Judge Clare Elizabeth McWilliams

Bar Ratings:  Judge McWilliams has been found recommended or qualified, previously and / or presently by the
following Bar Associations: Chicago Bar Association, Asian American Bar Association, Black Women Lawyers’
Association of Greater Chicago, Chicago Council of Lawyers, Cook County Bar Association, Decalogue Society of
Lawyers, Hellenic Bar Association of Illinois, Illinois State Bar Association, Puerto Rican Bar Association of Illinois, and
Women’s Bar Association of Illinois.

Professional Experience:  Civil & Tort Law, Family Law, Personal Injury, Contracts, Criminal, Probate and Estate, Real
Estate, Chancery.  As an attorney in private practice, my trial experience includes over twenty jury verdicts in criminal
and civil cases in state and federal court; over 100 bench trials; hundreds of motions and petitions; the participation in
several appeals including oral argument.
       
Judicial Experience:  Judge of Circuit Court of Cook County for almost six years; Criminal Misdemeanor and Felony
Division; Floater for several divisions in Municipal District One and Two; currently assigned to Law Division/ Jury Trials
presiding over personal injury tort and complex litigation jury trials.

Education:   Bachelor Criminal Justice / Political Science Major Eastern Illinois University, 1983
Juris Doctor John Marshall Law School, 1988

Presentations Etc.:   Presenter;  Continuing Legal Education Seminar on Child Custody / Visitation Issues thru
Northwest Suburban Bar Association, 2003
Participant and scholarship recipient in International Judicial Academy Richard May Seminar, The Hague, 2007
Participant in multiple Mock Trials as Trial Judge in Law School and High School Education Levels 2004 to Present;
      
2007 – Hinshaw & Culbertson; Panelist; Law Division Judge – What to Expect When Handling Trial in the Law Division
2009- April – National Business Institute, Civil Judicial Forum:  Practice Tips, Evidence and Expert Testimony (my
specific subject was technology in the courtroom)
2009 -  January – CLE Motion Practice, CBA Presenter; Motions in Limine; Post Trial Practice.
2009 -  April, John Marshall Law School, Presenter, Irish Ways and Irish Law
2009 – 2010  Illinois Judges Association “Seven Reasons to Leave the Party” Presenter on multiple occasions (4-7) to
Chicago Area High School and Jr. High Schools – program emphasizing danger of alcohol and drugs from a judicial
perspective.

Memberships:    Illinois State Bar Association, Chicago Bar Association, Northwest Suburban Bar Association, Illinois
Judges Association

Birth Place:   New York, New York

Hobbies:   Reading, travel

Personal:  Married with three daughters