Sam A. Harton

Sam A. Harton is an Senior Attorney at the Romanucci & Blandin, working to drive results for clients in civil rights, primarily representing clients who have been subject to unconstitutional conditions in jails and prisons: the family of Alexis Sluder, a sixteen-year-old girl who died in a Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice facility; the family of Jaleen Anderson, who died in a private prison in Louisiana; and Cory Merchant, who was killed by another detainee while awaiting trial in a Florida jail. She is also proud to represent Raymond Comer, a young man who was permanently paralyzed after being shot by a Chicago police officer.

Sam has been an Attorney with Romanucci & Blandin since 2022 and her results include: a $1.5 million settlement of a wrongful death of a man in the care of the State of Illinois; a $2 million settlement on behalf of a woman who died by suicide while in jail in Texas; a $950,000 settlement for a young man who was deprived medical care in a local jail; and a $2,350,000 settlement in a medical malpractice case. Prior to joining the firm, Sam was a Law Clerk for the Illinois Prison Project and a Legal Extern for Justice Michael P. Donnelly at the Supreme Court of Ohio.

She has been featured for her legal insights in the media and podcasts, particularly about prisoners’ rights, and has been named to the Ones To Watch list of The Best Lawyers in America®, and a Rising Star (2024-present) by Super Lawyers® in Illinois.

She earned her Juris Doctor from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, where she served as president of the Public Interest Law Foundation and was Co-Founder of the Moritz Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Writing, Literature and Publishing from Emerson College.

In her free time, Sam enjoys rooting for the Cincinnati Bengals, coaching volleyball, and spending time with her husband and three cats.

Experience

• The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, Juris Doctor
• Emerson College, Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in Writing, Literature & Publishing

• Rising Stars by Illinois Super Lawyers®, 2024-Present
• The Best Lawyers in America®: Ones to Watch, 2025
• Eminent Scholar Full Tuition Merit Scholarship - The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
• Dean’s List Highest Honors in Public Service - The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
• National Lawyers Guild, Moritz Chapter, Co-Founder - The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
• Public Interest Law Foundation, President - The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law
• Academic All-Conference, Varsity Volleyball Team - Emerson College

• Legal Observer, National Lawyers Guild

• Southern District of Illinois
• Northern District of Indiana
• Illinois Supreme Court
• Northern District of Illinois
• Central District of Illinois
• Eastern District of Wisconsin

• Panelist, Lunch & Learn: Civil Rights, University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, Chicago, IL, September 2023