SPRINGFIELD – More than 75 of Illinois’ 33,000 judges have been appointed to a number of Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) committees and councils.
As current president of the ISBA, retired Cook County Judge Russ Hartigan made the appointments to the various committees and councils that each deal with a specific area of law.
“The judges serving on ISBA committees provide their expertise and experience towards helping the legal system by participating in teaching continuing legal education to lawyers and judges throughout the state, writing articles, and helping to draft legislation,” John Coady, president of the Illinois Judges Association, is quoted as saying in the Judges Association’s press release about the appointments.
The ISBA maintains more than 25 standing committees alongside 10 special committees. According to the press release, “These committees range from emphasizing diversity and promoting the delivery of legal services to those with low incomes through committees on different legal topics such as real estate and insurance law and one dedicated to providing law-related education to the public.”
Judges active in the ISBA come from all levels and parts of the state. Some that are not assigned to councils and committees are elected to serve on the ISBA Assembly or the Board of Governors, the latter of which is the ISBA’s main governing body, while the former is responsible for developing the Association’s policies.
Judges currently serving on the Board include Cook County Judge Kenneth Wright, Marion County Judge Carey Gill, and Rockford Judge Elizabeth Rochford. Judges elected to serve on the Assembly include Cook County Judges Patrice Ball-Reed, Edna Turkington-Vidtora, Jessica O’Brien and Dennis Burke.
Among the councils to which judges were recently appointed is the Bench and Bar Section Council. Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Lloyd Karmeier has long served on this council, while others include retired Judge Fred Foreman, Judge Brian McKillip of Wheaton, Judge Richard Tognarelli of Madison County, Appellate Justice Richard Goldenhersh of the Fifth District Appellate Court, Justice Michael Hyman of Cook County, and Justice Ann Jorgensen of DuPage County.
Goldenhersh will also sit on the Civil Practice and Procedure Section Council, alongside Rockford Judge Gene Doherty, Cook County Judge Leonard Murray, and Madison County Circuit Court Judge Barb Crowder. Meanwhile, Cook County Judges Grace Dickler and Andrea Schliefer, Kane County Judge Kevin Busch, and Madison County Judge Martin Mengarelli will sit on the Family Law Section Council.