Organizing the Data: 12th Subcircuit - Schleifer vacancy

There are only five judicial vacancies on the Cook County ballot this November in which voters have any choice whatsoever. All of the other races were decided in the March Democratic primary. Three of these contested races are in the north suburban 12th Subcircuit. This post looks at the candidates for the Schleifer vacancy in that 12th Subcircuit.

Candidates are listed in punch number order. This year, that means the Democratic candidate is listed before the Republican candidate.

This post may be updated with new, additional, or corrected information, as it becomes available.

One final note: Each candidate may have endorsements from persons or groups not shown below. These are typically found on the candidate's websites. FWIW only publishes endorsements that it can independently verify.

James "Jack" Costello - #95

Campaign Website

Bar Association Evaluation Narratives

The Chicago Bar Association says:

James "Jack" Costello is "Qualified" to serve as a Circuit Court Judge. Mr. Costello was admitted to practice law in Illinois in 2007 and has been an Assistant Cook County State's Attorney since that time. Mr. Costello has significant trial experience and is well-regarded for his diligence, legal ability and experience, and excellent demeanor.

The Chicago Council of Lawyers says:

James Costello was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 2007. He has spent his career as an Assistant State’s Attorney in the Cook County State’s Attorney Office, where since 2019 he has served in the Special Prosecutions Bureau, Public Corruption and Financial Crimes Unit (he is currently First Chair). He has also served in the Felony Trial Division (2016-2019), the Felony Review and Preliminary Hearings Unit (2013-2016), the Misdemeanors/Traffic/Preliminary Hearings Units at the Markham courthouse (2009-2013), and Criminal Appeals in the Daley Center (2007-2009).

Mr. Costello is considered to have good legal ability and is especially praised for his temperament. He is reported to be knowledgeable and fair with lawyers and litigants. The Council finds him Qualified for the Circuit Court.

The Illinois State Bar Association says:

Mr. James Costello has been licensed since 2007. He is a career prosecutor currently assigned to the Public Corruption/Financial Crimes Unit; before his assignment there in 2019, he worked in the Felony Trial Division, Misdemeanor/Traffic, and Appeals. He has been a speaker and guest lecturer at both law schools and high schools and coached mock trial teams. He is a board Member of the Arlington Heights Historical Society.

Mr. Costello has substantial jury and bench trial experience in criminal matters, including in complex cases. Attorneys praised his legal skills and ability, and analytical skills. He is reported to be high integrity, even keeled and fair. ISBA finds James Costello qualified for election to the Circuit Court of Cook County.

Other Bar Association Evaluations

Arab American Bar Association: Recommended

Asian American Bar Association: Recommended

Black Men Lawyers' Association: Recommended

Black Women Lawyers' Association: Recommended

Cook County Bar Association: Recommended

Decalogue Society of Lawyers: Recommended

Hellenic Bar Association of Illinois: Recommended

Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois: Not Evaluated (through no fault of candidate)

Chicago's LGBTQ+ Bar Association (LAGBAC): Recommended

Puerto Rican Bar Association of Illinois: Recommended

Women's Bar Association of Illinois: Recommended

Endorsements

Chicago Federation of Labor
International Union of Operating Engineers Local 399
Teamsters Joint Council No. 25
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 134
Teamsters Local 700

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Matthew Taylor - #96

Campaign Website

Bar Association Evaluation Narratives

The Chicago Bar Association says:

Matthew Taylor is “Not Recommended” for the office of Circuit Court Judge. Mr. Taylor was admitted to practice law in 2004. His practice includes criminal law, real estate law and estate planning. Although Mr. Taylor has been practicing law for 19 years, the scope of his practice and court experience is limited. At this point in his career, Mr. Taylor does not possess the requisite depth and breadth of legal experience to effectively serve as a judge.

The Chicago Council of Lawyers says:

Matthew Jay Taylor was admitted to practice in 2004 and has always practiced as a sole practitioner. He was a suburban police officer for 10 years prior to becoming a lawyer and currently works at the College of DuPage Suburban Law Enforcement Academy. He is the village prosecutor for 3 municipalities. His law practice includes real estate, probate, misdemeanor defense, child custody issues, and work in the Chancery Division of the Circuit Court.

Mr. Taylor is considered to have good legal ability and is reported to have good temperament. He is praised for his knowledge of the law and for always being prepared. He has substantial litigation experience in both civil and criminal law matters. He is a well respected practitioner. The Council finds him Qualified for the Circuit Court.

The Illinois State Bar Association says:

Mr. Matthew Taylor has been licensed in Illinois since 2004. While he has always been a sole practitioner, focusing on misdemeanor criminal and traffic cases, estate and probate matters, and real estate matters, he was a full-time Palatine police officer until he retired from the department in 2017. He is currently the village prosecutor for Palatine and continues to teach at the Suburban Law Enforcement Academy. He has bench trial experience, mainly in municipal and misdemeanor matters, but no jury trials. He is a member of various bar associations and has been a coach for the York High School mock trial team, as well as being involved in other community and charitable activities.

Attorneys did report that he has good knowledge of the law and is considered to be sensitive to diversity with high character and integrity. Though concerns were raised over the depth and breadth of his entire legal experience, he is well respected by the judiciary, his peers and his opponents and is known for his handle situations with grace and decency. ISBA finds Matthew Taylor qualified to be elected to the Circuit Court of Cook County.

Other Bar Association Evaluations

Arab American Bar Association: Not Evaluated (through no fault of the candidate)

Asian American Bar Association: Recommended

Black Men Lawyers' Association: Recommended

Black Women Lawyers' Association: Not Recommended

Cook County Bar Association: Not Recommended

Decalogue Society of Lawyers: Recommended

Hellenic Bar Association of Illinois: Recommended

Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois: Qualified

Chicago's LGBTQ+ Bar Association (LAGBAC): Not Recommended

Puerto Rican Bar Association of Illinois: Recommended

Women's Bar Association of Illinois: Recommended

Organizing the Data: 12th Subcircuit - Quinn vacancy

Updated 10/15/24 to correct FWIW error on Frank Andreou's Decalogue rating
Updated 9/26/24 with corrected CBA rating on Pamela Curran Smith

There are only five judicial vacancies on the Cook County ballot this November in which voters have any choice whatsoever. All of the other races were decided in the March Democratic primary. Three of these contested races are in the north suburban 12th Subcircuit. This post looks at the candidates for the Quinn vacancy in that 12th Subcircuit.

Candidates are listed in punch number order. This year, that means the Democratic candidate is listed before the Republican candidate.

This post may be updated with new, additional, or corrected information, as it becomes available.

One final note: Each candidate may have endorsements from persons or groups not shown below. These are typically found on the candidate's websites. FWIW only publishes endorsements that it can independently verify.

Frank J. Andreou - #93

Campaign Website

Bar Association Evaluation Narratives

The Chicago Bar Association says:

Pursuant to section 34 of The Chicago Bar Association’s Judicial Evaluation Committee’s Governing Resolution, The Executive Committee has voted to issue a “Qualified” rating for Frank J. Andreou’s current Circuit Court Judge candidacy.

The Chicago Council of Lawyers says:

Judge Frank Andreou was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1995. He currently presides over Calendar D (motion call) in the Law Division of the Cook County Circuit Court where he hears cases involving commercial litigation, medical and professional malpractice, toxic tort, product liability, auto liability, defamation, and other cases. He previously handled traffic and misdemeanor cases before moving to the Law Division. Prior being sworn in as an Associate Judge in January 2020, he worked in private practice for 20 years and for the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office from 1995-1999.

Judge Andreou is considered to have good legal ability and is praised for his ability to have a thorough grasp of the issues being argued before him. He is praised for his fairness and his professional temperament. He is also reported to be punctual and always prepared. The Council finds him Qualified for the Circuit Court.

The Illinois State Bar Association says:

Hon. Frank J. Andreou has been licensed in Illinois since 1995. In December 2019 he was selected as an associate judge first sitting in the Traffic Division and the Second Municipal District (Skokie). Since July 2023 he has been assigned to the Law Division – Motion Section. Prior to his ascension to the bench, he had been in private practice both on his own and with a firm, with substantial jury, bench, and appellate experience. He is a board member for the Illinois Judges Association and the North Suburban Bar Association, and Second Vice President of the Hellenic Bar Association, as well as being a member of other bar associations. He has also served on the District 27 School Board.

Attorneys highly praised his legal knowledge and ability, stating that his rulings were well-reasoned and describing his grasp of fact and law as amazing. Additionally, they were all positive about his integrity, temperament, and diligence. ISBA finds Judge Frank J. Andreou highly qualified to be elected to the Circuit Court of Cook County.

Other Bar Association Evaluations

Arab American Bar Association: Recommended

Asian American Bar Association: Recommended

Black Men Lawyers' Association: Recommended

Black Women Lawyers' Association: Recommended

Cook County Bar Association: Recommended

Decalogue Society of Lawyers: Highly Recommended

Hellenic Bar Association of Illinois: Recommended

Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois: Qualified

Chicago's LGBTQ+ Bar Association (LAGBAC): Highly Recommended

Puerto Rican Bar Association of Illinois: Recommended

Women's Bar Association of Illinois: Recommended

Endorsements

Chicago Federation of Labor
International Union of Operating Engineers Local 399
Teamsters Joint Council No. 25
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 134
Teamsters Local 700
United Hellenic Voters of America

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Pamela Curran Smith - #94

Campaign Website

Bar Association Evaluation Narratives

The Chicago Bar Association says:

Pamela Curran Smith is “Qualified” for the office of Circuit Court Judge. Ms. Smith was admitted to practice law in Illinois in 2006. Ms. Smith is in private practice and has a wide range of practice experience. She is well-regarded for her legal experience and knowledge, high integrity, and good communication skills. Ms. Smith has the requisite experience to serve as a Circuit Court Judge.

The Chicago Council of Lawyers says:

Pamela Curran Smith was admitted to practice in 2006. She is a partner with a small law firm doing criminal defense and personal injury litigation. She has substantial litigation experience. She is considered to have good legal ability, and is praised for her litigation skills. She is reported to have a good temperament. The Council finds her Qualified for the Circuit Court.

The Illinois State Bar Association says:

Ms. Pamela Curran Smith has been licensed in Illinois since 2006. Since then, she has been employed, and is now a partner, at the Law Offices of Sam Amirante and Associates, with a focus on criminal defense, tort and civil litigation. She has limited criminal jury trial experience and substantial criminal bench trial experience, including in complex matters. She is a member of various bar associations and serves as a committee chair with the Northwest Suburban Bar Association.

Attorneys reported that she possesses a thorough understanding of the legal process and is always ready and prepared, also that she treats all with respect, is professional and has high integrity. ISBA finds Pamela Curran Smith qualified to be elected to the Circuit Court of Cook County.

Other Bar Association Evaluations

Arab American Bar Association: Recommended

Asian American Bar Association: Recommended

Black Men Lawyers' Association: Recommended

Black Women Lawyers' Association: Recommended

Cook County Bar Association: Recommended

Decalogue Society of Lawyers: Recommended

Hellenic Bar Association of Illinois: Recommended

Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois: Qualified

Chicago's LGBTQ+ Bar Association (LAGBAC): Recommended

Puerto Rican Bar Association of Illinois: Recommended

Women's Bar Association of Illinois: Recommended

Organizing the Data: 12th Subcircuit - Dickler vacancy

Updated 9/26/24 to reflect amended wording in CBA rating for Alon Stein

There are only five judicial vacancies on the Cook County ballot this November in which voters have any choice whatsoever. All of the other races were decided in the March Democratic primary. Three of these contested races are in the north suburban 12th Subcircuit. This post looks at the candidates for the Dickler vacancy in that 12th Subcircuit.

Candidates are listed in punch number order. This year, that means the Democratic candidate is listed before the Republican candidate.

This post may be updated with new, additional, or corrected information, as it becomes available.

One final note: Each candidate may have endorsements from persons or groups not shown below. These are typically found on the candidate's websites. FWIW only publishes endorsements that it can independently verify.

Alon Stein - #91

Campaign Website

Bar Association Evaluation Narratives

The Chicago Bar Association says:

Alon Stein is “Qualified” for the office of Circuit Court Judge. Mr. Stein was admitted to practice law in 2002 and is currently in private practice. He has experience in a wide variety of legal matters in numerous jurisdictions. The candidate is well-regarded for his significant trial experience, fine demeanor and excellent temperament.

The Chicago Council of Lawyers says:

Alon Stein was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 2002. Since 2013, he has been the Owner and Managing Attorney of Stein Legal Offices, where he focuses on commercial litigation but also handles constitutional matters and employment/wages litigation. Previously, he handled civil litigation, commercial litigation, and appeals as Of Counsel (2013-2017) for The Nathanson Law Firm and as an Associate (2004-2013) and Of Counsel (2013-2015) for Kamensky Rubinstein Hochman & Delott, LLP. From 2002 to 2004, he was an Associate at Blau & Bonavich, where he represented customers suing their brokers in arbitration and plaintiffs in employment actions. He is a member of several bar associations, including the Illinois State Bar Association and the Chicago Bar Association.

Mr. Stein is considered to have good legal ability. He has substantial litigation experience in more complex matters in both state courts and before administrative agencies. He is praised for his litigation skills and for his diligence. The Council finds him Qualified for the Circuit Court.

The Illinois State Bar Association says:

Mr. Alon Stein has been licensed since 2002. Since 2013 he has been the owner of Stein Law Offices focusing on commercial litigation and representation of small to mid-sized businesses. Prior to that, he worked for Kamensky Rubinstein Hochman & Delott, again handing mostly commercial litigation for healthcare practices. He has litigated in federal court as well as neighboring counties and Wisconsin and has served as arbitrator for Cook County. He has written and spoken on legal topics, is a current officer of the Advocates Society, an Assembly Member to the Illinois State Bar Association, and on the Board of Managers for the Decalogue Society.

Attorneys gave positive feedback on his legal knowledge and litigation ability, stating that he has a high degree of knowledge and is a great advocate. He is courteous and respectful to all, with high integrity and diligence. ISBA finds Alon Stein qualified to be elected to the Circuit Court of Cook County.

Other Bar Association Evaluations

Arab American Bar Association: Recommended

Asian American Bar Association: Recommended

Black Men Lawyers' Association: Recommended

Black Women Lawyers' Association: Recommended

Cook County Bar Association: Recommended

Decalogue Society of Lawyers: Recommended

Hellenic Bar Association of Illinois: Recommended

Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois: Qualified

Chicago's LGBTQ+ Bar Association (LAGBAC): Recommended

Puerto Rican Bar Association of Illinois: Recommended

Women's Bar Association of Illinois: Recommended

Endorsements

Chicago Federation of Labor
International Union of Operating Engineers Local 399
Teamsters Joint Council No. 25
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 134
Teamsters Local 700
United Hellenic Voters of America

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Maria McCarthy - #92

Campaign Website

Bar Association Evaluation Narratives

The Chicago Bar Association says:

Maria McCarthy is “Highly Qualified” for the office of Circuit Court Judge. Ms. McCarthy was admitted to practice law in 1989. Ms. McCarthy served as a Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney for nearly 20 years, where she had more than 65 jury trials, 500 bench trials, and handled 25 appeals. After retiring from the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, she served for two years as the First Assistant to the Winnebago County State’s Attorney. Currently, Ms. McCarthy has her own law firm handling criminal matters. Additionally, for nearly 20 years, she has taught trial advocacy at two law schools, criminal law and procedure at a community college, and constitutional law to police officers. Ms. McCarthy is highly regarded for her knowledge of the law.

The Chicago Council of Lawyers says:

Maria McCarthy worked early in her career for Freeborn & Peters in Chicago where she defended companies in civil litigation. But she worked as an assistant state’s attorney in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office for 30 years. From 2009 to 2019, she was Supervisor of the Third Municipal District. Prior to holding that position, she was the Supervisor of the Homicide/Sex Unit in Chicago, the Supervisor of the Domestic Violence Division and was a Deputy Supervisor in the Traffic Division. She subsequently worked as the First Assistant in the Winnebago County State’s Attorney’s Office, where she supervised the Criminal and Civil Bureaus. In 2022, she was appointed Special Prosecutor in murder cases that are pending in Will County.

Maria McCarthy is considered to have good legal ability with substantial litigation experience in both criminal and civil matters. She is reported to have a very good temperament and is praised for her litigation skills. The Council finds her Qualified for the Circuit Court.

The Illinois State Bar Association says:

Ms. Maria McCarthy has been licensed since 1989. Since March 2022, she has been a partner in the firm of McCarthy & Valentini, where her current focus is her appointment as Special Prosecutor and Assistant Special Prosecutor on some criminal post-trial cases pending in Will County. Prior to that, she had been a career prosecutor in Cook County where she rose to be Supervisor of the Third Municipal District (Rolling Meadows) until 2019, when she left, and subsequently became First Assistant at the Winnebago County State’s Attorney office. She has extensive criminal jury and bench trial experience. She has been a speaker and panelist on legal issues and an Adjunct Professor of Trial Advocacy at Northwestern University School of Law and the John Marshall Law School, now known as the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law. She is a member of various bar associations and was the recipient of the Scales of Justice Award in 2019 from the Northwest Suburban Bar Association.

She is considered to have good ability and knowledge of the law by the attorneys contacted during the investigation, with a good temperament and character. ISBA finds Maria McCarthy qualified to be elected to the Circuit Court of Cook County.

Other Bar Association Evaluations

Arab American Bar Association: Recommended

Asian American Bar Association: Recommended

Black Men Lawyers' Association: Recommended

Black Women Lawyers' Association: Recommended

Cook County Bar Association: Recommended

Decalogue Society of Lawyers: Recommended

Hellenic Bar Association of Illinois: Recommended

Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois: Qualified

Chicago's LGBTQ+ Bar Association (LAGBAC): Highly Recommended

Puerto Rican Bar Association of Illinois: Recommended

Women's Bar Association of Illinois: Recommended

Barristers Big Band at Andy's Jazz Club September 30

I am almost positive -- actually, I'm entirely positive -- that the CBA Barristers Big Band will not be performing while wearing British barristers' wigs.

But the rest of the poster is factual: The band will be performing two shows at Andy's Jazz Club, 11 E. Hubbard, at 6:00 and 8:15 p.m., on Monday, September 30.

There is a $15 cover charge. Reservations are required. These can be made via the Andy's Jazz Club link, above, or by following the links on the CBA Barristers Big Band webpage. (Spoiler alert: you wind up at the same site either way.)

CBA and CBF to present annual John Paul Stevens Awards this Thursday

The Chicago Bar Association and the Chicago Bar Foundation will bestow their 2024 John Paul Stevens Awards at a ceremony this Thursday, September 26, at the Union League Club. The awards presentation will follow a reception, which begins at 11:30 a.m., and a luncheon, which begins at noon.

Tickets for the event are $75 each (if still available, tables of 10 are $750); click on this page of the CBA website for last-minute ticket purchases.

The Stevens Awards are named in honor of the late Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, a native Chicagoan and, back in the day, a CBA member. The awards are meant to honor attorneys and judges who have, according to the CBA and CBF, demonstrated the highest commitment to integrity and public service throughout their careers. The CBA and CBF state that Stevens Awards winners best exemplify Justice Stevens' legacy of pro bono and public service in his career and his commitment to ensuring our justice system is fair and accessible for everyone in the community.

This year’s recipients are Judge David H. Coar (ret.), JAMS; Daniel A. Cotter, Dickinson Wright; David A. Decker, Former ISBA President and ITLA President; Nina Fain, JS Schirn Family Trust; E. Lynn Grayson, Nijman Franzetti; John (“Jack”) Jiganti, Madden, Jiganti, Moore & Sheridan LLP; and Justice Margaret Stanton McBride, Illinois Appellate Court.

"This phenomenal group of honorees has substantially impacted our legal community, our city, and our state through their leadership and generous service to The Chicago Bar Association, The Chicago Bar Foundation, and our Chicago legal community," said CBA President John C. Sciaccotta. "The CBA and the CBF are proud to honor this highly regarded group of lawyers and jurists with the John Paul Stevens Awards. Their great legacies, like that of Justice John Paul Stevens, will live on forever."

The CBA and CBF have put out these bios of this year's Stevens Award recipients:

Judge David H. Coar (Ret.) served as United States District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois for 16 years and as a United States Bankruptcy Judge for eight years. From 1979 to 1982, he served as the first United States Bankruptcy Trustee in the Northern District of Illinois. As Associate Professor of Law at DePaul University College of Law, Judge Coar taught courses on ethics, corporations, corporate finance, constitutional law, labor law, and professional responsibility. As a practicing lawyer, Judge Coar represented private plaintiffs in the case that determined how Title VII impacted the merger of previously segregated lines of progression in the steel industry. Judge Coar has traveled extensively across the globe to consult on judicial and economic issues and has participated in educational programs for foreign judges in the U.S. and overseas. He has taken part in programs in China, Russia, Nigeria, and Cameroon sponsored by law schools, the National Center for State Courts, the U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. Department of Commerce. The Bar has praised Judge Coar for his excellent legal ability, handling of complex cases, integrity, and independence.

Daniel A. Cotter is Partner at Dickinson Wright PLLC and focuses in a variety of areas of corporate law and litigation, including insurance law, complex business disputes and counseling, employment law, corporate transactions, corporate governance and compliance, and cybersecurity and privacy law. Cotter also serves as a Cook County and American Arbitration Association arbitrator. Cotter served as President of The Chicago Bar Association for the 2014-2015 bar year and is former Chair of The CBA's Young Lawyers Section. He is President of the Advisory Board of the Justice Entrepreneurs Project and a Past President of Lawyers Lend-A-Hand.  He currently serves as President of the National Conference of Bar Presidents. Cotter was an adjunct professor at UIC College teaching Insurance Law, Accounting for Lawyers and SCOTUS Judicial Biography. He graduated summa cum laude from The John Marshall Law School and received his B.A. in Accounting from Monmouth College, magna cum laude, where he distinguished himself on and off the field, and was a National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete. He serves on the Monmouth College Board of Trustees and has been involved in its Moot Court program and co-funds the awards distributed each year. Cotter served on the Edgebrook Public School Local School Council for ten years, including seven as Chair, and participated in two principal selections, as well as overseeing the approval of one of the first school expansions in the City of Chicago in years. He also served many years as a Cub Scouts den leader and Boy Scouts leader, including administering more than 200 Eagle Scout merit badges to scouts. Cotter is a frequent writer and presenter on various substantive topics, including technology and privacy and insurance, and in 2019, his book, "The Chief Justices," was published.  He is a weekly columnist for the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin.

David A. Decker graduated from Lake Forest College, then attended Northwestern Law School, graduating in 1964. While at Northwestern, he was on law review. His first position was with Pretzel Stouffer. Eighteen months later, he joined plaintiff attorney Philip E. Howard. After getting married in 1967, Decker left Chicago and opened his own practice in Lake County. He was a plaintiff personal injury attorney and handled and tried cases in Lake and other collar counties. A highlight of his career was being plaintiff’s counsel in 1980 for the Alvis case where the Illinois Supreme Court adopted comparative negligence. In 1984, as President of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, Decker spent the entire legislative session, along with Phil Corboy and Bruce Cook, fighting the many forces for "tort reform." They successfully defended the tort system. The next major push for "tort reform" was in 1994 while Decker was serving as President of the Illinois State Bar Association. Decker retired in 2001 and turned over the firm to his longstanding friend and loyal partner Craig Linn. He has served as a Fellow American College of Trial Lawyers, the Board of Governors Association of Trial Lawyers, Director/Vice President of the Lawyers Trust Fund and Chairman of the Board of Directors of ISBA Mutual Insurance Company.

Nina Fain serves as General Counsel to JS Schirn Family Trust with cash, commercial and real estate assets in the United States and Europe. Fain was one of the first African Americans and women partners in AM Law 100 law firms, like Holland & Knight LLP. For more than three decades, her professional work in complex corporate transactions, real estate development and finance allowed her to provide effective representation to public and private sector clients. Her public service includes having served as Chief Legal Counsel to the Office of the Illinois State Treasurer. In the private sector, Fain's law firm work included representation of U.S.-based Fortune 500 and small cap clients with domestic matters and international transactions in the UK, Europe, Asia, Israel, Canada, Mexico, South America, and the Caribbean. As a law firm Department chair, Fain lead in the development of smart strategies to acquire and retain clients and promoted the recruitment and retention of diverse and female lawyers. Fain holds a Bachelor of Science in Education, a Master of Science in Education Administration from Northern Illinois University, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana College of Law. She became a Leadership America Senior Fellow at the University of Texas-Dallas (UTD) in its Institute for Corporate Governance at UTD’s top-ranked Graduate School of Business Management. She has taught not-for-profit law in the Graduate School of Public Policy at DePaul University and real estate law at Roosevelt University in its Graduate School of Business, while serving concurrently on the Marshall Bennett Real Estate Institute Advisory Board. Fain has served on the board for the Francis W. Parker School Alumni Association, Chicago Bar Association Board of Managers, receiving its Earl B. Dickerson Award in 2020, the Chicago Bar Association Record Editorial Board, where she originated its "History Will Judge" column, and as a Trustee for the world renown Field Museum, serving on its Audit and Pension, Public Affairs, Finance and Endowment Committees.

E. Lynn Grayson is a partner in the environmental law firm of Nijman Franzetti LLP in Chicago. She has been recognized as a leading environmental lawyer by Chambers USA, The Best Lawyers in America, Who's Who: Environment, Illinois Super Lawyers, and the Leading Lawyers Network. She is AV Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell’s highest peer recognition for ethical standards and legal ability. Grayson formerly was chair of the environmental practice group of a national law firm. She served as the Chief Legal Counsel for the Illinois Emergency Services and Disaster Agency and as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Illinois prosecuting environmental enforcement actions. She is national environmental counsel to corporate law departments supporting day-to-day environmental compliance challenges and cleanup obligations. She counsels corporate leadership on material environmental risks and liabilities, advises clients on critical enforcement, regulatory and litigation matters, and serves as lead environmental counsel in U.S. and international transactions. She defends clients in natural resource damage claim matters and represents clients in substantive environmental enforcement proceedings related to air pollution, chemical use, and emergency response. Grayson is the past president of the Chicago Bar Association and served as Co-Chair of the CBA/CBF Task Force on the Sustainable Practice of Law and Innovation. She is a member of the ABA Standing Committee on Bar Leadership. For her work to promote diversity in the legal profession, she is the recipient of the Chicago Bar Association's first Alta May Hulett Award, the Women's Bar Association of Illinois' Women with Vision Award, the Illinois State Bar Association's Diversity Leadership Award, and the Best Lawyers' Women of Influence Award. She received the National Law Journal's "Energy and Environmental Trailblazer" Award and was recognized as Best Lawyers' Environmental Lawyer of the Year in Chicago. She is the president of the Geneva Lake Association and serves on the Board of Directors of the Geneva Lake Museum (Secretary) and the Environmental Education Foundation. Grayson is a graduate of the Indiana University Maurer School of Law and Franklin College.

John J. ("Jack") Jiganti is a partner in the law firm of Madden, Jiganti, Moore & Sheridan LLC and concentrates his practice in tax planning and representation of families, their businesses, family offices and foundations. Jiganti has practiced law in the City of Chicago since 1964 and during that time specialized in a variety of business and tax matters including tax litigation. He is a member of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and has written and lectured on tax controversy matters. He continues to work with families he has represented for more than forty years. Jiganti has a long history of involvement in Bar Association matters having served on the Board of Directors of the Chicago Bar Association and ultimately as President. He served on the Board and was President of the Lawyers Trust Fund of Illinois. He is involved in a variety of charitable endeavors. Jiganti is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and its Law School. He is also a graduate of Saint Ignatius College Prep where he serves as a Life Trustee. As a former trustee, he continues to be involved in Christ the King Jesuit College Prep, a unique school that provides a true college prep experience for the young people in the underserved community of Austin in Chicago’s far West side.

Justice Margaret Stanton McBride began her judicial service as an Associate Judge in 1987, was elected a Circuit Court Judge in 1990, and retained in 1996. Justice McBride was elected to the Illinois Appellate Court in 1998 and retained in 2008 and 2018. She is the Vice-Chair of the First District Appellate Court’s Executive Committee and has served as the Chair and Vice-Chair. She has also served as the Presiding Justice of each of the six divisions of the Appellate Court. She has authored over 2,000 decisions while serving on the Appellate Court. Justice McBride currently serves on the Appellate Committee of the Illinois Supreme Court Access to Justice Commission, the Illinois Supreme Court's Judicial Performance Evaluation Committee, and the First District's Diversity and Inclusion Committee. Since 2007, Justice McBride has been a member of the Illinois Court's Commission. She served on the Illinois Supreme Court Rules Committee for ten years. Justice McBride spent several years as a faculty member with the National Institute for Trial Advocacy. Justice McBride has also participated in judicial education and training, has served on the Illinois Supreme Court Judicial Education Committee, and, for many years, was a faculty member at the Circuit Court of Cook County's new judges' training seminar. Most recently, Justice McBride served as a Cohort Leader for newly elected and appointed judges of the Circuit Courts across Illinois. Justice McBride serves as a member of the Chicago Bar Association’s Board of Managers and serves on DePaul Law School's Dean's Advisory Council and Alumni Judge's Committee. Justice McBride's previous assignments in the Circuit Court include the First Municipal District, the Criminal, Law, and Chancery Divisions, and Presiding Judge of the Third Municipal District, where she supervised 19 judges and oversaw the administration of the district courthouse. Prior to becoming a Judge, Justice McBride worked as an Assistant State’s Attorney, and as an associate with a civil practice firm. She earned her law degree from DePaul University College of Law in 1976 and her undergraduate degree from Newton College in 1973.

A complete list of all prior Stevens Awards winners is available at this link.

90th Annual Votive Red Mass of the Holy Spirit & Reception set for Oct. 2

The Catholic Lawyers Guild of Chicago invites all lawyers, judges, and law professionals to the 90th Annual Votive Red Mass of the Holy Spirit, traditionally known as the Red Mass. The Red Mass has been celebrated annually in churches throughout the world since the twelfth century. It brings together members of the community from all faith traditions to pray for all those responsible for the administration of justice.

Note the use of the word "invites" in the preceding paragraph.

Mass is celebrated every Wednesday evening at 5:15 p.m. at Holy Name Cathedral, on State Street, just north of Superior. So the CLG is not 'hosting' or 'holding' that event. It just so happens that, on Wednesday, October 2, the evening Mass will be offered in a special way for the Chicago legal community, and the many members of the Chicago legal community, including a great many judges, whether members of the CLG or not, whether Catholic or not, will participate. Thus, the CLG "invites" their fellow laborers in legal vineyard.

I have it on good authority, in fact, that some Baptist judges have attended the Red Mass in past years, though perhaps not all of them have admitted this to their families....

As in the past, the Red Mass will begin with a procession of judges. Judges wishing to participate in the procession should arrive, with robes, at Holy Name at 5:00 p.m.

After the Mass, the CLG will host a reception at Loyola Law School's Corboy Law Center. The reception will honor the CLG's 2024 Red Mass Award winners. This year, the CLG will honor former Cook County Public Defender, Amy P. Campanelli, as its Catholic Lawyer of the Year. Campanelli currently serves as Director of the Muskegon County (Michigan) Public Defender Office.

The CLG will also honor Mary Meg McCarthy, the Executive Director of the Heartland Alliance’s National Immigrant Justice Center, with its Lifetime Achievement Award. The CLG will also confer Special Service Awards on Johannes Favi, the Deputy Director of the Illinois Community for Displaced Immigrants, and on Sisters JoAnn Persch and Pat Murphy, the President and Vice President, respectively, of Catherine’s Caring Cause.

There is no charge to attend the Red Mass, but registration is encouraged.

Tickets for the CLG Reception are $75 each, and registrants will be offered a number of donation options even before we get to sponsorships.

But, yes, sponsorships are available: Supporter - $500, Advocate - $1,000, or Sponsor - $2,500. Questions about the event, or about sponsorships in particular, should be directed to admin@clgchicago.org.

Applications open for Rockford federal magistrate position

It would be an overlong commute for many FWIW readers, but the successful applicant might be highly motivated to relocate: The United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois has announced that it is accepting applications for a magistrate judge position in the Court's Western Division, based in Rockford.

The deadline for the submission of completed applications is 5:00 p.m. on October 17, 2024. Filling this U.S. Magistrate Judge position is contingent upon approval of the Seventh Circuit Judicial Council and of the Judicial Conference Committee on the Administration of the Magistrate Judges System.

The candidate selected will be appointed only upon the successful completion of a Federal Bureau Investigation and Internal Revenue Service background check.

In its notice advertising the pending vacancy, the District Court cautions that the duties of the position of a United States Magistrate Judge are demanding and wide-ranging. The responsibilities of a United States Magistrate Judge are set forth in 28 U.S.C. § 636, and include conducting most preliminary proceedings in federal criminal cases; the trial and disposition of federal misdemeanor cases, as well as civil cases upon consent of the litigants; and conducting various civil pretrial matters, including settlement conferences, discovery supervision, and other proceedings on referral from the district judges of the Court.

If this comes as news to you, you may want to reconsider pursuing this appointment.

Being well-acquainted with what a U.S. Magistrate Judge does is not the sole qualification for appointment. According to the Court's notice announcing the vacancy, to be qualified for appointment as a United States Magistrate Judge, an applicant must

1. be, and have been for at least five years, a member in good standing of the bar of the highest court of a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or the Virgin Islands of the United States, and have been engaged in the active practice of law for a period of at least five years (the Court may, in its discretion, substitute certain other legal experience, e.g., experience as a judge, Magistrate Judge, attorney for federal or state agencies, up to two years experience as a law clerk, for the required period of "active practice of law.");


2. be competent to perform all of the duties of the office; be of good moral character, emotionally stable and mature; be committed to equal justice under the law; be in good health; be patient and courteous; and be capable of deliberation and decisiveness;


3. be less than seventy years of age; and


4. not be related to a judge of the district court.

The present annual salary of the position is $223,836. A United States Magistrate Judge who retires after attaining the age of 65 years and serving at least 14 years, whether continuously or not, shall be entitled to receive, during the remainder of the Magistrate Judge's lifetime, an annuity equal to the salary being received at the time the United States Magistrate Judge leaves office.

APPLICATION & APPOINTMENT PROCESS: Applicants must not seek interviews with or submit letters of reference to individual judges or members of the Merit Selection Panel. All applications must be submitted through the U.S. District Court’s application website at: U.S. Magistrate Judge Application.

A Merit Selection Panel composed of attorneys and other members of the community will review all applications and recommend to the judges of the Court, in confidence, a list of the persons whom it considers best qualified. The Court will make the appointment of the person selected to fill the position, subject to a Federal Bureau of Investigation full-field investigation and Internal Revenue Service tax check. The Court makes efforts to give consideration to all qualified candidates, including women and members of minority or marginalized groups.

DEADLINE: The completed application, along with the required waiver forms in the U.S. District Court’s website (U.S. Magistrate Judge – Rockford Vacancy) must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on October 17, 2024.

CONFIDENTIALITY: All applications will be kept confidential, except as necessary for the Merit Selection Panel to perform its duties, and all applications will be examined only by members of the Merit Selection Panel and the district judges of the District Court.

And then there were 10....

Every single election cycle voters are amazed to find that they don't have any choices in most Cook County judicial races.

These voters didn't vote in the primary... on St. Joseph's Day... before the first day of Spring... before the emergence of the 17-year cicadas even. They think that, because the election is in November, that's when they get to make their choices. Some don't want to let their neighbors have any chance of finding out what party they favor. Some are resolutely independent and wouldn't ever vote in a primary.

But, at this stage of the election cycle, most of the decisions about who will be elected to the Cook County judiciary have already been made. I told FWIW readers that there were no judicial election contests set up in Cook County for November except for one in the new 18th Subcircuit and three others in the redrawn 12th.

Turns out, I was wrong.

There are the four subcircuit contests I knew about -- that's eight candidates -- and one countywide Circuit Court contest. That would make 10.

Here's the complete list of Cook County judicial candidates who face election contests in November (the links will take you to each candidate's website):

• Frank Andreou
• James "Jack" Costello
• Pablo deCastro
• Tien H. Glaub
• John Hock
• Maria McCarthy
• Lynn Terese Palac
• Pamela Curran Smith
• Alon Stein
• Matthew Taylor

Pablo deCastro, the Democratic Party's candidate for the countywide Flannery vacancy, now has a Republican opponent.

Tien H. Glaub works for the City of Chicago's Department of Administrative Hearings as a hearing officer and, according to her new campaign website (linked above), "helps manage the administrative adjudication at the City of Chicago’s hearings facilities." She has been licensed to practice law in Illinois since 2008, according to ARDC.

Glaub was not a candidate in the Republican primary this past March.

Pablo deCastro was one of the 12 primary winners who were put on the bench by the Illinois Supreme Court this past Spring. At the time, I reported that deCastro, like each of the others, was unopposed in November -- and the Supreme Court appears to have believed that, too.

I am working to find out more as to how Glaub qualified for the ballot; I hope to be able to report further on this soon.

If you look at the Sidebar (on the desktop version of this site) you will note that the 10 names above are now the only listed Cook County judicial candidates. The former, longer candidate list has been archived on Page Two.

Besides Glaub, several other candidates in the new list were not on the primary candidate list. We'll look at these new websites in future posts.

Septmeber 25 fundraiser for John Hock

Supporters of John Hock's 18th Subcircuit judicial campaign are planning a fundraiser for their candidate on Wednesday, September 25, from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m., at the offices of Romanucci & Blandin, 321 N. Clark Street.

Tickets for the event are $250 each. Sponsorships are available (Supporter - $500, Patron - $1,000, Sponsor - $2,500, Benefactor - $5,000). RSVPs are required. To register, email eromanucci@rblaw.net. Tickets can be paid for by check (to John Hock for Judge) or through this Democracy Engine link.

Ratings controversy on Retention Judges website... which is now apparently resolved

This Tweet from the Chicago Council of Lawyers caught my eye yesterday.

The Chicago Council of Lawyers HAS NOT YET COMPLETED its evaluation of judges up for retention this year. As yet, we are not prepared to state who is or is not qualified for retention.

— Chicago Council of Lawyers (@ChiCouncilLaw) September 5, 2024

I retweeted it (look, I know we call it 'X' nowadays, but it sounds silly to say I saw an 'X' and then re-X'd it) but I didn't look into it right away; I was doing something eles at the time.

Then I got an email from someone on behalf of the Alliance of Bar Associations for Judicial Screening (the Council is a charter member): Apparently there was a statement on the Committee for Retention of Judges website that had angered a number of Alliance bar evaluators, to wit, "The class of judges up for retention has been overwhelmingly rated as qualified and recommended for retention by our State’s Premier Bar Associations." This sat above a list of the bar groups (all the Alliance groups and the Chicago Bar Association) which certainly implies or infers that those groups have already issued ratings for this retention election.

You had to scroll pretty much to the bottom of the home page on the Retention Judges website in order to find this statement. But don't bother to try it now: It's gone.

I reached out to the Retention Judges committee to ask about the statement. A little while ago I received an email from Mary Kay Dawson, a consultant who is working with the Committee for Retention Judges. The relevant portion of the email provides, "Apparently the language on the web site was carried over from the previous class website by our web designer and once this was called to attention it was removed."

So the Retention Judges were not trying to claim ratings that have not yet been issued.

When the ratings are released by the various bar groups, you will find them here on FWIW.

Just a prediction on my part: While there will be some exceptions (there always are), most of the retention judges will ultimately be rated qualified or recommended for retention by the various bar groups. Still, no one likes being told what they're going to do before they do it, especially when they're being told by the people they're doing it to. It is presumptuous at best.

Presumably, the explanation provided will suffice to tamp down the controversy. If there is more to report on this issue, however, I will.

You have all weekend to rehearse....

The Chicago Bar Association's 101st Annual Bar Show (apparently as yet unnamed) will be held January 10 and 11, 2025 at the Studebaker Theatre.

Tryouts for the show are next week, Tuesday, September 10, starting at 6:00 p.m., at the CBA, 321 S. Plymouth Ct.

CBA members (including law school members) should contact Jay Schleppenbach at jaysbach@gmail.com with any questions or simply to get on the audition list. Prepare 16 bars of a song that best fits your vocal range; an accompanist will be provided.

September 19 reception for Retention Judges at Plumbers Hall

The Committee for Retention of Judges in Cook County will hold a reception for Cook County judges seeking retention on the November ballot on Thursday, September 19, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., at Plumbers Hall, 1340 W. Washington Blvd.

Tickets are $130 each -- but, don't worry, there's always an opportunity to contribute more. To reserve tickets, visit the retention judges' website. Organizers are asking people to respond by September 10.

Traditionally, this is the one and only reception for the entire retention class in each election cycle and Plumbers Hall should be (and almost certainly will be) packed to the rafters.

The Cook County Judges Retention site will also take interested persons to a list of the retention candidates, some of which are also linked to biographies of the retention candidates. More links are likely to be added as we near Election Day. Some biographies are more elaborate than others.

That said, there is some controversy about the retention judges' website. FWIW has reached out to the Committee regarding same and a follow-up post should appear in due course. Please stand by.

Supreme Court Justice Joy V. Cunningham announces formation of a standing judicial selection committee

Catching up on things that happened during my hiatus...

Illinois Supreme Court Justice Joy V. Cunningham has announced the formation of a standing Judicial Selection Committee. The committee has been formed for the purpose of assessing the qualifications of those who apply for appointment to vacancies in the Supreme Court’s First District (i.e., Cook County).

The committee, which will be chaired by attorney Tim Tomasik of of Tomasik Kotin Kasserman LLC (pictured at right), consists of both non-lawyers and lawyers who reside in Cook County. The non-lawyer members of the committee are Dr. Byron Brazier of the Apostolic Church of God and former Equality Illinois Board Chair Dalila Fridi. The other attorneys on the committee are (in alphabetical order) Suyash Agrawal of Massey & Gail LLP; Edward Austin of Edward J. Austin PC; Terri Mascherin of Jenner & Block LLP; Kerry Peck of Peck Ritchey LLC; Patricia Rangel of Rangel Rangel & Associates; Larry Rogers Jr. of Power Rogers LLP; Eirene Salvi of Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C.; and Andrea Zopp of Cleveland Avenue LLC.

Pursuant to the Illinois Constitution, judicial vacancies on the Circuit and Appellate Courts are filled on an interim basis by Supreme Court appointment. According to long-standing custom and practice, the three justices elected from the First Judicial District divide the availble Cook County appointments amongst themselves. The exact mechanism or manner of distribution has never been made public, but, generally speaking, each justice could fill one-third of the available vacancies -- if they so choose. Some vacancies go unfilled in every election cycle.

Justices can fill 'their' vacancies one-by-one or in groups, as Chief Justice Theis is now doing.

Regardless of the Cook County justice making the appointment, appointed individuals have to run in the next election in order to hold their seats. All interim appointments expire on the first Monday in December of the year that the vacancy is filled by election.

Retention candidates urged to seek support from Advocates Society

Received this morning from the Advocates Society:

The Advocates Society, the Association of Polish-American Attorneys, is compiling requests for support for retention in the 2024 judicial elections.

If you would like to apply, please send the credentials that you wish to share with the Advocates Steering Committee by e-mail to Steve Rakowski. His contact information follows below.

All materials must be received by e-mail no later than Sunday, September 8, 2024. No late submissions will be considered.

Thank you and good luck in your campaigns.

Advocates Society Steering Committee
L. Steven Rakowski
www.lsrfamilylaw.com
Collaborative Divorce Illinois-Fellow
Fellow, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers
L. Steven Rakowski, Ltd.
steve@lsrfamilylaw.com
Ph. (847) 412-9950
Fax (847) 412-9960

Application process underway for five Cook County judicial vacancies

Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Mary Jane Theis has announced that applications will be accepted until 4:00 p.m. on September 16 for temporary appointments to five Cook County judicial vacancies, one countywide, one in the 8th Subcircuit, one in the 16th Subcircuit, and two in the 20th Subcircuit. These appointments, once made, will expire on December 7, 2026 (the first Monday of December) following the 2026 elections.

Application forms are available at this page of the Suprme Court website. Attorneys in good standing seeking appointment from a subcircuit must be a resident of that subcircuit. Attorneys wishing to seek appointment to both the countywide vacancy and a subcircuit vacancy must fill out separate application forms. However, the Court will require only one application for either of the 20th Subcircuit vacancies. All applications must be submitted electronically.

All applicants will be subject to "an evaluation and screening process," according to a press release issued by the Supreme Court announcing the application process.

According to the Supreme Court, the countywide vacancy arises from the January retirement of Judge Paul Karkula.

The 8th Subcircuit vacancy was created when Judge Celia L. Gamrath was appointed to the Appellate Court.

Gamrath's appointment is effective this coming Friday and will expire on December 2. That's when she will be sworn into the Appellate Court vacancy created by the retirement of Justice Mathias W. Delort. Gamrath is the only candidate for that vacancy on the November ballot. She is now being appointed "to the position currently held by the Honorable Mary Ellen Coghlan, who is retiring from judicial service on August 31, 2024." However, Justice Coghlan, who had been serving on the Appellate Court pursuant to Supreme Court appointment since 2019, was reassigned to the Delort vacancy last August. The Court's press release about the Gamrath appointment is here.

The 16th Subcircuit vacancy was created by conversion of the associate judgeship of Patricia Mendoza upon her retirement. Mendoza had served as an associate judge since 2005 and was most recently retained just last year.

The 20th Subcircuit vacancies also arise from the conversion of associate judgeships, specifically, those of David E. Haracz and Stephanie K. Miller.

Judge Haracz was a classmate of Judge Mendoza. Mendoza and Haracz have left, or are leaving, judicial service; that's why their associate judgeships are being converted.

But not so with Judge Miller. Her associate judgeship was converted to a 20th Subcircuit vacancy upon her appointment to the Pierce vacancy in the 14th Subcircuit. She is the only candidate on the ballot for that vacancy in November. Miller was one of 12 unopposed Circuit Court candidates appointed to the bench by the Illinois Supreme Court earlier this year.

Taking time off for good(?) behavior....

No, I'm not dead.

But I haven't posted here since May 30.

I have -- had -- any number of excuses: I had to get my CLE done. I had to prepare for, and successfully complete, an all-family vacation (the image above is from that trip). As the photograph suggests, I have had some babysitting and transportation obligations. I have been fortunate enough to be called a number of times for arbitration duty.

But these are mere excuses. I did all these things, and more, when I was also trying to keep a law practice going and I still had time to post here several times a week and, sometimes, several times a day.

I haven't been sick, physically -- my wife and I did have our first documented bout with Covid at the end of May, but that was merely unpleasant, not incapacitating.

No, if I've been sick, it's a sickness in my soul. I have covered judicial elections here in every election cycle since 2008. Arguably, this is a political site -- very, very, very low on the political scale -- but this work has given me more exposure to politics and politicians and their various machinations than I otherwise could ever have had.

And, I find, I don't like politics. I like it less with each increasingly shrill, bombastic, hyper-partisan election cycle.

Getting elected to the bench (or, for that matter, getting appointed) is a political process -- and politicians are members of a notoriously closed guild. I have tried to pull the curtain back a little, as much as an outsider like me can, in order to give lawyers who are not politicians, or related to politicians, but who nevertheless harbor judicial ambitions, more of a chance to breach the political battlements.

The breakthrough kitchen-table campaigns that I would posit as the ideal were never common; they are rarer than ever these days. In my time on this beat, I have documented the increasing expense of running a credible judicial campaign, from campaign consultants (of sometimes questionable loyalty, but always real expense) to the costs (actual and ethical) of raising funds. When I ran for judge, in 1994 and 1996, we tried to send out postcards to bring friends and acquaintances to the polls; now, direct mail pieces are probably a necessity. Hopefully not the misleading and malicious ones... but some examples of this type have been found in recent judicial campaigns, too.

But these trends, dispiriting as they are, are not a sufficient explanation for my malaise.

It's been coming on me now for some time. I tried to write about it in April, trying to explain why I thought the constant barrage of negative political advertising constitutes a form of bipartisan voter suppression.

But it's more than negative advertising. It's the groupthink. The win-at-all-costs mentality. It's the false choice fallacy that if you dare notice the obvious, glaring faults of this candidate, you must necessarily be a synchophantic, mindless supporter of that candidate.

What may frost me most is the casual, bipartisan contempt for the Constitution -- treating it like an obstacle to someone's vision of "progress" instead of as the safeguard of all our rights and liberties that it most certainly is.

You know, back in the day, before it was repealed, I had a lot of Structural Work Act cases. From these I learned that there is absolutely no question that safety harnesses, properly worn, can slow down the "progress" of the work. The builder's goals might be more promptly achieved without them. But, also without them, people are much more likely to get seriously hurt, even killed. Safeguards matter.

We lawyers -- we're sort of the Constitution's OSHA. We need to rein back our partisan, political brothers and sisters, not try and fashion creative arguments to provide cover for their excesses. And that goes for both parties. All parties. Left and Right. Progressive and MAGA. It does not appear that civics and patriotism and reverence for the Constitution are taught in our nation's schools. I know that some of us lawyers need refresher courses. At the very least.

Right now, and likely for the foreseeable future, I find the political climate toxic and increasingly intolerable. (As well as intolerant.) It's painful to observe, much less write about. Even in the limited way that I have done heretofore.

My news feed, all the stuff that comes in the email, X -- I start reading and always wind up depressed. And, mind you, this is is without watching one minute of any cable news network. Of any stripe.

So, for me, it comes down to this: Do I want to continue aiding and abetting an unhealthy political process?

The answer, for now, is that I perceive it as my civic duty. A way I can contribute, even if in only a small way, to the good of society. So... after a summer away... I will get back to work. While I may be trying to bail the ocean with a bucket, I will continue to try to help keep judicial campaigns as oases of civility and even gentility, in the hopes, however slim, that these good qualities can rise up on the ballot and into other races as well. Judicial candidates can lead the way.

But we've all got to keep our safety harnesses securely fastened.

CBA Symphony Orchestra and Chorus to perfrom Saturday, June 1

Sure... you thought that the big shindig at the train station meant an end to all those 150th anniversary celebrations from the Chicago Bar Association, didn't you?

Well... as they used to say in the Ginsu knives commercial... "Wait! There's more!"

The CBA Symphony Orchestra and Chorus are throwing a 150th birthday concert this Saturday evening, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., at St. James Episcopal Cathedral, 65 E. Huron Street.

Pre-concert tickets are $15 ($10 for law students or young people, 18 or under). Program notes and pre-sale tickets are available at this link. Tickets will be available at the door, too, but for $20 apiece ($15 for students).

79 Cook County jurists file for retention

Two Appellate Court justices and 77 Cook County Circuit Court judges filed for retention this year, according to records released by the Illinois Secretary of State and obtained by FWIW.

Appellate Court Justices David W. Ellis and Thomas E. Hoffman have indicated that they will ask voters for new 10-year terms. The 77 Circuit Court judges who filed for retention (seeking new six-year terms) include 21 countywide Circuit Court judges and 56 subcircuit judges.

If history is any guide, a few judges who file for retention will withdraw from the ballot prior to the November election; indeed, one, Judge Thomas W. Murphy, already has. (His July retirement will create a 3rd Subcircuit vacancy in 2026).

The retention ballot is a straight 'yes' or 'no' proposition. For each judge seeking retention, voters are asked, 'shall judge X be retained in office?' To be retained in office, a judge must receive 'yes' votes from more than 60% of those voting on the question (or, as it sometimes phrased, 60% + 1). This requirement applies to judges of all Illinois courts, including justices of the Appellate and Supreme Courts.

This year's retention class is somewhat larger than those in recent years. For comparison sake, there were 58 Circuit Court judges filing for retention in 2022 (although there was a Supreme Court justice and six Appellate Court justices filing for retention then, too). In 2020, 64 Circuit Court judges (and two Appellate Court justices) filed for retention. In 2018, there were 61 Circuit Court judges (and one Suprme Court justice and one Appellate Court justice) who filed for retention.

Most of the Cook County judges up for retention were first elected in subcircuits. However, these judges, just like those initially elected countywide, must face the entire county electorate on the retention ballot. Generally, the longest serving judges are at the top of the ballot, the newest judges (those elected six years ago) are at the bottom. Judges with equivalent lengths of service (6 years, 12 years, 18 years, etc.) are listed in alphabetical order... some judges have longer service times because of Supreme Court appointments prior to their elections... but they are listed with the group according to the year they were first elected. Here, subject to correction as may (likely) be necessary, is a list of the judges filing for retention in expected ballot order (there are only 76 names because Judge Thomas Murphy's name has already been removed):

1. Kathy M. Flanagan
2. Martin B. Agran
3. Ronald F. Bartkowicz
4. Stuart F. Lubin
5. James M. Varga
6. E. Kenneth Wright, Jr.
7. Maura Slattery Boyle
8. Maragaret Mary Brosnahan
9. Daniel Patrick Brennan
10. Ellen L. Flannigan
11. Carol M. Howard
12. Jill C. Marise
13. Mike McHale
14. James Patrick Murphy
15. Ramon Ocasio, III
16. Mary Colleen Roberts
17. Carl Anthony Walker
18. Carl B. Boyd
19. Tommy Brewer
20. Michael R. Clancy
21. Daniel B. Degnan
22. John H. Ehrlich
23. Terry Gallagher
24. William G. Gamboney
25. Celia Louise Gamrath
26. Elizabeth Mary Hayes
27. Lionel Jean-Baptiste
28. Martin C. Kelley
29. Kimberly D. Lewis
30. Aicha Marie MacCarthy
31. Lisa Ann Marino
32. Diann Karen Marsalek
33. Michael Tully Mullen
34. Karen Lynn O'Malley
35. Paul S. Pavlus
36. Cynthia Ramirez
37. Erica L. Reddick
38. Beatriz Santiago
39. Regina Ann Scannicchio
40. Michael B. Barrett
41. Tianna Ellis Blakely
42. Joel Chupack
43. Elizabeth Ciaccia-Lezza
44. H. Yvonne Coleman
45. Kevin Patrick Cunningham
46. Colleen Reardon Daly
47. Adrienne Elaine Davis
48. Kent Delgado
49. Beatriz A. Frausto-Sandoval
50. Peter Michael Gonzalez
51. Ieshia Gray
52. Jack Hagerty
53. Robert Harris
54. Toya T. Harvey
55. Cecilia Anne Horan
56. Lindsay Huge
57. Preston Jones, Jr.
58. Kathaleen Theresa Lanahan
59. Thomas F. McGuire
60. Scott McKenna
61. David R. Navarro
62. Shannon O'Malley
63. Erika Orr
64. Linda Perez
65. Marian Emily Perkins
66. Clare Joyce Quish
67. Joanne F. Rosado
68. Stephnanie Saltouros
69. Debra A. Seaton
70. James "Jamie" Shapiro
71. Tom Sam Sianis
72. Rosa Maria Silva
73. Kathryn Maloney Vahey
74. Andrea Michelle Webber
75. Arthur Wesley Willis
76. Jeanne Marie Wrenn

For all you planners out there: A 'Save the Date' from the ILJA

Summer calendars fill up fast. The Illinois Latino Judges Assocation will install its new board at a gala on Thursday, July 25 at the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture, 3015 W. Division St. More later.

Tonight: John Hock fundraiser in Niles

Most Cook County judicial elections are essentially over. But not all.

Voters in two subcircuits still have judicial choices to make in November. One of these subcircuits is the 18th, where Democratic nominees John Hock will face off against Republican Lynn Terese Palac.

And, thus, Hock's campaign continues.

Hock's supporters are holding a fundraiser tonight, Tuesday, May 28, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., at D'Agostino's Pizza, 7530 W. Oakton, Niles. Tickets are $50 each (kids admitted for $25). Sponsorships are available: Friend - $250, Supporter - $500, Sponsor - $1,000. For any questions, or to RSVP, email johnhock@gmail.com.

Matthew Taylor judicial campaign launches Facebook campaign page

Matt Taylor is the Republican nominee for the Schleifer vacancy in the 12th Subcircuit; he was unopposed in the March Republican primary.

Licensed to practice law in Illinois since 2004, according to ARDC, Taylor's LinkedIn page notes that he became a lawyer after first serving as a police officer (from 1994). He currently practices as M. J. Taylor Law, LLC, with an office in Palatine.

Taylor's campaign now has a campaign Facebook page. FWIW has been so far unable to find a campaign website; however, when and if FWIW learns of one, a link will be posted on this site's Sidebar.

Taylor's opponent in November, who was unopposed in the Democratic Primary, is James "Jack" Costello. There are three contested races in the 12th Subcircuit. There are only four contested judicial races in all of Cook County; the only other judicial contest on the November ballot is in the new 18th Subcircuit. All other Cook County judicial races are uncontested in the forthcoming general election.

Sponsors sought for 2nd Annual Salute to Veterans; tickets now available for June 3 event at Soldier Field

The Decalogue Society and at least 40 bar groups and judges' associations are co-hosting the Second Annual Salute to Veterans in the Legal Profession on Monday, June 3, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., at Solider Field.

This event recognizes and honors the service and sacrifice of veterans in all branches of the U.S. Military who, in addition to their service to this country, have also dedicated their careers to the legal profession as judges, lawyers, paralegals, law students, and legal administrative staff.

This year's event is intended to build on last year's inaugural Salute, which attracted 350 attendees and over 100 Judges who came out to honor service members who went on to work in the legal profession. The program this year will include speakers (lawyers and judges) who have served or currently serve in each branch of the military, as well as Color Guard, Pipes & Drums, and Rifle Team presentations. Event Challenge Coins will also be presented to all servicemembers. John Vincent, who sings the National Anthem at Cubs home games, will be singing at the event.

Food (heavy hors d'oeuvres) will be provided and there will be an open bar.

Active servicemembers, reservists, and veterans can attend for free with registration. All are encouraged to attend in uniform and provide photos of themselves in service (send pictures by May 20 to joel.bruckman@gmail.com for a "digital montage" that will be playing throughout the event).

Tickets for Decalogue members are $125 each; tickets for non-Decalogue members are $150 each.

Sponsorships are also available. Sponsorships include:

• Silver Sponsor - $500
  Includes 2 event tickets; free underground stadium parking for one vehicle; social media, written and verbal recognition at the event; and a quarter-page ad in the program ad book.


• Gold Sponsor - $1,000
  Includes 5 event tickets; free underground stadium parking for up to three vehicles; social media, written and verbal recognition at the event; and a half-page ad in the program ad book.


• Soldier Field Video Board Sponsor - $2,500
  Premier recognition on the Soldier Field video board and a half-page ad in the program ad book. This package does not include any event tickets.


• Challenge Coin Sponsor - $3,500
  You or your representative will present Challenge Coins to veteran attendees during the program. Includes 8 event tickets; free underground stadium parking for up to four vehicles; social media, written and verbal recognition at the event; and a half-page ad in the program ad book.


• Platinum Bar Sponsor - $7,500
  Includes speaking opportunity during the event program; recognition on the Soldier Field video board and on on video monitors in the entranceway; signage on bars at the event; 12 event tickets; free underground stadium parking for up to six vehicles; social media, written and verbal recognition at the event, and a full-page ad in the program ad book.


• Presenting Sponsor - $15,000
  Includes exclusive screen recognition on the Soldier Field video board and on video monitors in the entranceway; speaking opportunity during the program; 20 event tickets; free underground stadium parking for up to 10 vehicles; personalized giveaway; social media, written and verbal recognition at the event; logo on the cover of the program ad book and a full-page ad within.

Even the casual reader will have noticed several references to a program ad book. Program organizers are selling quarter-page ads for $150, half-page ads for $350, and full page 5" x 8" ads for $750. Ads do not include event tickets.

Registration for veterans, reservists, and active servicemembers; event tickets; sponsorships; and ad book ads are all available at this link.

Ticket sales for PRBA's 30th Anniversary Gala close tomorrow, May 10

The Puerto Rican Bar Association's 30th Anniversary Gala will be held Saturday, May 18, from 6:00 p.m. to midnight, at the Fountain Blue, 2300 Mannheim Road, Des Plaines.

All the information you may require about this event is reproduced in the 2-page flyer, below. The key piece of date, per the PRBA's Instagram page, is that ticket sales close tomorrow, May 10. For tickets, click here.