Diana López: In her own words

Diana López is a candidate for the countywide Gordon Cannon vacancy. Her punch number is 167.

I am Judge Diana López and I am one of the ten Democratic slated candidates for Circuit Court Judge (Vacancy of Honorable Diane Gordon Cannon). I am a Chicago native and proud first-generation daughter of Cuban and Ecuadorian immigrants who instilled in me a strong work ethic that I have applied in my personal and professional life. My family and I live in Logan Square and proudly raise our daughter in one of the most diverse Chicago neighborhoods.

Prior to being appointed as an Associate Judge in 2021, I was an attorney for over 20 years. My career was dedicated to aiding families and children through some of the most difficult and joyous times in their lives. My most coveted role while I was a practitioner was to serve as an appointed Guardian ad Litem for the County Division Adoption Court and in the Domestic Relations Division in Cook County since 2006 and 2015, respectively. I dedicated my career to helping parents and the court system make informed decisions that were in the best interests of children and families. It is the experience that I gained in that role as a litigator, Guardian ad Litem and mediator that I continuously use in my everyday life as a judge. To have an even keeled demeanor, a calm temperament and an empathetic ear for the litigants that appear before me is key to a successful courtroom experience. I bring these qualities to the bench every day and I will continue to do so throughout my judicial career.

I am an advocate for civility, professionalism, diversity and inclusion. My commitment is evident in the roles I have held as Chair (2013) and Vice-Chair (2012) for Chicago Bar Association’s Adoption Law Committee where I helped highlight to the Adoption bar a diverse group of topics during my tenure that included the intersection of Immigration Law and Adoption Law. In both 2019 and 2020 I was humbled when my fellow Family Law and Adoption Law colleagues selected me as an “Illinois Super Lawyer”. As a Judge, I remain committed to being an active and contributing member of all bar associations to maintain connection to the legal community and help mentor young lawyers who aspire to ascend to the bench.

Throughout my career I volunteered time to pro bono work in many local organizations including the National Immigrant Justice Center, the Chicago Bar Association, and Greenlight Family Services helping families navigate Adoption and Probate matters in court. I am a strong advocate for education and mentoring which led me to accept an adjunct professor position at DePaul University School of Law in 2019 and 2021. I also have had the opportunity to author various publications on continuing legal education in adoption law for the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education.

I have been found qualified and recommended by all thirteen (13) bar associations and I am the highest rated candidate in my judicial race.

The last fifteen months of my campaign have been a meaningful journey as I traversed the county with my family in tow to meet voters and take my message of adding qualified diversity to the bench across Cook County.

Thank you for this opportunity to get to know me and about my candidacy. I hope that once you review my credentials and ratings, I earn your vote on or before June 28th, 2022.

Punch #167 for López.

To read more about me, please visit: dianalopezforjudge.com.