In this post we look at the CCL's ratings of judicial candidates running in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 6th Subcircuits.
1st Subcircuit
Brooks Vacancy
Krista D. Butler -- Not Recommended
Did not participate in the evaluation process.
Crawford Vacancy
Hon. Tyria B. Walton – Well Qualified
Hon. Tyria B. Walton. was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1997. Appointed to the bench in 2018, she previously served as an Assistant Public Defender and a Grade IV Murder Task Force Attorney at the Law Office the Cook County Public Defender.
Ms. Walton is considered to have very good legal ability with substantial litigation experience in complex matters. She is praised for her trial skills, her diligence and for her integrity. She is considered to be exceptionally knowledgeable and serves as a mentor to less experienced attorneys. The Council finds her Well Qualified for the Circuit Court.
2nd Subcircuit
A Vacancy
Hon. Sondra Nicole Denmark -- Qualified
Hon. Sondra Nicole Denmark was admitted to practice in 2004 and was appointed to the Circuit Court by the Illinois Supreme Court in 2018. Before taking the bench, she served as an Assistant Will County State’s Attorney since 2008, and was an Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney from 2004 to 2007. Ms. Denmark is considered to have good legal ability and temperament. She has substantial litigation experience. The Council finds her Qualified for the Circuit Court.
Felicia H. Simmons-Stovall -- Qualified
Felicia H. Simmons-Stovall was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1996. Since 2006, she has served as an Enforcement Attorney in the Illinois Department of Securities. Previously, worked for the Administrative Hearings division of the Illinois Secretary of State as an Administrative Formal Hearing Officer (2000-2006) and a Prosecutor/Representative (1999-2000). She provides pro bono services at the Apostolic Church of God, where she organizes legal workshops, and at the annual Second Chance Expungement Summit at the office of the Clerk of Circuit Court of Cook County.
Felicia H. Simmons-Stovall is considered to have good legal ability and has a variety of legal experiences. She is generally praised for her professional demeanor. The Council finds her Qualified for the Circuit Court.
Chelsey R. Robinson -- Qualified
Chelsey R. Robinson was admitted to practice in 1996. She is a Partner in a small firm where she handles civil and criminal litigation matters. Her practice also includes bankruptcy and employment discrimination matters in federal court. She is widely praised for her legal ability and for her knowledge of the law. She has litigation experience in a variety of matters in both state and federal courts. The Council finds her Qualified for the Circuit Court.
3rd Subcircuit
Filan Vacancy
Hon. Daniel Edward Maloney -- Qualified
Hon. Daniel Edward Maloney was admitted to practice in 2001. He was appointed to the bench by the Illinois Supreme Court in 2019. Before taking the bench, Judge Maloney served as an Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney. He was assigned to the Complex Narcotics Unit of Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. For two years, he had been the sole Assistant State’s Attorney assigned to the DEA/HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) Strike Force. While there, Mr. Maloney assisted law enforcement agencies in the investigation and prosecution of high level narcotics dealers. Judge Maloney had been employed within the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office from 2001 to his appointment to the bench. He has also worked within the Special Prosecutions Bureau and the Criminal Prosecutions Bureau.
As a lawyer, Judge Maloney is considered to have good legal ability and has substantial experience in prosecuting complex criminal law matters, including murder cases. He is praised for his courtroom skills and for his temperament. He is reported to be an excellent mentor to less experienced lawyers. The Council finds him Qualified for the Circuit Court.
Flynn Vacancy
Lauren Brougham Glennon -- Qualified
Lauren B. Glennon was admitted to the Illinois bar in 2003. Since 2017, she has been a Solo Practitioner at Glennon Law LLC, where she handles general legal matters, including traffic tickets, commercial and residential real estate transactions, and property tax appeals. Previously, she worked as a Senior Associate at Odelson & Sterk, LTD (2014-2017), a Senior Associate at Worsek & Vihon, LLP (2006-2014), and Assistant Corporation Counsel for Buildings and Land Use Litigation at the City of Chicago’s Law Department (2000-2006).
Lauren Glennon is considered to have good legal ability, and is praised for her litigation skills. She is reported to have experience in a variety of legal areas and to have good temperament. The Council finds her Qualified for the Circuit Court.
David A. Bonoma -- Qualified
David Alan Bonoma was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1988. He is a Partner in Chicago office of Linebarger, Goggan, Blair & Sampson, LLP, where he serves as the firm’s representative in interacting with current or potential governmental clients, and for business development in the States of Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Previously he served as Acting Director of External Affairs, North Region, of Commonwealth Edison (2012-2014), as Founding Partner of Reyes & Bonomona, Ltd. (2005-2011), as Shareholder in the Government Group of Greenberg & Traurig, LLP (2003-2005), as Chief of Staff and Assistant State’s Attorney in the Cook County State’s Attorney Office (1997-2003), and as an Associate Attorney with Phelan Pope & John, Ltd./Shefsky Froelich & Devine, Ltd. (1988-1997). He provides pro bono services for the Maryville Academic, a Catholic social services organization, where he is currently Chair of the Legal Affairs Committee.
Mr. Bonoma is considered to have good legal ability, and is reported to be exceptionally hard-working and a good problem solver. He has vast experience handling transactional work, but has never handled a jury trial. He has some litigation experience in more complex matters, and is praised for his integrity and for his temperament. The Council is concerned about his lack of substantial litigation experience, but he has excelled in a variety of settings throughout his career. The Council finds him Qualified for the Circuit Court.
Regina Ann Mescall -- Qualified
Regina Mescall was admitted to the Illinois bar in 2008, but has practiced since 2004. Since 2008, she worked as an Assistant State’s Attorney in the Cook County State’s Attorney Office, where she currently serves as a First Chair in the Felony Trial Division and previously served in the Felony Review Unit (2018—Jan. 2019, 2015-2016, 2008-2009), the Felony Trial Division (2016-2018, 2012-2015), and the Preliminary Hearing/Grand Jury Unit (2009-2012). Prior to that, she was Assistant District Attorney in the state of New Mexico (2004-2008). She is a member in good standing of the National District Attorney’s Association.
Ms. Mescall is considered to have good legal ability and handles some of the most complex matters in the State’s Attorney’s Office. She is praised for her litigation skills and for her professional demeanor. The Council finds her Qualified for the Circuit Court.
James John Knibbs -- Qualified
James John Knibbs was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1985. He is Of Counsel at Foran Glennon Palandech Ponzi & Rudloff, where he handles civil litigation in state and federal court. He began his legal career at the Cook County State’s Attorney Office, where he served as an Assistant State’s Attorney from 1985 to 1989 and from 2002 to 2008. He has also worked at several private law firms where he handled personal injury and wrongful death matters.
Mr. Knibbs is considered to have good legal ability with substantial litigation experience in both criminal and civil matters. He is praised for his work ethic, knowledge of the law, and demeanor. He is also praised for his litigation skills and is reported to be always prepared. He is reported to have good temperament and to be diligent and punctual. The Council finds him Qualified for the Circuit Court.
Thomas Condon, Jr. -- Qualified
Thomas Condon, Jr. was admitted to practice in 2001 and is currently in private practice. In the past has been an attorney with the Chicago Department of Law. He has substantial litigation experience in tort matters and commercial disputes.
Mr. Condon is considered to have good legal ability with substantial experience in a variety of legal areas. He is praised for his temperament. The Council finds him Qualified for the Circuit Court.
Brad S. Telander -- Qualified
Brad S. Telander was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1983. Since 2014, he has been the Owner of Telander & Associates, where he handles traffic, misdemeanor, and felony matters. Previously he was a Partner at Telander & Telander (1992-2014), an Attorney for the Chicago Northwestern Railroad (1991-1992), and an Assistant State’s Attorney for the Cook County State’s Attorney Office (1983-1991), where he worked in the Felony Review unit, the Preliminary Hearings unit, the Felony Trial Division, and Gang Crimes unit.
Mr. Telander is considered to have good legal ability. He is reported to be a solid practitioner with good legal knowledge and trial skills. He has substantial litigation experience, and is reported to have a good temperament. The Council finds him Qualified for the Circuit Court.
Scott Edward Lipinski -- Not Qualified
Scott Lipinski was admitted to practice in 2002. He is a career Assistant Cook County Public Defender, currently assigned to the felony rotation in the Markham Courthouse where he now handles felony defense matters. He handled misdemeanor and other less complex matters for much of his career, but he now has begun defending more complex cases. He is considered to have good legal ability and many lawyers report that he is a zealous advocate for his clients. However, there were several reports that Mr. Lipinski can be abrasive and lack courtesy. On balance, the Council finds him Not Qualified for the Circuit Court.
Murphy Vacancy
Hon. Erin Haggerty Antonietti -- Qualified
Hon. Erin Haggerty Antonietti was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1991. She was appointed to the Circuit Court by the Illinois Supreme Court in June 2019. Prior to taking the bench, she worked as an Assistant State’s Attorney in the Criminal Division of the Cook County State’s Attorney Office, where she was assigned to Central Bond Court, a position she held for more than 17 years. Between 1991 and 1994, she was an associate at Bresnahan & Garvey, an insurance defense firm. Since June 2019 she has been assigned to the First Municipal District assigned to traffic, civil non-jury, eviction, and pro se courtrooms. She has presided over bench trials, motions to dismiss, motions for sanctions, and motions to quash arrest and suppress evidence.
As a lawyer, Judge Antonietti has spent most of her professional career in Central Bond Court, where she was praised as professional, knowledgeable, and organized. She had litigation experience in more complex matters earlier in her career. As a Judge, she is reported to demonstrating good legal ability, temperament, and the ability to manage high volume courtrooms. The Council finds her Qualified for the Circuit Court.
Thomas G. O’Brien -- Not Recommended
Did not participate in the evaluation.
6th Subcircuit
Nega Vacancy
Jamie Guerra Dickler -- Qualified
Jamie Guerra Dickler was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 2005. Since that time, she has worked as an Assistant State’s Attorney at the Cook County State’s Attorney Office, where since 2013 she has been assigned to various felony courtrooms and has served as lead counsel on over one hundred bench trials. Her other assignments at the State’s Attorney Office include various preliminary hearing courtrooms and the Grand Jury, Sex and Homicide Unit, as well as the Felony Review Unit. She also handled various misdemeanor cases there, including domestic violence.
Ms. Dickler is praised for her legal ability and for her integrity in negotiating with opposing counsel. She is reported to be highly professional and always well prepared. All reports indicate that Ms. Dickler is an ethical prosecutor with good abilities. She is active in in the community. The Council finds her Qualified for the Circuit Court.
Anne Shaw – Not Qualified
Anne I. Shaw was admitted to practice in 1995. Since 2003, she has been the founder and owner of Shaw Legal Services, Ltd. (formerly known as Shaw & Associates), where she focuses on civil litigation, civil rights, business transactions, real estate, bankruptcy, and estate planning matters. Previously, she was an Associate at the Law Offices of Robert Orman (1995-2003).
Ms. Shaw is considered to have good legal ability and is praised for her temperament. She has substantial litigation experience. The Council would find her Qualified for the Circuit Court but we are concerned about her role in a problematic ethics issue. The Council notes a recent court case involving her role in questionable real estate matters. She has offered an explanation. While Ms. Shaw admits offering the use of her real estate license, she claims to have never been an active part of the family company involved in the dealings. However, she also states that she trained the staff and licensed real estate sales agents and was responsible for compliance with all laws, rules and regulations for the first two years it operated. In light of the various issues raised by the court case and the need to maintain the highest levels of integrity in the Circuit Court, the Council finds her Not Qualified for the Circuit Court.
Pantle Vacancy
Eileen Marie O'Connor – Qualified
Eileen Marie O’Connor was admitted to practice in 2006. She specializes in civil litigation and has worked in several private law firms. Her focus is in personal injury, medical malpractice, product liability, railroad and construction negligence, workplace injuries, and civil rights matters. She has handled other cases including criminal law on child abuse matters pro bono. She is considered to have good legal ability and is praised as being hard-working. She has substantial motion practice in more complex legal matters. She is considered to have a good temperament and to be diligent and punctual. The Council finds her Qualified for the Circuit Court.
Cory Eli Oshita – Not Qualified
Cory Oshita was admitted to practice in 2008. He has been a sole practitioner since 2011 with a focus on domestic relations case. He also serves as an administrative hearing officer for the Chicago Board of Education. He was an attorney in a small firm between 2008 and 2010. Mr. Oshita is considered to have good legal ability and is praised for his knowledge of domestic relations law. He is reported to be diligent and have a very good demeanor. He has bench trial litigation experience. While the candidate is well respected as a lawyer, the Council is concerned about the depth and breadth of his practice, particularly in light of the relatively small number of years that he has been a lawyer. The Council finds him Not Qualified at this time.
Anthony Lucafo – Qualified
Anthony Lucafo was admitted to practice in 2006. He is an Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney currently assigned to the Felony Trial Division at the Leighton Criminal Courts Building. He is described as a trial attorney who has good legal ability and temperament, He has substantial litigation experience in more complex matters and is praised for being willing to help train younger prosecutors. The Council finds him Qualified for the Circuit Court.
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