Cornelia HONCHAR

Cornelia Honchar

Cornelia's 2011 Autobiography

I had the chance to graduate from New England College in Henniker, N.H., in 3 years, took a year off, then went to Europe for 3 years, attending the Université de Genève in Switzerland, Université de Grenoble, France, La Sorbonne in Paris, and wandered through Europe. Back to Chicago, where my mother lived, I was first a wire service reporter, hitting the street on my first day of work as Chicago went up in flames for the MLK riots, covered the 1968 Democratic Convention (20 years later I was on the DNC credentials committee then joined the Chicago Tribune, and later appointed to the Tribune's Investigative Task Force. De Paul College of Law, summa cum laude and a member of the Law Review Editorial Board. Joined a big law firm, then an Assistant Cook County State's Attorney. Fueled by an interest in politics, I was Research and Policy director in a successful campaign for Illinois Attorney General. I moved on to become the first woman in 150 years to be both Deputy Chief and Chief of the Chicago City Council Committee on Finance, during the term of Chicago's first Black Mayor, Harold Washington. I left for academia, as Assistant Ethics Counsel to the American Bar Association's Committee on Ethics. Finally, I realized my dream to be a criminal defense lawyer, moving to Tucson, AZ, living in a restored Territorial adobe. I represent indigent clients–a life filled with purpose and gratitude. I wish you all great happiness and success.