On Thursday, May 22, 2025, the Supreme Court of Illinois issued an order suspending attorney Salena Rachelle Young from practicing law for two years, effective June 12, 2025. The decision followed a petition by the Administrator of the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (ARDC), which Young consented to. The court also mandated that Young reimburse the Client Protection Program Trust Fund for any payments related to her conduct before the suspension period ends.

The case is entitled “In the Matter of Salena Rachelle Young,” with case no. M.R.032618.

Young faced disciplinary action due to multiple instances of professional misconduct. During this period, Young was employed as an Assistant Illinois Attorney General in the General Law Bureau, while simultaneously working as a part-time Assistant Public Defender in Sangamon County and maintaining a private law practice. These roles violated the Attorney General’s policy prohibiting outside legal employment.

From November 2021 to June 2023, Young appeared in Sangamon County Circuit Court twice weekly, representing parents in juvenile abuse and neglect cases as a public defender. She also handled similar cases through her private practice. Despite these commitments, Young submitted timesheets to the Attorney General’s Office claiming she worked full days, even though she was engaged in outside legal work during those hours. Although Young may have worked additional hours to offset her absences, her actions constituted false reporting.

Additionally, Young’s roles created a conflict of interest. As an Assistant Attorney General, she occasionally represented the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) or its employees in juvenile cases. Simultaneously, her public defender and private practice clients were often in opposition to DCFS, which investigates allegations of abuse and neglect.

After resigning from the Attorney General’s Office and the Sangamon County Public Defender’s Office, Young joined the City of Springfield as an Assistant Corporation Counsel. During her tenure, which lasted until April 2024, she engaged in further misconduct by sharing confidential City of Springfield emails with an Illinois-licensed attorney, identified as T.E., who was also her romantic partner. T.E. provided Young with research assistance and drafted template emails, which Young sent to her colleagues, presenting the work as her own. In one instance, while defending City Water Light and Power in a lawsuit, Young forwarded a confidential email and draft discovery response to T.E. without authorization.

The ARDC filed a four-count complaint against Young, which was pending before the Hearing Board when the petition for discipline on consent was submitted. The petition, filed on March 24, 2025, and approved by a Hearing Board panel, cited violations of the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct, including unauthorized disclosure of client information, conflicts of interest, and dishonest conduct through false timesheets.

In mitigation, Young has practiced law for 21 years without prior discipline and expressed remorse for her actions. However, the ARDC noted aggravating factors, including the prolonged nature of her misconduct, spanning over a year, and her selfish motives, such as seeking research assistance through improper means. The recommended two-year suspension aligns with precedents like In re Smith (2007) and In re Giamanco (1999), where attorneys faced similar penalties for false billing and additional misconduct.

Young acknowledged the petition’s allegations as true and joined the petition voluntarily, understanding its consequences. The Hearing Board, with one dissenting member who favored a longer suspension, approved the petition’s submission to the Supreme Court. Young stated her commitment to maintaining honest timekeeping and respecting client confidentiality after her suspension.

The Disposition states:

“Petition by the Administrator of the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission to impose discipline on consent pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 762(b). Respondent Salena Rachelle Young is suspended from the practice of law for two (2) years.”

According to Avvo.com, Ms. Yoing is a family attorney in Springfield, Illinois. She acquired her law license in Illinois in 2003. 

A copy of the original filing can be found here.