The Illinois State Bar Association has released its narrative explanations of the ratings issued to candidates seeking judicial offices in Cook County in the upcoming primary.
The ISBA's full report can be
accessed from this page of the ISBA website. (Note to any Downstate readers who may happen across this post, ISBA evaluations of Downstate judicial candidates can also be obtained
starting at that same page.) For more about how ISBA evaluations are conducted, see
this post.
These are the ISBA's evaluations of candidates seeking vacancies in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 6th Subcircuits:
1st Subcircuit
Brooks Vacancy
Krista D. Butler -- Not Recommended
Krista D. Butler declined to participate in the judicial evaluation process. Pursuant to ISBA guidelines, Ms. Krista D. Butler is found to be
not recommended for election to the Circuit Court of Cook County.
Crawford Vacancy
Tyria B. Walton -- Qualified
Tyria B. Walton has been licensed since 1997. She was appointed to the circuit court in June 2019 and is currently assigned to the First Municipal District – Traffic Section. Prior to her appointment, she was an assistant public defender assigned to the Sixth District (Markham) where she handled homicide cases. Prior assignments included Felony Trial, Domestic Violence, Child Protection, Traffic, and Misdemeanors. She also had a general solo practice for one year before joining the Public Defender’s Office. She is a member of several bar associations and serves on committees with the Black Women Lawyer’s Association; has coached high school mock trial students; and participated in community organizations.
She has extensive criminal jury and bench trial experience involving complex legal issues and pretrial motions. Attorneys report that she is very smart with excellent legal knowledge, was very good with clients as a public defender, and possesses an excellent temperament with high integrity. ISBA finds Judge Tyria B. Walton
qualified to serve as a judge to the Circuit Court of Cook County.
2nd Subcircuit
A Vacancy
Sondra Nicole Denmark -- Qualified
Sondra Nicole Denmark as admitted to the Illinois bar in 2004. She was appointment to the circuit court in December 2018 and currently sits in the First Municipal District. At the time of her appointment, she had been an assistant state’s attorney in Will County for ten years handling felonies. Before that, she was a sole practitioner for a year, and a Cook County assistant state’s attorney for three years. She served as an administrative hearing officer for the Village of Matteson for two years as well.
She is considered to have a good knowledge and was praised for her professionalism, preparation and fairness. As an attorney, she litigated a substantial number of criminal jury and bench trials. ISBA finds Judge Sondra Nicole Denmark
qualified to serve as a judge to the Circuit Court of Cook County.
Felicia H. Simmons-Stovall -- Not Qualified
Felicia H. Simmons-Stovall was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1996. She is currently an enforcement attorney in the Department of Securities for the Illinois Secretary of State. In the past she has had a private civil practice and been a prosecutor and administrative hearing officer for the Secretary of State. She has served on committees with the Cook County Bar Association.
While attorneys consider her to be a hard worker with knowledge of her specific area of law, concerns were raised about the depth and breadth of her overall legal experience and her lack of jury and other complex litigation. ISBA finds Ms. Felicia H. Simmons-Stovall
not qualified to serve as a judge to the Circuit Court of Cook County.
Chelsey R. Robinson -- Not Qualified
Chelsey R. Robinson has been licensed since 1996. She is a founding partner of Owens & Robinson, a general practice handling both criminal and civil matters. She is also a legal consultant to the Judge Mathis television program. She is a member of some bar associations, a volunteer at the Juvenile Detention Center and is active with other community organizations. She has limited jury and bench trial activities and limited experience with complex matters.
While she is considered to be ethical and honest, attorneys gave mixed comments as to the depth and breadth of her overall legal experience. ISBA finds Ms. Chelsey R. Robinson
not qualified to serve as a judge to the Circuit Court of Cook County.
3rd Subcircuit
Filan Vacancy
Daniel E. Maloney -- Qualified
Daniel E. Maloney has been licensed since 2001. He was appointed to the circuit court in February 2019 and is currently assigned to the Sixth Municipal District (Markham). Prior to his appointment he was the Division Counsel for the Chicago Field Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration where he handled legal matters and trained law enforcement agencies. Prior to taking that position in 2017, he had been an assistant state’s attorney for sixteen years where his assignments included stints as supervisor of the Complex Narcotics Unit and in the Special Prosecutions and Criminal Prosecutions Bureau. He has taught and coached mock trials at local universities, volunteered in his community, and is a member of several bar associations.
He has extensive criminal litigation experience, including in complex matters and some appellate experience. Opposing counsel described him as a tough litigator, but fair and ethical and overall he is described as having superb knowledge and skills. ISBA finds Judge Daniel E. Maloney
qualified to serve as a judge to the Circuit Court of Cook County.
Flynn Vacancy
Lauren Brougham Glennon -- Not Qualified
Lauren Brougham Glennon was admitted to the Illinois bar in 2003. She opened a solo practice in 2017 focusing on property tax appeals. Before that, she worked at two firms also handling property tax appeals. She was also an assistant corporation counsel and has served as an administrative law judge for several suburbs. She is a member of several bar associations, sits on committees for the American Bar Association, has spoken on legal topics and recently founded a technology company called LawCo.
While attorneys praised her legal knowledge in her area of practice, and her ability to explain complex ideas as an ALJ, concerns were raised over her lack of any jury trial and recent courtroom litigation experience and the breadth of her practice. ISBA finds Ms. Lauren Brougham Glennon
not qualified to serve as a judge to the Circuit Court of Cook County.
David A. Bonoma -- Not Qualified
David A. Bonoma was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1988. He is a partner with Linebarger Googan Blair & Sampson representing governmental entities. He has previously been in private practice with several firms focusing on corporate law; managed government relationships with Commonwealth Edison from 2012 to 2014; sat on the Board of Review for the Illinois Department of Employment Security from 2011 to 2013; and was chief of staff with the State’s Attorney’s Office from 1997 to 2003. He is chair of the Legal Affairs Committee for the Board of Maryville.
Attorneys praised his intelligence, diligence, integrity, knowledge in his area, and temperament. Concerns were raised over his lack of jury and bench trial experience. ISBA finds Mr. David A. Bonoma
not qualified to serve as a judge to the Circuit Court of Cook County.
Regina Ann Mescall -- Highly Qualified
Regina Ann Mescall was admitted to the New Mexico bar in 2002 and the Illinois bar in 2007. From 2002 to 2008 she was a prosecutor with the district attorney in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In 2008 she became an assistant state’s attorney in Cook County. She is currently a first chair at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse after previous assignments in Felony Review at the Fifth Municipal District (Bridgeview) and the Sixth Municipal District (Markham). She belongs to various prosecutors’ bar associations.
She has extensive criminal jury and bench trial experience including in serious and complex felonies. ISBA finds Ms. Regina Ann Mescall
highly qualified to serve as a judge to the Circuit Court of Cook County.
James John Knibbs -- Qualified
James John Knibbs has been licensed since 1985. He is currently ‘of counsel’ at Foran Glennon Palandech Ponzi & Rudloff, handling civil litigation matters. He has also been a partner at several other civil litigation firms and spent ten years as an assistant state’s attorney, six of them as a supervisor in the Financial Crimes and Professional Standard Units. He is a member of several bar associations, including as a committee member, has written on legal topics, and taught Trial
Advocacy for several years at Loyola University School of Law.
Attorneys praise him for his knowledge, demeanor, work ethic, impartiality, and low-key demeanor. He has extensive jury trial experience, both civil and criminal. ISBA finds Mr. James John Knibbs
qualified to serve as a judge to the Circuit Court of Cook County.
Thomas J. Condon, Jr. -- Qualified
Thomas J. Condon, Jr. has been licensed since 2002. He joined Peterson, Johnson and Murray in 2016 where he is a partner handling litigation matters. Before that he worked at several other litigation firms and also was an associate corporation counsel for the City of Chicago for four years. In that position he helped draft ordinances and was head of the Fast Track demolition team. He has been a prosecutor for various suburbs. He is a member of several bar associations and is active with different community organizations.
Attorneys respect him for his legal knowledge, and he has substantial civil jury and bench trial experience. He is considered to be well-prepared, ethical and diligent. ISBA finds Mr. Thomas J. Condon, Jr.
qualified to serve as a judge to the Circuit Court of Cook County.
Brad S. Telander -- Qualified
Brad S. Telander has been licensed since 1983. He has been the owner of Telander & Associates since 2014 focusing mainly on criminal defense cases. Prior to that he was a partner at Telander & Telander from 1992 to 2014; an attorney with the Chicago Northwestern Railroad from 1991 to 1992; and an assistant state’s attorney from 1983 to 1991. He is a member of several bar associations.
He is a well-respected trial attorney who is considered to be a ‘straight shooter’, prepared and unflappable. He has jury and bench experience, including in complex cases. ISBA finds Mr. Brad S. Telander
qualified to serve as a judge to the Circuit Court of Cook County.
Scott Edward Lipinski -- Qualified
Scott Edward Lipinski has been licensed since 2002. He is a career assistant public defender currently assigned to felonies in the Sixth Municipal District (Markham); previous assignments include Child Protection and the Fifth Municipal District (Bridgeview). He is a member of the Southwest Bar Association.
He has substantial jury and bench trial experience, mainly criminal. Attorneys generally reported that he has sufficient legal knowledge and is considered to be diligent. He did received some mixed comments regarding temperament; some who did not see it as an issue did agree that he could be abrasive, others described him as condescending at times, and other attorneys expressed no concern at all. ISBA finds Mr. Scott Edward Lipinski
qualified to serve as a judge to the Circuit Court of Cook County.
Murphy Vacancy
Erin Haggerty Antonietti -- Qualified
Erin Haggerty Antonietti has been licensed since 1991. She was appointed to the circuit court in June 2019 and is currently assigned to the First Municipal District – Traffic Section. After spending three years with a civil litigation firm doing defense work, she became an assistant state’s attorney; a job she held until her appointment. Her assignments included Juvenile Justice, Misdemeanor and Bond Court. She has taught at Prairie State College and is active in her community.
Attorneys report has she is organized, punctual, even-handed, and professional. She has some trial experience. ISBA finds Judge Erin Haggerty Antonietti
qualified to serve as a judge to the Circuit Court of Cook County.
Thomas G. O’Brien -- Not Recommended
Thomas G. O’Brien declined to participate in the judicial evaluation process. Pursuant to ISBA guidelines, Mr. Thomas G. O’Brien is found to be
not recommended for election to the Circuit Court of Cook County.
6th Subcircuit
Nega Vacancy
Jamie Guerra Dickler -- Qualified
Jamie Guerra Dickler was admitted to the Illinois bar in 2005. She is a career assistant state’s attorney currently assigned to the Felony Trial Division as the Leighton Criminal Courthouse. Prior assignments include Misdemeanor, Felony Review and the Grand Jury, Sex and Homicide Unit. She is a member of several bar associations, a mentor with Big Brothers/ Big Sisters, and has been on the Junior Board of the Chicago Lighthouse.
She has substantial criminal jury and bench trial experience, including handling complex cases. Attorneys praise her for her extensive legal knowledge, her temperament, organization, and impartiality. ISBA finds Ms. Jamie Guerra Dickler
qualified to serve as a judge to the Circuit Court of Cook County.
Anne Shaw -- Not Qualified
Anne Shaw was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1995. Since 2003 she has been a private practitioner focusing on civil matters, civil rights, real estate, and business matters. She is a past president of the Asian American Bar Association, on the board of the ACLU and a past commissioner at the Board of Ethics. She has spoken on legal topics and helped found a legal clinic.
While attorneys considered her to be even keeled and fair, and to have adequate legal knowledge, concerns were raised about her lack of jury trial, complex and recent litigation, as well as her organizational skills. ISBA finds Ms. Anne Shaw
not qualified to serve as a judge to the Circuit Court of Cook County.
Pantle Vacancy
Eileen O’Connor -- Qualified
Eileen O’Connor was admitted to the Illinois bar in 2006. She is a partner in her family’s law practice, O’Connor Law Group, where she handles civil litigation, primarily in the areas of personal injury, medical malpractice and civil rights. She has been a speaker on legal topics, a committee member with the Chicago Bar Association and is active in her community.
She has civil jury and bench trial experience in both state and federal court, and significant pre-trial motion practice. Attorneys consider her professional, level-headed and prepared. ISBA finds Ms. Eileen O’Connor
qualified to serve as a judge to the Circuit Court of Cook County.
Cory Eli Oshita -- Not Qualified
Cory Eli Oshita was admitted to the Illinois bar in 2008. After two years as an associate with Richard C. Irvin, in 2011 he opened a solo practice focusing on domestic relations and some criminal defense. He is also a hearing officer for the Chicago Board of Education. He is a member of several bar associations and is active in the community.
While he is considered to be knowledgeable in his area of family law with an excellent demeanor, concerns were raised over his limited practice area and his lack of jury and complex trial experience. ISBA finds Mr. Cory Eli Oshita
not qualified to serve as a judge to the Circuit Court of Cook County.
Anthony Lucafo -- Qualified
Anthony Lucafo has been licensed since 2006. He is a career assistant state’s attorney currently assigned to the Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Unit. Prior assignments include Felony Review, Juvenile Justice and First Municipal. He has taught as IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law and is a member of the Justinian Society.
Attorneys praised his trial skills and described him as well-versed in the law, prepared and fair to all. He has criminal jury and bench trial experience including complex matters. ISBA finds Mr. Anthony Lucafo
qualified to serve as a judge to the Circuit Court of Cook County.
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