Tuesday, September 08, 2015

Campaign website unveiled for Judge Devlin Schoop

A campaign website has been established for Judge Devlin Schoop, recently appointed to (and recently slated by the Democratic Party for) the countywide Karzenis vacancy. That's a link to Judge Schoop's campaign website in the preceding sentence; a link has been added to the blog Sidebar.

Schoop's website notes that Schoop was a partner in the law firm of Laner Muchin, Ltd. immediately prior to becoming a judge, "where he represented people, businesses, and local governments in commercial, employment and civil rights cases." He began his legal career, according to the campaign website, as a law clerk to U.S. District Court Judge Blanche M. Manning. Before his appointment to the Circuit Court, Judge Schoop was appointed "a Hearing Officer on the Hearing Board of the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Committee (ARDC), which is responsible for investigating and adjudicating allegations of attorney misconduct." In 2011, according to the campaign website, Schoop became a Panel Chair.

According to the campaign website, Schoop also served on the Associate Board of the Jane Addams Hull House Association and as a member of the Board of Directors for the Center for Conflict Resolution. Schoop has served as a member of the Local School Council for Esmond Elementary School, and has been active with the homeless feeding mission sponsored by the United Methodist Men’s Group of the Morgan Park United Methodist Church. Judge Schoop is a graduate of Chicago's Whitney Young High School, the University of Illinois at Chicago, and the University of Illinois College of Law.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ooh, got that D-1 filed just in the nick of time. Pity, the D-4 was filled out and ready to drop. Missed an A-1 filing date there, but they will let it slid since he's chummy with Toni.

The math on the BOE paperwork does not make sense. Put in 80, gave the party 25 and only 5 left? Sounds like that D-1 should have been filed a long time ago. We will see soon.

Long list of people watching this guy's every move. The unions are furious the party would back a pro management guy. How's Toni gonna sell this guy's past to CFL?

Anonymous said...

Oh no. Schoop a judge? This can't be good.

Jack Leyhane said...

OK, let's see if I understand this one. Anon 6:51 is upset because, in his private practice, Judge Schoop worked for a law firm that concentrates, according to its website, "exclusively in the representation of employers in labor relations, employment litigation, employee benefits and business immigration."

These are clients that, in Anon's partisan eyes, are unworthy of representation? Or are they only unworthy of representation by African-Americans? Anon, this may come as a shock to you, but not every lawyer agrees with everything his client says. Sometimes, Anon, lawyers even advocate on behalf of clients they don't much like.

Would you prohibit judicial service for criminal defense attorneys since they so often represent bad guys? I hate to break it to you, Anon, but Perry Mason? - the guy who only represented innocent criminal defendants? - he was a fictional character.

A lawyer and his or her client are often identified as a unit -- there's an old saw about a trial being a contest in which 12 strangers determine which side has the most likable lawyer -- you see how old the line is, Anon, because we're down to 6 strangers in civil cases these days. But it doesn't mean that the lawyer and the client are the same. Or that the lawyer and client share all views.

And maybe -- and I know this is a stretch for you, Anon, but work with me for a moment -- management isn't always wrong in every single case. Maybe most of them, sure, but here's another news flash for you: Most cases, in virtually every area of the law, settle -- meaning both sides have to give a little. So you can't be an effective advocate for any side unless you understand the other.

Oh, and one final thing, judges aren't advocates. They give that up and assume a posture of neutrality, or they'd better, because if they don't they'd be poor judges indeed.

Anonymous said...

Don't worry. Schoop will be fine when it comes to the Chicago Federation of Labor. The Cook County Democratic Party is holding a big event soon "honoring" Jorge Ramirez, President of the CFL. Then, in a couple of months, the slated candidates will appear with their opponents before Mr. Ramirez at the CFL for an "independent" endorsement session made to look very legitimate and on the up-and-up. Schoop could advocate there for the elimination of labor unions and a $1 minimum wage and it would not prevent him from being endorsed if his name is on the list of "must endorse" candidates that Preckwinkle gives Hannah Jubeh. Laner Muchin has helped Preckwinkle get rid of a lot of good county employees, many on the eve of vesting in their pensions. Schoop will be just fine and he will get his pension.