Jill Wine-Banks
Encyclopedia
Jill Wine-Banks is a United States
lawyer
who was one of the prosecutors during the Watergate scandal
, and who served as General Counsel of the Army
from 1977 to 1980.
, where her father was a Certified Public Accountant
. She was educated at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, receiving a B.S. in Communications, and at Columbia Law School
, receiving a J.D.
in 1968. She married Ian Volner, who was also a lawyer
, and began using the name Jill Wine Volner.
After law school, Wine Volner joined the United States Department of Justice
, becoming one of the first female attorneys in the organized crime section. During the Watergate scandal
, she served on the staff of special prosecutor
Leon Jaworski
. In that capacity, in the proceedings before Judge John Sirica
, she was responsible for cross-examining President of the United States
Richard Nixon
's secretary Rose Mary Woods
about the 18-1/2 minute gap on the Watergate tapes
.
After Watergate, Wine Volner joined a Washington, D.C.
law firm
. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter
nominated her to serve as General Counsel of the Army
, and she subsequently held that post until 1980. She also divorced Ian Volner, and, in 1980, married a high school flame, Michael Banks, an antiques dealer living in Winnetka, Illinois
, and changed her name to Jill Wine-Banks.
In 1980, at the behest of Albert E. Jenner, Jr.
, who had served on the staff of the Republicans
on the House Judiciary Committee
during Watergate and who had been impressed with her in-court performance, she became a partner at the Chicago law firm of Jenner & Block
.
In 1987, she became the executive director of the American Bar Association
, the first woman to hold that position. In 1989, there was a minor scandal after Wine-Banks convinced the Illinois Attorney General
's office, of which Wine-Banks had once been the second in command, to assign a prosecutor to investigate a veterinarian
who she believed had negligently treated her Dalmatian
, leading to the dog's death. After the Chicago Tribune
ran a story titled"'Grieving Dog Owner Unleashes Clout With State", a former ABA president, Eugene Thomas, circulated a letter in which he said that Wine-Banks "does not understand the use of power and lacks a sense of decorum and propriety in professional matters" and should be dismissed by the ABA. She later left the ABA in 1990.
In 1992, Wine-Banks joined Motorola
as a Director and Vice President, a position she held until 2000. From 1997 to 2000, she was also a Vice President of Maytag
. In 2001, she founded and was the Chief Executive Officer
of Winning Workplaces, a human resources
firm. She left Winning Workplaces in 2003 and joined the Chicago Public Schools
as Chief Officer for Career and Technical Education, a post she held until 2008. Since November 2008, Wine-Banks has worked as a consultant
with F & H Solutions.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
who was one of the prosecutors during the Watergate scandal
Watergate scandal
The Watergate scandal was a political scandal during the 1970s in the United States resulting from the break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C., and the Nixon administration's attempted cover-up of its involvement...
, and who served as General Counsel of the Army
General Counsel of the Army
The General Counsel of the Army is the General Counsel of the United States Department of the Army and the chief legal counselor of the United States Secretary of the Army...
from 1977 to 1980.
Biography
Jill Wine was born circa 1945, and raised in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, where her father was a Certified Public Accountant
Certified Public Accountant
Certified Public Accountant is the statutory title of qualified accountants in the United States who have passed the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination and have met additional state education and experience requirements for certification as a CPA...
. She was educated at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, receiving a B.S. in Communications, and at Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School, founded in 1858, is one of the oldest and most prestigious law schools in the United States. A member of the Ivy League, Columbia Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Columbia University in New York City. It offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in...
, receiving a J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
in 1968. She married Ian Volner, who was also a lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, and began using the name Jill Wine Volner.
After law school, Wine Volner joined the United States Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
, becoming one of the first female attorneys in the organized crime section. During the Watergate scandal
Watergate scandal
The Watergate scandal was a political scandal during the 1970s in the United States resulting from the break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C., and the Nixon administration's attempted cover-up of its involvement...
, she served on the staff of special prosecutor
Special prosecutor
A special prosecutor generally is a lawyer from outside the government appointed by an attorney general or, in the United States, by Congress to investigate a government official for misconduct while in office. A reasoning for such an appointment is that the governmental branch or agency may have...
Leon Jaworski
Leon Jaworski
Leonidas "Leon" Jaworski was the second Special Prosecutor during the Watergate Scandal...
. In that capacity, in the proceedings before Judge John Sirica
John Sirica
John Joseph Sirica was the Chief Judge for the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, where he became famous for his role in the Watergate scandal...
, she was responsible for cross-examining President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
's secretary Rose Mary Woods
Rose Mary Woods
Rose Mary Woods was Richard Nixon's secretary from his days in the Congress in 1951, through his Vice Presidency, Presidency, and until the end of his political career. Before H.R...
about the 18-1/2 minute gap on the Watergate tapes
Watergate tapes
The Watergate tapes, a subset of the Nixon tapes, are a collection of recordings of conversations between Richard Nixon and his fellow conspirators plotting a break in to the Watergate Hotel. U.S. President Richard Nixon and various White House staff started communicating on February 1971 and...
.
After Watergate, Wine Volner joined a Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
law firm
Law firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent clients in civil or criminal cases, business transactions, and other...
. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
nominated her to serve as General Counsel of the Army
General Counsel of the Army
The General Counsel of the Army is the General Counsel of the United States Department of the Army and the chief legal counselor of the United States Secretary of the Army...
, and she subsequently held that post until 1980. She also divorced Ian Volner, and, in 1980, married a high school flame, Michael Banks, an antiques dealer living in Winnetka, Illinois
Winnetka, Illinois
Winnetka is an affluent North Shore village located approximately north of downtown Chicago in Cook County, Illinois. Winnetka was featured on the list of America's 25 top-earning towns and "one of the best places to live" by CNN Money in 2011...
, and changed her name to Jill Wine-Banks.
In 1980, at the behest of Albert E. Jenner, Jr.
Albert E. Jenner, Jr.
Albert Ernest Jenner, Jr. was an American lawyer and one of the name partners at the law firm of Jenner & Block. He served as assistant counsel to the Warren Commission; as a member of the U.S...
, who had served on the staff of the Republicans
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
on the House Judiciary Committee
United States House Committee on the Judiciary
The U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary, also called the House Judiciary Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. It is charged with overseeing the administration of justice within the federal courts, administrative agencies and Federal law enforcement...
during Watergate and who had been impressed with her in-court performance, she became a partner at the Chicago law firm of Jenner & Block
Jenner & Block
Jenner & Block is a U.S. law firm with offices in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC. Approximately 450 attorneys serve a wide range of clients in corporate litigation, business transactions, and in the public sector. Jerold S. Solovy was the longtime Chair of the firm, but on Sept...
.
In 1987, she became the executive director of the American Bar Association
American Bar Association
The American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
, the first woman to hold that position. In 1989, there was a minor scandal after Wine-Banks convinced the Illinois Attorney General
Illinois Attorney General
The Illinois Attorney General is the highest legal officer of the state of Illinois in the United States. Originally an appointed office, it is now an office filled by election through universal suffrage...
's office, of which Wine-Banks had once been the second in command, to assign a prosecutor to investigate a veterinarian
Veterinarian
A veterinary physician, colloquially called a vet, shortened from veterinarian or veterinary surgeon , is a professional who treats disease, disorder and injury in animals....
who she believed had negligently treated her Dalmatian
Dalmatian (dog)
The Dalmatian is a breed of dog whose roots are often said to trace back to Dalmatia, a region of Croatia where the first illustrations of the dog have been found. The Dalmatian is noted for its unique black- or brown-spotted coat and was mainly used as a carriage dog in its early days...
, leading to the dog's death. After the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
ran a story titled"'Grieving Dog Owner Unleashes Clout With State", a former ABA president, Eugene Thomas, circulated a letter in which he said that Wine-Banks "does not understand the use of power and lacks a sense of decorum and propriety in professional matters" and should be dismissed by the ABA. She later left the ABA in 1990.
In 1992, Wine-Banks joined Motorola
Motorola
Motorola, Inc. was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, which was eventually divided into two independent public companies, Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions on January 4, 2011, after losing $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009...
as a Director and Vice President, a position she held until 2000. From 1997 to 2000, she was also a Vice President of Maytag
Maytag
Maytag Corporation is an American home and commercial appliance company, headquartered in Newton, Iowa, that is a division of the Whirlpool Corporation.-Company history:...
. In 2001, she founded and was the Chief Executive Officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of Winning Workplaces, a human resources
Human resources
Human resources is a term used to describe the individuals who make up the workforce of an organization, although it is also applied in labor economics to, for example, business sectors or even whole nations...
firm. She left Winning Workplaces in 2003 and joined the Chicago Public Schools
Chicago Public Schools
Chicago Public Schools, commonly abbreviated as CPS by local residents and politicians and officially classified as City of Chicago School District #299 for funding and districting reasons, is a large school district that manages over 600 public elementary and high schools in Chicago, Illinois...
as Chief Officer for Career and Technical Education, a post she held until 2008. Since November 2008, Wine-Banks has worked as a consultant
Consultant
A consultant is a professional who provides professional or expert advice in a particular area such as management, accountancy, the environment, entertainment, technology, law , human resources, marketing, emergency management, food production, medicine, finance, life management, economics, public...
with F & H Solutions.