Death penalty reformer to receive ABA Thurgood Marshall Award

The American Bar Association Section of Individual Rights and Responsibilities will honor Thomas P. Sullivan, a partner at the Chicago office of Jenner and Block LLP and former United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, with its Thurgood Marshall Award at 8 p.m. on Aug. 1 at the Swissôtel in Chicago. The award, which recognizes members of the legal profession for their long-term contributions to the advancement of civil rights, civil liberties and human rights in the United States, will be presented at the Thurgood Marshall Award Dinner during the ABA Annual Meeting. Sullivan, who has more than 55 years of legal experience, is a nationally recognized civil and criminal trial and appellate litigator who contributed to the abolishment of the death penalty in Illinois. Sullivan was appointed by Governor George Ryan to serve as co-chair of the Commission on Capital Punishment, 2000-02. The commission's reports influenced Ryan's decision in 2003 to clear Illinois' death row and commute the sentences of over 160 prisoners from death to life without parole. He was also chair of the Illinois Capital Punishment Reform Study Committee, 2004-09, whose reports recommending comprehensive changes to Illinois homicide law and procedure led Illinois to repeal capital punishment with Governor Pat Quinn's signing the bill abolishing Illinois' death penalty in 2010. Sullivan has represented many indigent persons in civil and criminal litigation, including prisoners incarcerated at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and served as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, 1977-81. Members of the bench and bar associations nationwide will come together to honor Sullivan. Scott F. Turow, best-selling author of legal thrillers and a partner at the international law firm Dentons in Chicago, will deliver the keynote remarks. On June 17, 2015, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and city council members declared August 1, 2015, as Thomas P. Sullivan Day. The ABA Section of Individual Rights and Responsibilities provides leadership within the legal profession in protecting and advancing human rights, civil liberties and social justice. Representing nearly 10,000 members with a wide range of professional interests, the section keeps its members abreast of complex civil rights and civil liberties issues and ensures that the protection of individual rights remain a focus of legal and policy discussion. Published: Thu, Jul 23, 2015