Former AG Lisa Madigan joins Kirkland & Ellis

Former Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who has been relatively out of the spotlight after announcing she wouldn’t seek reelection two years ago, has joined Kirkland & Ellis as a partner, the firm announced Wednesday.

Madigan, who served as attorney general for 16 years, will handle high-level litigation, government and internal investigations and crisis management for Kirkland’s clients in both Chicago and Washington, D.C., the firm said in a release.

Madigan shocked many when she announced in September 2017 that she would not be seeking reelection. At the time, the North Side Democrat offered little explanation for her decision.

“Throughout my life, I have been passionate about the law and driven to find solutions to complicated legal matters,” Madigan said in a statement about her new job. “I am thrilled to continue practicing law at Kirkland, a firm of great lawyers who are successful in helping clients both proactively and reactively. Important to my work will be pro bono service that aligns with my belief that everyone should have an advocate to fight for them.”

Madigan, 53, had served as the state’s attorney general since 2003 and was the first woman to hold the office. She also served as a state senator from 1998 to 2002.

In 2013, Madigan compiled a $4.8 million campaign war chest with cash raised while she flirted with running for governor. She dropped out after concluding that “the state would not be well served by having a governor and speaker of the House from the same family” and that she had “never planned to run for governor if that would be the case.”