Sunday, February 26, 2012

Women of NCDD: Sarah Toney (Illinois)


Sarah Toney’s list of accomplishments is long and impressive.  She is amazing on many levels and a great asset to NCDD.  She, too, is one of the Forensic Lawyers, having completed the Forensic Gas Chromatography course put on by Axion Labs and the American Chemical Society in Chicago. 
Arrested in or around Chicago?  You might want to call Sarah.
From her website:
Chicago criminal defense attorney Sarah Toney's experience in the legal field has been an extensive and impressive one. Chicago Magazine has named her an Illinois Super Lawyer Rising Star for the past 3 years. In addition, she has received a "Superb" 10.0 out of 10.0 rating by Avvo.com due in large part to her rave reviews by former clients and attorneys in her field from across the country. She has been an Adjunct Professor at Loyola University of Chicago School of Law since 2006.
In 2004, she was admitted to the United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois, General Federal bar. Later in 2006, she was admitted to the United States District Court, Central District of Illinois and to the United States Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit in 2007.
In her years of practicing law, she has been appointed to several councils, including the Illinois State Bar Association Traffic Laws and Courts Section Council in 2008. She has been reappointed to the Council in 2009, 2010 and 2011. She was appointed as Secretary of Traffic Laws and Courts Section Council 2010, is currently Vice Chair for 2011 and will serve as Chair of the Council in 2012. She was also appointed to the Young Lawyers Division Section Council in 2010 and 2011. She currently serves as a Chair of the Social Committee for the YLD.
Sarah has also served editor of the Traffic Laws and Courts Section Newsletter from 2008 to the present day and has published articles for the Young Lawyers Division Newsletter. She has been an Alumni Class Representative since 2009 for the Loyola University of Chicago School of Law.
As far as professional memberships go, Sarah is proud to consider herself a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, National College for DUI Defense, Inc., Illinois State Bar Association, Chicago Bar Association, as well as the Women's Criminal Defense Bar Association.
Continuing Education: Going Above and Beyond
Sarah believes strongly that education is the cornerstone of every experienced lawyer's practice and therefore works extensively to ensure that she upkeeps hers with continuing work. By assisting in several programs as well as going above and beyond to achieve further education, she has proven that her dedication to criminal law is impeccable.
In December 2011 Sarah was asked to speak at the Chicago Bar Association's seminar to train attorneys on how to do DUI license suspension hearings. She spoke on the law surrounding when police officers are allowed to stop vehicles and arrest people for DUIs. In addition, she performed a cross examination on a Chicago Police Officer for the attendees to demonstrate how to do a hearing. Sarah then lead the attendees in performing their own cross examinations on Chicago Police Officers to practice how to do a DUI license suspension hearing. Together with a Judge from Cook County, Sarah critiqued the attendees and provided them with practical tips on how to be better advocates in DUI defense.
Also in December 2011 Sarah was asked by the Illinois State Bar Association to moderate a seminar for new attorneys. All new attorneys in Illinois are required to attend a Basic Skills for new attorneys seminar after they are licensed and Sarah participated in a live seminar which was also videotaped for future new lawyers to watch online. Sarah also spoke on a panel at the Basic Skills seminar giving practicial advice for new lawyers on how to be good advocates as well as smart suggestions for getting ahead in the profession.
Next up for Sarah she is speaking at an Illinois State Bar Association seminar on starting your own law firm. Details can be found here: http://www.isba.org/cle/2012/02/09/startingyourownlawfirm
At the NACDL Spring Conference in 2004, Sarah assisted in presenting "High-Tech Crimes in High-Tech Times: Pornography, Hacking & Fraud" for "In Their Defense: Representing the Client Everyone Loves to Hate." She has also received her Certificate of Training from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the International Association of Chiefs of Police in DUI Detection and Standardized Field Sobriety Testing, Los Angeles, CA October 2005
Beyond this, she has attended the National College for DUI Defense for numerous years in the summer session, fall session, winter session as well as Mastering Scientific Evidence. By working on a meticulous and thorough understanding of criminal law, she has given herself an intimate knowledge that is consistently used as she fight to protect the legal rights of our clients.
Publications
    American Bar Association Journal E-Report, July 15, 2005, "This Is Serious"
    Family Law Committee of the Section on Legal Practice of the International Bar Association, October 2004, "San Francisco Conference Report: The Family Law Programme" No. 11
    Discrimination and Gender Equality Committee of the Section on Legal Practice of the International Bar Association, July 2004, "San Francisco Conference Report: The Family Law Programme" Vol. 9 No. 1
Children's Legal Rights Journal, Spring 2003, Article was a multistate summary of recent court decision relating to interrogations of minors by police.

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