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Chris Welch (politician)
Emanuel Christopher Welch (born February 6, 1971), known as Chris Welch, is an American lawyer and politician who is the Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives. A Democrat, he represents the 7th district in Cook County, which includes all or parts of River Forest, Forest Park, Maywood, Broadview, Bellwood, Hillside, Westchester, La Grange Park, and Berkeley.
Welch was elected the 70th Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives on January 13, 2021, succeeding longtime Speaker Michael Madigan. He is the first African American to serve in this position.
Welch graduated from Proviso West High School in Hillside, Illinois, in 1989. He attended Northwestern University, graduating with a B.A. degree in 1993, and the John Marshall Law School, graduating with a J.D. degree in 1997.
A member of the Illinois bar in private practice, Welch is a partner at Ancel Glink. Before Ancel Glink, he was a partner at Sanchez, Daniels and Hoffman, LLP.
In 2001, Welch was elected to the Proviso Township High School District 209 Board of Education, and later served at the Board's president. Welch led the district's efforts to establish the nationally recognized Proviso Math and Science Academy. He stepped down from the Board in 2013, upon his election to the House.
In 2008, the Proviso School Board's former law firm, Odelson & Sterk, which it fired in 2007, sued Welch for allegedly making defamatory comments about the firm on the blog "Proviso Insider", to which Welch was an anonymous contributor. The district covered his legal expenses, but questions were raised about whether the firm was targeting Welch for actions taken in his personal capacity, with Board member Theresa Kelly filing a complaint with the regional superintendent of schools about the matter. In 2011, Welch sought to have the district pay a $400,000 settlement he reached with the firm, but the District's Financial Oversight Panel blocked this. In July 2012, Welch agreed to pay the firm an unknown amount.
Welch first ran for the Illinois House of Representatives in district 7 in 2006, challenging incumbent Democrat Karen Yarbrough. Welch focused his campaign on education. He lost the primary to Yarbrough.
In 2012, Welch again sought the Democratic nomination for the legislative seat, and he narrowly defeated three other candidates including his former girlfriend in the primary and ran unopposed in the general election. He was sworn in on January 9, 2013.
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Chris Welch (politician)
Emanuel Christopher Welch (born February 6, 1971), known as Chris Welch, is an American lawyer and politician who is the Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives. A Democrat, he represents the 7th district in Cook County, which includes all or parts of River Forest, Forest Park, Maywood, Broadview, Bellwood, Hillside, Westchester, La Grange Park, and Berkeley.
Welch was elected the 70th Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives on January 13, 2021, succeeding longtime Speaker Michael Madigan. He is the first African American to serve in this position.
Welch graduated from Proviso West High School in Hillside, Illinois, in 1989. He attended Northwestern University, graduating with a B.A. degree in 1993, and the John Marshall Law School, graduating with a J.D. degree in 1997.
A member of the Illinois bar in private practice, Welch is a partner at Ancel Glink. Before Ancel Glink, he was a partner at Sanchez, Daniels and Hoffman, LLP.
In 2001, Welch was elected to the Proviso Township High School District 209 Board of Education, and later served at the Board's president. Welch led the district's efforts to establish the nationally recognized Proviso Math and Science Academy. He stepped down from the Board in 2013, upon his election to the House.
In 2008, the Proviso School Board's former law firm, Odelson & Sterk, which it fired in 2007, sued Welch for allegedly making defamatory comments about the firm on the blog "Proviso Insider", to which Welch was an anonymous contributor. The district covered his legal expenses, but questions were raised about whether the firm was targeting Welch for actions taken in his personal capacity, with Board member Theresa Kelly filing a complaint with the regional superintendent of schools about the matter. In 2011, Welch sought to have the district pay a $400,000 settlement he reached with the firm, but the District's Financial Oversight Panel blocked this. In July 2012, Welch agreed to pay the firm an unknown amount.
Welch first ran for the Illinois House of Representatives in district 7 in 2006, challenging incumbent Democrat Karen Yarbrough. Welch focused his campaign on education. He lost the primary to Yarbrough.
In 2012, Welch again sought the Democratic nomination for the legislative seat, and he narrowly defeated three other candidates including his former girlfriend in the primary and ran unopposed in the general election. He was sworn in on January 9, 2013.