title
PROPOSED RESOLUTION
COMMEMORATING THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE AND LEGACY OF ROGER PASCAL
WHEREAS, Roger Pascal, a man whose exceptional wisdom and compassion led him to a stellar legal career that spanned over half a century, died in December, leaving behind family, friends, colleagues and a community enriched for having known him; and
WHEREAS, Roger Pascal grew up in Rogers Park and graduated from Highland Park High School. He attended the University of Michigan and Harvard University School of Law; and
WHEREAS, Roger Pascal served as general counsel to the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois for thirty years and as a partner at Schiff, Hardin LLP for fifty years; and
WHEREAS, Roger Pascal's legal legacy is lengthy and cannot be overstated. He will long be remembered in particular for his challenge to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services which brought about important changes for those in the foster care system and for creating new and important legal doctrines that had a major impact on trade-secrets case law; and
WHEREAS, Roger Pascal, in addition to being a highly successful litigator and chair of his law firm's litigation practice took seriously his commitment to pro bono work. His work as legal counsel to the America Civil Liberties Union brought about profound and lasting reform that has expanded nationwide. One of his major victories was the decentralization of high-rise public housing in Chicago; his suit brought into use the Gautreaux process, now a national model for scattered site, low-density public housing. He successfully led the challenge to conditions at Illinois state psychiatric hospitals, and challenged the abusive and unlawful detention of a legal resident following the terrorist attacks of 911. His work challenging government watch lists and the repeated, lengthy, and abusive detentions of American citizens reentering the U.S made him nothing short of legendary; and
WHEREAS, Roger Pascal'...
Click here for full text