This year the Council is issuing only three ratings, "Well Qualified", "Qualified", or "Not Qualified." In past election cycles, the Council has sometimes also issued a "Highly Qualified" rating, but not this year. Also, in accordance with Alliance policy, if "a candidate refuses to submit his or her credentials to the Council, that candidate is rated 'not recommended' unless the Council is aware of credible information that would justify a 'not qualified' rating." For more about how the CCL evaluates judicial hopefuls and the ratings that it issues, consult the first three and a half pages of its March 2024 Primary Judicial Evaluation Report.
The Council has also issued brief narrative explanations of its ratings for candidates who have no opponent in the upcoming primary. These are also found in the March 2024 Primary Judicial Evauluation Report.
Circuit Court - Subcircuits
3rd Subcircuit - Vacancy of the Hon. Janet Brosnahan
Lucy Vazquez-Gonzalez -- Not Qualified
Lucesther “Lucy” Vazquez was admitted to practice in 2009. She worked as an associate in a small firm handling family law cases from 2009 to 2017. She became a solo practitioner in 2017 where she handles family law, probate, immigration, and mediation matters. Most of her courtroom work is as a guardian ad litem. She has served as an administrative law judge from 2020 to the present handling non-complex City of Chicago building code violations. She is reported to be knowledgeable in her fields of practice and she is reported to have a good temperament. However, the Council is concerned that there have been reports questioning her punctuality and diligence --noting that she sometimes fails to meet court deadlines and return communications to other lawyers. We are also concerned about her lack of litigation experience in more complex matters. The Council finds her Not Qualified for the Circuit Court.
Martin Douglas Reggi -- Qualified
Martin Reggi was admitted to practice in 1980. He served from 1980 to 1985 as an Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney. He has been a sole practitioner since 1985 with a litigation practice spanning a variety of civil and criminal matters.
Mr. Reggi is considered to have good legal ability with substantial litigation experience, much of which involving more complex matters. He is praised for his temperament. The Council finds him Qualified for the Circuit Court.
7th Subcircuit - Vacancy of the Hon. Irwin J. Solganick
Hon. Owens J. Shelby -- Qualified
Judge Owens J. Shelby was admitted to practice in 2007. He was appointed to the bench by the Illinois Supreme Court in 2023. Before taking the bench he had been a career Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney working as a second chair prosecutor in a felony trial courtroom. He did serve for less than a year as the Assistant Counsel to the Speaker of the Illinois House, and as a contract attorney with Loevy & Loevy in 2007 to 2008.
Judge Shelby is considered to have good legal ability with a very good temperament. He is praised for his diligence. As a practitioner, most lawyers praise his abilities although a few say he lacked adequate experience. The Council finds him Qualified for the Circuit Court.
Deidre Baumann -- Qualified
Deidre Baumann was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1992. Since 2011, she has been Owner of Baumann & Shuldiner, where she focuses on litigation of civil rights, employment discrimination, personal injury, and criminal defense at the state, federal, and appellate level. Previously, she was a Partner at Baumann & Shuldiner (2004-2011) and Baumann, Shuldiner & Lee (2001- 2004), a Solo Practitioner (1996-2001), and an Associate at Michael Null & Associates (1993-1996). She is a member of a number of bar associations, including the Chicago Bar Association (Racial Justice Coalition, 2020-2021), the Decalogue Society of Lawyers (Board Member, 2017-present), the Illinois State Bar Association (Chair, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Committee), and the North Suburban Bar Association (President, 2005-2006).
Ms. Baumann is considered to have good legal ability. She has substantial litigation experience and is praised for her temperament. The Council finds her Qualified for the Circuit Court.
10th Subcircuit - Vacancy of the Hon. Gregory J. Wajkowski
James V. Murphy -- Qualified
James Vincent Murphy III was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1997. Between 1998 and 2022, he served as an Assistant State’s Attorney for the Cook County State’s Attorney Office. He left the State’s Attorney’s Office in 2022. In that Office, he was most recently the Supervisor of the Preliminary Hearings/Grand Jury/Central Bond Court/Branch 66 Homicide and Sex Unit. Previously, he worked in the Felony Review Unit and in Child Support Enforcement, Juvenile Abuse and Neglect, Juvenile Delinquency, and Preliminary Hearings. From 1997 to 1998 he was a Legislative Aide to the City of Chicago’s Committee on Zoning. He is a member of the Chicago Bar Association.
Mr. Murphy is considered to have good legal ability. He has extensive litigation experience as a prosecutor. He is praised for his temperament. The Council notes that he was reinstated after initially put on administrative leave for his actions in the bond hearing in the Adam Toledo case. This situation must be contrasted against a career in which the candidate has established himself as a well-respected practitioner. The Council finds him Qualified for the Circuit Court.
Liam Kelly -- Qualified
Liam Kelly was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 2011. He recently took a position with the Office of the Illinois State Appellate Defender. Previously, he worked as an associate attorney for Robert Louis Rascia in criminal defense where he worked since 2019 (and from 2014-2018). Additionally, he has been an associate attorney for Greenberg and Associates (2018-2019), an associate attorney for Villalobos and Associates (2014), an associate attorney for The Rooth Law Firm (2013-2014), and an associate attorney for the Law Offices of Donald J. Angelini Jr. (2011-2013).
Liam Kelly is considered to have substantial experience in criminal defense matters and is praised for his temperament. He has considerable litigation experience and is praised for his litigation skills. The Council finds him Qualified for the Circuit Court.
11th Subcircuit - Vacancy of the Hon. Paula M. Daleo
Kim Przekota -- Qualified
Kimberly Przekota was admitted to practice in 2008 and is a career Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney. She is a First Chair prosecutor in the Criminal Division. She is praised for her legal ability and knowledge. She is reported to have a good temperament and trial skills. She has substantial litigation experience in more complex matters. The Council finds her Qualified for the Circuit Court.
Audrey Victoria Cosgrove -- Qualified
Audrey Victoria Cosgrove was admitted to practice in 1990. She serves as the Deputy General Counsel of the Department of the Illinois Lottery. From 1990 to 1998 she served as an Assistant Cook County Public Defender. She then became a solo practitioner until 2017 at which time she for one year served as Assistant General Counsel for the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Division of Banking. From 2018-2019 she was Deputy Chief Legal Counsel for the Illinois Department of Labor. She has also served as an administrative law judge for most of her career. She has substantial litigation experience. She is considered to have good legal ability and is active in community activities. The Council finds her Qualified for the Circuit Court.
14th Subcircuit - Vacancy of the Hon. James N. O'Hara
Griselda Vega Samuel -- Qualified
Griselda Vega Samuel was admitted to practice in the state of Washington in 2001 and in Illinois in 2008. Since 2018, she has served as regional counsel, Midwest at the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. She does impact litigation in state and federal courts, as well as legislative policy advocacy. From 2001-2004 and from 2007-2008, Ms. Vega Samuel served as a staff attorney at Columbia Legal Services in Yakima, Washington, from 2005-2006, she was employed at Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago (now Legal Aid Chicago) doing family law, housing, and consumer law. From 2008-2013, she was a Senior Attorney and Legal Director at the Justice in Motion in Brooklyn, New York. From 2013 to 2018 she was employed by Safe Horizon Anti-Trafficking Program.
Ms. Vega Samuel is considered to have good legal ability and is well respected in the legal and social justice communities. She has substantial litigation experience in civil court matters, including both individual representation and in impact litigation. She is praised for her temperament both as a practitioner and as a supervisor. The Council finds her Qualified for the Circuit Court.
Steve Demitro -- Qualified
Steve Demitro was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 2000. Since that time, he has been a Solo Practitioner. His practice is concentrated on torts (personal injury), but he also handles some criminal law, domestic relations, real estate, probate, and chancery matters.
Mr. Demitro is considered to have good legal ability and is praised for his temperament. He is very active in community affairs. He has had substantial litigation experience, particularly in recent years. The Council finds him Qualified for the Circuit Court.
15th Subcircuit - Vacancy of the Hon. Anna Helen Demacopoulos
Paul O’Grady -- Qualified
Paul O’Grady was admitted to practice in 2000. He is currently the managing partner at a private law firm overseeing attorneys doing litigation. He also serves as Counsel for the Village of Tinley Park. He has also served a partner at Querrey & Harrow, Ltd, and before that was an Assistant General Counsel, General Counsel, and Chief of Staff for the Cook County Sheriff’s Office. He started his career as an Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney.
Mr. O’Grady has substantial litigation experience in both state and federal courts. He is considered to have good legal ability and a good demeanor. The Council finds him Qualified for the Circuit Court.
Luciano "Lou" Panici, Jr. -- Qualified
Luciano Panici, Jr. was admitted to practice in 2009 and has worked in a small law firm throughout his career doing municipal representation, civil defense of municipal clients, election law, criminal defense, and real estate. He is currently an Administrative Hearing Officer for five municipalities and is the village prosecutor for two municipalities. He has substantial litigation experience. He is reported to have good legal ability and temperament and is praised for his knowledge of the law. The Council finds him Qualified for the Circuit Court.
Hon. Allen Walker -- Qualified
Judge Allen Walker was admitted to practice in 1987. He is currently serving as an Associate Judge and has been on the bench since 2012. He is currently assigned to the Chancery Division and has been there since 2020. He served in the Law Division between 2017 and 2020 and heard mortgage foreclosure cases from 2012 to 2017. He previously was a partner at Greene and Letts, where he focused on representing and advising individuals, for-profit and not-for-profit corporations, and municipal entities in litigation and transactional matters. He has been active as a teacher at the UIC law school in Chicago and at the Illinois Judicial Education Conference.
Judge Walker is praised for his grasp of legal issues and for his court management. He is reported to be well prepared and is fair to all parties before him. He is reported to have good judicial temperament. The Council finds him Qualified for the Circuit Court.
18th Subcircuit - Converted from Associate Judgeship of Lauren Gottainer Edidin
Hon. Jeffery G. Chrones -- Qualified
Judge Jeffery George Chrones currently sits in the Second Municipal District in Skokie. He presides over traffic, misdemeanor, domestic violence, and municipal cases in the areas of commercial litigation, collections, evictions, and small claims. He also conducts emergency hearings for request for mental health writs. He was elected by the Circuit Judges to be an Associate Judge in 2018 and served in the First Municipal District at the Daley Center between 2018 and 2021 where he presided over traffic and misdemeanor cases. Between 2003 and 2018, Judge Chrones was an attorney and partner with Johnson and Bell, Ltd., where he focused on commercial litigation matters. Between 1995 and 2003, he served as an Assistant Cook County States Attorney. From 1993 to 1995 he served as an Assistant Illinois Attorney General.
Judge Chrones, before becoming a judge, had substantial litigation experience in civil litigation matters. He was a well respected practitioner. Judge Chrones receives high marks on legal ability He is reported by all the respondents to be well prepared for hearings and trials. He is praised for his grasp of evidentiary and procedure issues. He is reported generally to be thoughtful and thorough in his rulings and many respondents used the word “decisive” to describe him. The Council finds him Qualified for the Circuit Court.
Hon. Sunil Bhave -- Qualified
Judge Sunil Bhave became a lawyer in 2004 and started his career with the Missouri Public Defender’s Office. He spent most of his career as an Assistant Attorney General for the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. He served as a trial lawyer in both state and federal courts. He became an Associate Judge in 2023.
Judge Bhave is considered to have good legal ability and was a well respected practitioner before becoming a judge. He is reported to be well prepared and is praised for showing patience toward the persons appearing before him, while moving cases in a timely manner. The Council finds him Qualified for the Circuit Court.
19th Subcircuit - Converted from Associate Judgeship of Robert E. Senechalle, Jr.
Risa Renee Lanier -- Qualified
Risa Lanier was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1999. She has spent her entire career in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office where she has been a First Assistant State’s Attorney since 2021. She is a member of various bar associations, including the Chicago Bar Association where she has served as Chair of the Judicial Evaluation Committee.
Risa Lanier is considered to have good legal ability. While some lawyers say that her temperament can be problematic on occasion, most lawyers praise her temperament, her law practice standards, and her litigation skills. The Council finds her to be Qualified for the Circuit Court.
Dave Heilmann -- Qualified
David M. Heilmann was admitted to practice in 1987. Since then, he has worked at Clausen Miller P.C. where he is now an equity partner. Mr. Heilmann also practices civil defense work in the areas of toxic tort, employment, and construction litigation.
Mr. Heilmann is considered to have good legal ability and temperament. He is reported to be a solid practitioner who is praised for his litigation skills and for being well-prepared. The Council finds him Qualified for the Circuit Court.
Bridget Colleen Duignan -- Qualified Bridget Duignan was admitted to practice in 2004. She is currently a partner in a firm, specializing personal injury and malpractice litigation. She is a former employee of the Illinois House of Representatives, as well as a former lawyer with several firms handling workers compensation and employment matters. She has authored articles in ISBA section publications.
Bridget Duignan is considered to have good legal ability and has substantial litigation experience in more complex matters. She is praised both for her litigation skills and for her systemic reform work with the Illinois legislature. She is reported to have very good temperament – focused and calm while in the midst of heated litigation. The Council finds her Qualified for the Circuit Court.
20th Subcircuit - Converted from Associate Judgeship of Elizabeth M. Budzinski
Nickolas Pappas -- Qualified
Nickolas George Pappas was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1995. Since 2007, he has been President of Pappas Law Offices, P.C., a general legal practice where he handles criminal defense, civil litigation (municipal, law, chancery), administrative appeals and hearings, and other matters. He has also served as General Counsel to the Lakeland Healthcare Group, LLC (2012-2015) and as an Associate Attorney at Querrey & Harrow, Ltd. (2004-2007), a general litigation firm. From 2011-2012 and from 1996-2004, he worked for the Cook County State’s Attorney Office, first as an Assistant State’s Attorney where his assignments included First Municipal District, Fifth Municipal District, Felony Review, and the Felony Trial Division, and later as a Special State’s Attorney representing the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services. From 2008 to 2019, he provided pro bono legal services for refugee immigrant clients of Refugee One, a social service agency. He is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association.
Mr. Pappas is considered to have good legal ability. He has substantial litigation experience and is praised for his temperament. The Council finds him Qualified for the Circuit Court.
John Poulos -- Not Recommended John Poulos did not participate in the evaluation process. The Council finds him Not Recommended for the Circuit Court.
Michael J. Zink -- Qualified
Michael Zink was admitted to practice in 2004. Since passing the bar, he has worked for a private law firm focusing on litigation matters in landlord-tenant, condominium, real estate, and bankruptcy maters. He has substantial litigation experience.
Michael Zink is considered to have good legal ability and knowledge. He is praised for his professionalism and for his work with the community. He is reported to have good litigation skills and has a calm demeanor. Mr. Zink is a well respected practitioner. The Council finds him Qualified for the Circuit Court.
Nadine Jean Wichern -- Qualified
Nadine Jean Wichern was admitted to practice in 2000. Since 2015, she has served as the Chief of the Civil Appeals Division of the Office of the Illinois Attorney General. She began her career at the Illinois Attorney General’s Office and then from 2006 to 2011 she did appeals work in the Chicago Department of Law. She is considered to have very good legal ability, and is a well respected appellate lawyer. While she does not have direct trial experience, she advises trial lawyers in her office on issues which arise during trial, as well as other litigation issues. She is reported to have a good temperament. The Council finds her Qualified for the Circuit Court.
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