I have been a trial attorney for 18 years. That’s what I do. But, I want to lead with who I am. I am a first-generation attorney from the South Side of Chicago. I am the daughter of a single mom, who worked incredibly hard, as a now-retired nurse, to ensure I had everything I needed to succeed. I come from a large family, so I never felt like an only child. My grandparents had 9 children, so I have over 30 first cousins, several of whom I grew up spending many a night and weekend with at my grandparents’ house on 93rd and Ada. I am a very proud product of Chicago Public Schools, an alum of McDade Classical School in Chatham and Kenwood Academy in Hyde Park. After graduating from Kenwood, a scholarship led me to Nashville, TN where I attended and graduated from Vanderbilt University. I enjoyed my years south of the Mason Dixon, but right after college, I came home to pursue my dreams of becoming an attorney. As a result, in 2007, I became the first person in my family to earn a graduate degree when I graduated from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.
From the start, my career has been dedicated to public service, in both the nonprofit and government sectors. Upon graduating from law school, I landed a position at at LifeSpan, a nonprofit which provides family law representation for survivors of domestic violence. There, I represented survivors in order of protection hearings, divorce matters, and child custody hearings. This fueled my passion for standing beside individuals during their most vulnerable moments and being the voice and advocate they deserved as they navigated the, often-intimidating, legal system.
After LifeSpan, I pivoted to the Office of the Chief Judge in the Mortgage Foreclosure section of the Chancery Division. During the height of the recession, I helped homeowners going through foreclosure proceedings navigate the court process with the hopes of retaining ownership of their homes.
After my tenure in that department, I moved to my current professional home, the Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender where I have served for the past 13 years. Currently, I am an Assistant Public Defender on the homicide task force. Over the course of my years in the office, however, I have served as lead counsel on cases ranging from misdemeanor to juvenile delinquency and general felonies. Just like my role at LifeSpan, it has been such a weighty, but fulfilling privilege to represent those most vulnerable among us.
In addition to my role at the public defender’s office, I have been an adjunct professor of law at Loyola University Chicago School of Law since 2013, teaching Intensive Trial Practice and coaching in the mock trial program.
As a true South Sider, my heart is forever nestled in the communities and people who make up where I am from. Outside of my professional endeavors, I am passionate about using my time, skills, and resources for the betterment of our community. I am a board member of InspireHer Chicago, a South Side-based mentoring program for inner-city teen girls whose mission is to empower the next generation of bold, brilliant young women. In addition, I annually volunteer for the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program, which collects Christmas gifts for children with incarcerated parents.
I have been a member of AFSCME - Local 3315 for the past 13 years, serving on the executive board for the last 3 years. There, I have fought for the rights of my union brothers and sisters in the bargaining room just as I fight for the rights of my clients in the courtroom. I am also a very proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, where service and social action are at the heart of our initiatives and programming.
I am running for judge to deepen my commitment of service in Chicago, the city that raised me. In my nearly two decades of public service through law, if I’ve learned nothing else, I’ve learned that a case is more than just a collection of facts. Every single case involves actual people whose lives will be incredibly impacted by their experience at the two tables across from the bench and in the gallery of loved ones behind them. I know, first hand, how much fair and compassionate judges can influence that impact. I am running to be the judge who administers the law as fair, soundly, and compassionately as possible. Remember me, Radiance Ward, this Election Day, March 17, 2026. Punch 141!
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