When Sarah Wolff decided to go into law, she hungered to serve the public interest. It’s no wonder that before the current head of Reed Smith’s securities practice entered private practice, she was ringing doorbells to help elect a reform-promising congressman in the cynical political climate of the 1970s.

Abner Mikva was a Democratic congressman who represented the South Shore and Hyde Park district of Chicago, but faced a daunting re-election challenge in 1972 when he was redistricted into a newly formed North Shore district, which was predominantly Republican.

Wolff said Mikva brought a fresh breeze to the pessimistic view of politics in the Vietnam War era. His promises to promote civil liberties and make the government effectively represent individuals inspired Wolff to work on his campaign while she attended Northwestern University.

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