsibility education and lawyer-to-lawyer mentoring as vehicles for changing attorney behavior to exemplify the highest values of the profession.
Ms. Rich advises lawyers, law firms, and in-house legal counsel on professionalism and ethics. She also serves as the Deputy Professional Responsibility Partner in Holland & Knight’s Chicago office. In her litigation practice, she represents a variety of clients in complex commercial litigation matters.
Ms. Rich founded and coordinates the Attorney Defense Initiative, the first privately sponsored pro bono program in the nation that focuses on assisting impaired lawyers facing disciplinary charges. She is a member of the Trial Bar for the Northern District of Illinois and has argued before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.
Ms. Rich has been honored with multiple awards including Law Bulletin Media’s “Forty Under 40 Illinois Lawyers to Watch,” Chicago Bar Foundation’s Maurice Weigle Exceptional Young Lawyer Award, and as an Illinois Super Lawyers magazine “Rising Star.”
A full list of Crain’s “40 Under 40” can be found here.
About the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism
The Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism was established by the Illinois Supreme Court in 2005 under Supreme Court Rule 799(c) to foster increased civility, professionalism, and inclusiveness among lawyers and judges in Illinois. By advancing the highest standards of conduct among lawyers and judges, 2Civility works to better serve clients and society alike. For more information, please visit 2Civility.org and follow us on Twitter @2CivilityOrg.
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