ISBA provides explanations for its ratings in Appellate Court races

The Illinois State Bar Association has now provided narrative explanations for the ratings it issued in Cook County judicial races. With this post, FWIW begins publishing the ISBA's written statements about each judicial hopeful, starting with the two races for the Appellate Court. All of the ISBA narratives can also be accessed here.

Judicial candidates are rated by ISBA Judicial Evaluation Committee members based on detailed information supplied by the candidates themselves, background checks by trained lawyer-investigators, and interviews of each candidate. The ISBA participates in the Alliance of Bar Associations for Judicial Screening, pooling its resources with the other dozen members of the Alliance for joint evaluations.

Each Alliance member, however, makes its own separate determination on each candidate. As readers will see, therefore, it is sometimes the case that different Alliance members, though working from the same candidate questionnaires, and the same candidate investigations and interviews, will sometimes disagree on the merits of a particular candidate. (The Chicago Bar Association conducts a similar evaluation process on its own; it does not participate in the Alliance. Its evaluations will be out tomorrow.)

For candidates participating in the evaluation process, the ISBA issues one of three ratings: "Highly Qualified", "Qualified", or "Not Qualified". Candidates who fail or refuse to participate in the evaluation are automatically rated "Not Recommended."

The ISBA says that its ratings "reflect the [Judicial Evaulation] Committee's opinion of whether candidates have the necessary qualifications for judicial service or ascension to a higher office and are not a reflection of the candidates' abilities as lawyers or judges."

Hall Vacancy

Debra B. Walker -- Highly Qualified
Debra Walker has been licensed since 1987. After a career in private practice with different litigation firms, she was elected to the Circuit Court in 2008. Since 2009 she has been assigned to Domestic Relations Division. She is a past president of the Illinois Judges Association, the Illinois Bar Foundation and the Women’s Bar Association and served as a section chair for the Illinois State Bar Association. She served as Chair of the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism for six years. In 2019 she was given the Distinguished Alumna Award by the University of Illinois College of Law. She has been a speaker at several law schools and written on legal topics.

Lawyers contacted spoke highly of her as being a true student of the law, describing her as exceptional, sensitive, patient, and beyond reproach.

The Committee finds that Debra Walker is highly qualified for election to the Illinois Appellate Court.

Russell “Russ” Hartigan -- Qualified
Russell W. Hartigan was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1976. He was appointed to the Circuit Court in 2010 and then elected in 2012. His assignments included First Municipal and the Fifth District (Bridgeview). In 2017 he resigned from the bench upon being elected president of the Illinois State Bar Association, and is a partner with Goldstine Skrodzki Russian Nemec and Hoff. From 1976 until his appointment in 2010 he concentrated on civil litigation for several different firms, as a partner and owner, the last one being Hartigan and O’Connor. Before becoming president, he had served the ISBA in many different positions. He is a past president of the West Suburban Bar Association and is active with other legal groups. He has also served as trustee for several western suburbs. He teaches at The John Marshall Law School, speaks statewide on legal topics and writes articles. In June 2019 he received an award for dedicated service from the Illinois Bar Foundation.

Attorneys have a high regard for his legal knowledge, preparedness, and his approachable demeanor. They report that as a judge he was patient and fair with pro se litigants. He has extensive civil jury trial experience and has handled some appeals.

The Committee finds Mr. Russell W. Hartigan qualified for election to the Illinois Appellate Court.

Dominique C. Ross -- Not Qualified
Dominique C. Ross has been licensed since 1995. She was elected to the Circuit Court in 2008 and retained in 2014 and 2020. She is currently assigned to Domestic Relations, where she has spent the bulk of her judicial career. Prior to taking then bench, she was in private practice with a focus on family law, and also handled other civil matters, and criminal misdemeanor cases, while serving as an arbitrator and contract attorney with the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District. She is a former president of the Illinois Judicial Council and a member of the Illinois Supreme Court Committee on Professional Responsibility. She has been a speaker on legal issues.

Attorneys reported that while she is respectful with adequate legal knowledge, there were concerns over her insufficient judicial experience, especially in the handling of complex cases, courtroom demeanor at times, and diligence.

The Committee finds Dominique C. Ross not qualified for election to the Illinois Appellate Court.

Harris Vacancy

Raymond W. Mitchell -- Highly Qualified
Raymond Mitchell was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1993. After rising to partner at Winston and Strawn, handling appeals, he was appointed to the Circuit Court in 2008 and elected in 2010. Since 2017 he has been assigned to the Chancery Division; prior to that, he was assigned to the Law Division from 2011 until 2017 after started in the Traffic Division.

He has taught as an adjunct professor, written on legal topics and been a committee member with the American Bar Association. Lawyers report that he has a thorough understanding of the legal process with excellent legal knowledge, and his written opinions are thorough and well-researched. He is known as a hard worker who is fair and patient.

The Committee finds Raymond W. Mitchell highly qualified for election to the Appellate Court.

Devlin Joseph Schoop -- Not Qualified
Devlin Schoop has been licensed since 1997. After starting as a law clerk to Hon. Blanche Manning, he worked at Harrold Allen & Dixon handling commercial litigation until 2003 when he joined Laner Muchin, becoming a partner in 2008, focusing on employment litigation. In 2015 he was appointed to the Circuit Court where he served in Traffic Court and Child Protection until his term ended in December 2016. He then joined the City of Chicago Law Department, handling police misconduct cases, until 2019 when he joined Henderson Parks d/b/a The Cochran Firm as a partner where he chairs the firm’s civil rights practice group. He has been active in bar associations and has sat on committees for the Chicago Bar Association and the Cook County Bar Association. He also served on the CBA’s Board of Managers for two years and has written on legal topics. He is active with many community groups and has received several awards for his professional and pro bono accomplishments from the Cook County Bar Association, the University of Illinois, and the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and Federal Bar Association.

He has substantial civil jury and bench trial experience, including in very complex cases. Attorneys praised his legal knowledge, his writing skills, his fairness and integrity, and his varied background. Concerns were raised that the depth and breadth of his short judicial experience are insufficient for the Appellate Court.

The Committee finds Devlin Joseph Schoop not qualified for election to the Illinois Appellate Court.

John H. Ehrlich -- Not Qualified
John Ehrlich was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1988. He worked for the City of Chicago Law Department, rising to become Deputy Corporation Counsel, until 2012 when he was elected to the Circuit Court. He was subsequently retained in 2018. Since 2014 he has been assigned to the Law Division – Motions Section after prior assignments in the Chancery Division, Foreclosure Section and Traffic. He is a member of various bar associations and has been a speaker and panelist on legal issues.

Attorneys reported that he is knowledgeable on the law, although concerns were raised by some that at times, he did not apply the law well. All reported him to be a hard worker, fair, patient, and well prepared, with well-reasoned opinions.

Concerns were raised, however, about his impartiality at times, the number of reversed decisions by the Appellate Court, and his lack of introspection during the interview about those decisions.

The Committee finds John Ehrlich not qualified for election to the Illinois Appellate Court.