Illinois Becomes 37th State to Ratify Equal Rights Amendment

On May 30, 2018, in a historic step nearly 40 years in the making, the Illinois House joined the Senate in voting to make Illinois the 37th state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Winston & Strawn joined a broad coalition working to bring about this result. Winston lawyers did legal research, hosted events, drafted talking points, prepared materials, testified, and presented a webinar in which members of the House participated. Winston staff also played a role by submitting “witness slips” and creating and promoting a firm ERA web page.

The effort will now continue in Charlotte, where Winston lawyers and staff are working to make North Carolina the 38th and final state to ratify the ERA. The firm is also collaborating with the national ERA Coalition, which is planning the next steps that will need to take place in Washington. If the ERA is successful in North Carolina, Congress can then take action to remove, extend, or waive the earlier deadline.

Winston’s ERA working team includes Linda Coberly, Laura Petroff, Paula Hinton, Eva Cole, Sam Lerner, Erica Smilevski, and Greg McConnell. Linda led a webinar, “The Equal Rights Amendment: Legal Issues and Implications,” to answer recurring questions about the legal implications of the ratification effort. Many associates contributed critical research, including  Lauren Duxstad and Brett Waters. Winston Chairman Tom Fitzgerald played a critical role in getting the firm involved in this effort.

For more background on Winston’s commitment to secure equal rights for women through ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment, and for additional resources, visit our webpage dedicated to the ERA.