THE FOLLOWING IS A NEWS-GAZETTE ARTICLE BY JENNIFER BAILEY
Above Photo Provided
CHAMPAIGN — Former Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court Rita B. Garman has joined the Champaign law firm of Webber & Thies, PC.
She plans to work closely with the firm’s litigation group, particularly its appellate practice.
Garman served as a member of the Illinois Supreme Court from 2001 to 2022, including a term as Chief Justice that concluded in 2016. Prior to that, she served on the appellate court (4th District) and as a Circuit and Associate Judge in Vermilion County. The Vermilion County Courthouse now bears her name.
Garman was born in Aurora and was the valedictorian of her graduating class at Oswego High School. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in economics with highest honors from the University of Illinois (Bronze Tablet) and thereafter, her Juris Doctor with distinction from the University of Iowa College of Law.
Before her service on the bench, Garman practiced law at the Vermilion County Legal Aid Society, was an assistant Vermilion County state’s attorney, and was in private practice with the law firm of Sebat, Swanson, Banks, Lessen & Garman.
Garman has received numerous awards during her illustrious career on the bench, including her selection as a Lincoln Laureate, an Illinois Bar Foundation and Illinois Judges Foundation Legal Luminary, and as a Pillar of the Champaign County Bar Association. She currently serves on the boards of the Illinois Judges Foundation and the Danville Area Community College Foundation.
Garman is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association, the Iowa State Bar Association, the Illinois Judges Association, the Vermilion County Bar Association, the Champaign County Bar Association and Champaign Rotary. She has two children with her late husband, Gill, and five grandchildren.
Webber & Thies is a full-service law firm that, for more than 75 years, has been meeting the legal needs of business and individual clients throughout Illinois and beyond. In addition to former Chief Justice Garman, other members of the firm include former Federal Magistrate Judge David G. Bernthal and former president of the Illinois State Bar Association, John E. Thies.
“We are delighted to have Chief Justice Garman as a member of our team,” said WT’s managing shareholder David C. Thies. “We believe our clients will greatly benefit from the experience she gained during her distinguished and exceptional career on the bench.”
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