Judicial candidates invited to learn about evaluation process

Submitting one's credentials for evaluation by other lawyers may be the most intimidating aspect of running for judge.

At least the most intimidating aspect other than asking people for money.

To help candidates understand what is expected, the Alliance of Bar Associations for Judicial Screening will host a program entitled "A Guide to the Alliance Judicial Evaluation Process" on Wednesday October 17, 2007 at the Chicago Regional Office of the Illinois State Bar Association, 20 South Clark Street, Suite 900.

Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans will provide welcoming remarks for the program, which will run from 5:15 to 7:00 p.m. Admission is free, but registration is requested.

Assistant State's Attorney Z. Williams, the First Vice President of the Cook County Bar Association, was kind enough to call my attention to this program today.

A flyer for the program promises that a panel of Alliance bar representatives will be on hand to "explain each aspect of the Alliance judicial evaluation process, give guidance on how candidates may most effectively present their credentials, and answer questions" about the process.

For more information about the program, and to register, please contact Joyce Williams at the Illinois State Bar Association at (312)726-8775 or by email at jwilliams@isba.org. I spoke with her this afternoon and confirmed that the Alliance questionnaire is not currently available online. However, Ms. Williams said she can email it to candidates upon request -- and, of course, it might be helpful to have looked over the questionnaire before attending the program on October 17.

In addition to the CCBA and the ISBA, other Alliance members sponsoring the October 17 program are the Asian American Bar Association, the Black Women Lawyers' Association of Greater Chicago, the Chicago Council of Lawyers, the Decalogue Society of Lawyers, the Hellenic Bar Association of Illinois, the Lesbian and Gay Bar Association, the Puerto Rican Bar Association of Illinois, and the Women's Bar Association of Illinois.

------------------------------------------------------------

Note: The Chicago Bar Association is not a member of the Alliance. It conducts its own evaluation of judicial candidates and you can download the CBA evaluation form by clicking this link. Please note that, according to its website, the CBA expects all candidates to complete and return their questionnaires and all other required forms by November 6, 2007.

The Alliance and CBA questionnaires request similar information -- but they are not the same -- and it will take some considerable time to complete both. Speaking only for myself, I would hope that all serious candidates will take that time.