Erika N.L. Harold is an associate in the Firm's Litigation practice group. Ms. Harold has broad experience representing clients in a variety of complex commercial litigation matters, including civil RICO, class action, fraud, and breach of contract disputes. She has also been active in pro bono efforts, helping to represent a man on death row in post-conviction proceedings, and teaching Chicago Public School students about the U.S. legal system as part of the "Lawyers in the Classroom" program. Additionally, Ms. Harold coached a team of high school students in the City-Wide Mock Trial Competition, sponsored by the Chicago Coalition for Law-Related Education. She also helped edit a chapter entitled "Closing Argument" for the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education's 2009 treatise Illinois Civil Practice: Trying the Case.
Ms. Harold is licensed to practice law in Illinois and the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Prior to joining Burke, Warren, MacKay & Serritella, she practiced in the general litigation group at Sidley Austin LLP.
Ms. Harold received her A.B. in Political Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and was designated a Chancellor's Scholar. In 2007, she received her J.D. from Harvard Law School, where she won a Boykin C. Wright Memorial Award for her appellate advocacy and won Best Brief in the Harvard Ames Moot Court semi-final and final rounds of competition.
Ms. Harold also devotes time to various civic and philanthropic endeavours. She is a nationally recognized advocate of bullying prevention efforts, delivering presentations to community leaders and students about the most effective methods of combating peer-to-peer harassment. In recognition of her advocacy, Ms. Harold was named one of Fight Crime, Invest in Kids "Champions for Children" and received a leadership award from the National Center for Victims of Crime. Additionally, Ms. Harold serves on the board of directors of Prison Fellowship, the world's largest outreach to prisoners and their families.
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