Lisa Madigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lisa Madigan
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| 41st Attorney General of Illinois | |
| In office January 13, 2003 – January 14, 2019 |
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| Governor | Rod Blagojevich Pat Quinn Bruce Rauner |
| Preceded by | Jim Ryan |
| Succeeded by | Kwame Raoul |
| Member of the Illinois Senate from the 17th district |
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| In office January 13, 1999 – January 7, 2003 |
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| Preceded by | Bruce A. Farley |
| Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 30, 1966 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Pat Byrnes |
| Children | 2 daughters |
| Parent | Michael Madigan (adoptive father) |
| Education | Georgetown University (BA) Loyola University, Chicago (JD) |
Lisa Murray Madigan (born July 30, 1966) is an American lawyer and politician. She is a member of the Democratic Party. From 2003 to 2019, she served as the Attorney General for the state of Illinois. She was the first woman to hold this important job. Lisa Madigan is the adopted daughter of Michael Madigan, who was a powerful leader in the Illinois House of Representatives for many years.
Lisa Madigan decided not to run for Attorney General again in 2018. Kwame Raoul took over her position after she left office.
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Becoming a Lawyer and Early Work
Lisa Madigan went to The Latin School of Chicago for high school. She earned her first college degree from Georgetown University in 1988. Later, she studied law at Loyola University Chicago School of Law and became a lawyer.
Before becoming a lawyer, she worked as a teacher. She also helped organize community programs, creating after-school activities for kids. Lisa Madigan even volunteered as a high school teacher in South Africa during a time called apartheid. This was a period when people were separated by race. After her teaching experience, she worked as a lawyer for a firm in Chicago.
Lisa Madigan's Political Journey
In 1998, when she was 32, Lisa Madigan decided to run for a seat in the Illinois Senate. She won easily in the first election and then ran unopposed in the main election. She served as a state senator from 1998 to 2003. During this time, she worked alongside Barack Obama, who later became President. They even had offices next to each other. She was also part of the judiciary committee, which deals with laws and justice.
In 2002, Madigan ran for Attorney General of Illinois. This time, it was a close race, but she won with just over 50% of the votes.
In 2004, Lisa Madigan made history. She became the first Illinois Attorney General in over 25 years to argue a case in front of the United States Supreme Court. This is a very big deal for a lawyer.
Lisa Madigan had a difficult relationship with former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. Her father, Michael Madigan, also had disagreements with the Governor. In 2008, Lisa Madigan took a bold step. She asked the Supreme Court of Illinois to temporarily remove Governor Blagojevich from office. She wanted Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn to take his place. The court did not agree to her request at that time. However, Governor Blagojevich was later removed from office by the Illinois General Assembly. Pat Quinn then became the new governor.
In 2006, Lisa Madigan was re-elected as Attorney General. She won by a large margin, showing strong support from voters.
People often thought Lisa Madigan might run for even higher political offices, like Governor of Illinois or a seat in the United States Senate. In 2008, The New York Times newspaper even listed her as one of the women who might become the first female President of the United States. However, in 2009, she announced she would run for re-election as Attorney General instead. In 2013, she again decided not to run for governor. This was because her father chose to stay in his role as Speaker of the Illinois House. So, she ran for Attorney General again and won.
On September 15, 2017, Lisa Madigan announced that she would not seek re-election in 2018. After leaving public office, she joined a law firm called Kirkland & Ellis as a partner in 2019.
Awards and Special Recognition
- In 2005, Lisa Madigan received the John F. Kennedy New Frontier Award. This award honors young Americans under 40 who have made important contributions in public service. It recognizes those who show leadership and dedication, just like John F. Kennedy did.
Personal Life
Lisa Madigan was born Lisa Murray. She changed her name when she was 18 years old. Later, in her twenties, she was formally adopted by Michael Madigan. Lisa Madigan is married to cartoonist Pat Byrnes. They have two daughters together.
Images for kids
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Lisa Madigan (center) at a rally.
