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The Cook County Circuit Court elected 9 new associate judges, all of whom were found qualified or well qualified by our affiliate, Chicago Council of Lawyers. Associate judges have the same authority as all other circuit court judges, although their salary is slightly lower. Associate Judges are elected by 272 circuit court judges (associate judges do not vote). The 9 were elected based upon a slate of 18, developed by a nominating committee headed up by the Chief Judge of the Circuit Court.

Earlier this month the Daily Herald reported that 18 nominees were selected from 232 applicants, and that 9 new associate judges were to be elected, despite Cook County’s falling caseloads. The article also noted that Illinois circuit judges are the highest paid in the nation, at a salary of $178,835 per year. Associate judges receive $169,893 per year.

Interestingly, three of the judges elected were sitting judges who lost in this year’s general primary election. Stanley Hill lost to Karen Lynn O’Malley in General Cook County Circuit Court Primary, Nicholas Geanopoulos Lost in 8th Subcircuit Primary to Judge Gubin, and Mary Trew lost in 9th Subcircuit to Larry Axelrood.

The “For What It’s Worth Blog” summarizes the remaining six Associate Judges:

“The other six new Associate Judges include Assistant State’s Attorney Joseph M. Cataldo, Assistant Public Defender Lana C. Johnson, and Assistant Attorney General Richard D. Schwind. (Schwind had been a finalist for Associate Judge in 2009.)”

The list of new Associate Judges is below. The list includes evaluations by our affiliate public interest bar association, Chicago Council of Lawyers.

 

Joseph M. Cataldo – Qualified (Evaluated for Associate Judge in 2004)

Joseph M. Cataldo has been an Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney since his admission to practice in 1992.  He currently serves in the Criminal Division, Felony Trials, but also spent two years in the State’s Attorney’s civil litigation division.  Mr. Cataldo is considered to have good legal ability and is widely praised for his temperament.  The Council finds him Qualified.

Stanley Hill – Qualified

Stanley Hill is widely reported to be a knowledgeable and tenacious lawyer, although the Council’s current investigation turned up an issue that warrants special mention.  In 1994, Mr. Hill was held in contempt by Judge James B. Zagel for professional misconduct, a ruling that was upheld by the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.  In reported opinions, the district judge found, and the appellate court agreed, that Mr. Hill acted at trial with the specific intent to prejudice a fair and impartial proceeding by refusing to abide by the rulings of the court.  Nevertheless, the balance of the Council’s investigation leads it to conclude that the passage of time and sufficient seasoning likely have tempered the approach to litigation reflected in those judicial opinions.

Based on the totality of its investigation, therefore, the Council finds Mr. Hill Qualified for the Circuit Court.

Nicholas Geanopoulos – Qualified (Evaluated to fill a vacancy in 2006)

Nicholas Geanopoulos has practice law since 1983.  He has been an associate with the Vrdolyak Law Group since 1992.  From 1983 to 1992, he was an Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney.  Mr. Geanopoulos is a solid practitioner with good legal ability and substantial trial experience.  He has a good temperament.  The Council finds him Qualified to fill a vacancy.

Lana C. Johnson – Qualified

Lana C Johnson was admitted in 1988. She is an Assistant Public Defender in the Homicide Task Force. She has been in the office her entire career. As lead counsel she reports taking 65 criminal trials to a jury verdict and 100 criminal trials to a bench verdict. Ms. Johnson is reported to have good legal ability and is a widely respected criminal defense lawyer handling homicide cases.  She has good temperament.  The Council finds her Qualified for the Circuit Court.

Michael Kane – Well Qualified

Michael Kane was admitted to practice in 1974. He served as an Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney from 1974 to 1980.  He has been in private practice doing civil litigation since 1980.  He reports acting as lead counsel in 35 civil and 45 criminal jury trials and 10 civil and 175 criminal bench trials.  Mr. Kane is considered to have very good legal ability with experience in complex civil and criminal law matters.  He is praised as being knowledgeable, as being always well-prepared, and as being a person of strong character and integrity.  He does a substantial amount of pro bono work.  The Council finds him Well Qualified for the Circuit Court.

Richard D. Schwind – Well Qualified (Evaluated for Associate Judge in 2002)

Richard D. Schwind was admitted to practice in 1978.  He has served in the Illinois Attorney General’s Office since 1985 and currently holds the position of Chief of the Criminal Prosecutions and Trials Assistance Bureau.  From 1978 until 1985, he was an Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney.  He is a chair-qualified Cook County Arbitrator.

Mr. Schwind is considered to have very good legal ability.  He is well regarded as a zealous but fair prosecutor with extensive trial experience, including experience in death penalty cases.  The Council finds Mr. Schwind Well Qualified to serve in Circuit Court.

Mary S. Trew – Qualified (Evaluated for Associate Judge in 2002; she was appointed to the bench in November 2010)

Mary S. Trew was admitted to practice law in Michigan in 1981 and in Illinois in 1991.  She was appointed to the bench by the Illinois Supreme Court in November 2010.  Before taking the bench she had been with Pro Bono Advocates first as a supervising attorney and currently as the Executive Director.  Before 1991, Ms. Trew practiced in Detroit.  For one year, she was the supervising staff attorney at the Women’s Justice Center.  From 1982 to 1989, she was in private practice doing primarily criminal defense work.  From 1980 to 1981, she was at the Misdemeanor Defender Office, first as a student and later as a lawyer.  Ms. Trew is a 1981 graduate of the Detroit College of Law at Michigan State University.

As a lawyer, Ms. Trew was considered to have good legal ability and temperament.  She had a variety of litigation experience in both civil and criminal law matters.  She is dedicated to public service and had a reputation as a hard-working and extremely well-prepared lawyer.  The Council finds Ms. Trew Qualified to serve in the Circuit Court.

Steven M. Wagner – Well Qualified (Evaluated in 2004)

Steven M. Wagner has been practicing law since 1979.  Mr. Wagner served as an Assistant Cook County Public Defender for 15 years following his admission to the bar, but entered private practice in 1994.  As a public defender, Mr. Wagner served as a supervisor with the Murder Task Force, and acquired substantial bench and jury experience in significant and sophisticated matters.  Mr. Wagner is reported to have very good legal ability and temperament, and enjoys an excellent reputation as an outstanding attorney with a notably professional demeanor.  The Council finds him Well Qualified.

Allen P. Walker – Qualified

Allen P. Walker was admitted to practice in 1987. He is a partner at Greene and Letts and before that was a senior associate in the litigation department at Greene and Letts (1994-1998). He serves on the board of directors of the Public Interest Law Initiative.  He reports being lead counsel in 4 trials that have gone to a jury verdict and 25 that have gone to a bench verdict. Mr. Walker has a litigation practice that included personal injury matters, medical malpractice and product liability defense, and commercial litigation.  He also has an active transactional practice.  He is praised for his community service work.  As a lawyer, he is reported to have good legal ability.  He is considered to be well-prepared and has a professional demeanor.  The Council finds him Qualified for the Circuit Court.