Sam A. Harton

Sam Harton is a Senior Attorney at Romanucci & Blandin who puts her whole heart into her cases. She fights for her clients because she believes that powerful corporations and government entities must be held accountable when they prioritize profit, property, and power over the well-being of people. She primarily handles cases involving Prisoners' Rights violations in correctional facilities, but she is equally passionate about her cases involving Police Misconduct, Medical Malpractice and serious injuries resulting from dangerous Premises Liability cases.

Sam is incredibly honored to represent the family of Alexis Sluder, a sixteen-year-old girl who lost her life inside a juvenile detention facility in Georgia, as well as families across the country who have lost their loved ones to the violence and cruelty of the punishment industry. She also represents many families who have lost their loved ones to suicide in jail or prison. She strives to seek justice for her clients as well as broader, systemic reform to stop the rampant abuse of people affected by mass incarceration. 

Sam has been an Attorney with R&B 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, where she is now a member of the Associated Board, and a Legal Extern for Justice Michael P. Donnelly at the Supreme Court of Ohio.

She has been featured in the media and on podcasts for her legal insights, particularly on prisoners' rights, and has been named to the Best Lawyers in America® Ones to Watch list 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

• Illinois Prison Project Associate Board
  • Member, 2025-Present
• National Lawyers Guild
  • Legal Observer

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

• Speaker, American Burn Association’s Burn Surgeon Forum, Becoming an Effective Expert Witness, Chicago, IL, September 2025
• Guest, Cases for Causes Podcast, Police and Jail Misconduct with Sam Harton, July 2024
• Panelist, Lunch & Learn: Civil Rights, University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, Chicago, IL, September 2023