Senate Resolution 134 - Introduced PAG LIN S.R. ________ H.R. ________ 1 1 SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 1 2 BY McCOY, APPEL, FRAISE, DEARDEN, QUIRMBACH, 1 3 OLIVE, SENG, HORN, WARNSTADT, DVORSKY, HECKROTH, 1 4 DOTZLER, BEALL, SCHMITZ, RAGAN, STEWART, 1 5 CONNOLLY, KIBBIE, GRONSTAL, COURTNEY, BOLKCOM, 1 6 RIELLY, SCHOENJAHN, WOOD, HANCOCK, DANIELSON, 1 7 and HATCH 1 8 A Resolution to honor Ms. Roxanne Barton Conlin for over 1 9 four decades of service as an activist, community 1 10 leader, and attorney advocate for the people. 1 11 WHEREAS, the life and career of Ms. Conlin are a 1 12 remarkable combination of dedication to public service 1 13 and hard work, which serve as a model to all young 1 14 people of this state; and 1 15 WHEREAS, at the age of sixteen, Ms. Conlin entered 1 16 Drake University, and five years later graduated with 1 17 honors from Drake University Law School, being one of 1 18 three women in her class and one of only 1,500 female 1 19 law students nationwide, later completing her formal 1 20 education with a degree in public administration; and 1 21 WHEREAS, from 1969 through 1976, Ms. Conlin served 1 22 with distinction as an Assistant Attorney General for 1 23 the state of Iowa, heading the civil rights section; 1 24 and 1 25 WHEREAS, in 1977, Ms. Conlin was one of the 1 26 nation's first two women to be appointed as a United 1 27 States Attorney, during which period she served as 1 28 president of the Federal Executive Council made up of 1 29 all federal agencies; and 1 30 WHEREAS, as a trial attorney, Ms. Conlin has 2 1 compiled an enviable record == she was elected the 2 2 first female president of the Association of Trial 2 3 Lawyers of America, selected one of only two women 2 4 members to the Inner Circle of Advocates, and awarded 2 5 more than 15 verdicts of $1 million or more in 2 6 discrimination cases; and 2 7 WHEREAS, in addition to a legal career, Ms. Conlin 2 8 has pursued a life of public service == she was the 2 9 Democratic Party's gubernatorial candidate in 1982, 2 10 she has served as president and general counsel of the 2 11 National Organization of Women's Legal Defense and 2 12 Education Fund, chair of the Iowa Democratic Party, 2 13 president of the Roscoe Pound Foundation, and she 2 14 founded and was the first chair of the Iowa Women's 2 15 Political Caucus; and 2 16 WHEREAS, Ms. Conlin is an advocate, supporter, and 2 17 foster caregiver for the Animal Rescue League of Iowa, 2 18 providing premium one=on=one care in her office and 2 19 home for numerous ill and needy animals, and serving 2 20 as an ambassador to ensure the financial stability of 2 21 the League; and 2 22 WHEREAS, while pursuing both her career and public 2 23 service, Ms. Conlin has been accorded wide 2 24 recognition, including induction into the Iowa Women's 2 25 Hall of Fame in 1981, selection to the Inner Circle of 2 26 Advocates, a group limited to the best 100 plaintiff 2 27 lawyers in America, selection as the 1997 Woman of the 2 28 Year by the Metro Women's Network, and receipt of the 2 29 Mary Louise Smith Award for Racial Justice from the 2 30 YWCA; and 3 1 WHEREAS, in a remarkable victory for all Iowans, 3 2 Ms. Conlin waged a seven=year legal battle with the 3 3 giant Microsoft corporation, ultimately forcing a $179 3 4 million settlement, the largest class action award to 3 5 date in Iowa; and 3 6 WHEREAS, with this settlement, hundreds of 3 7 thousands of Iowans who purchased Microsoft products 3 8 may claim generous refunds, with any unclaimed money 3 9 going to Iowa schools for the purchase of new 3 10 computers and to Iowa Legal Aid; NOW THEREFORE, 3 11 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE, That the Senate 3 12 honors Ms. Roxanne Barton Conlin for a lifetime of 3 13 public service and professional distinction, dedicated 3 14 to the goal of achieving equality for all persons. 3 15 LSB 6534SS 82 3 16 jr/nh/8.1