Admitted to Illinois Bar: 1980 COURT: Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois LEGAL EXPERIENCE: Corporation Counsel, Village of Skokie, July 1987 to November 2002 Assistant Corporation Counsel, Village of Skokie, January 1980 to July 1987 JUDICIAL EXPERIENCE: I was elected to the Circuit Court of Cook County, 9th Judicial Subcircuit in 2002. After two months in Traffic Court, in February 2003, I was assigned to the Domestic Relations Division. From February 2003 to February 2005 I was the only judge presiding over the Domestic Violence call for Civil Orders of Protection hearing in excess of 5,000 cases each year. In February 2005 my assignment was changed to my current assignment as a Trial Judge in the Domestic Relations Division. RATINGS: (as of 10/10/08) Found “Qualified” or “Recommended” 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, Illinois State Bar Association, Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago, Puerto Rican Bar Association of Illinois, Women’s Bar Association of Illinois, and Suburban Bar Coalition HONORS AND AWARDS: Recipient of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Drive Wise Stay Alive award, 2002; Recipient of the United Way Volunteer Leadership Award, 1996; Innovative Management in Municipal Government, Honorable Mention Award for Skokie's Scofflaw Program, 1987 PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS CURRENT: Decalogue Society of Lawyers (Past President); Chicago Bar Association; Women's Bar Association; Northwest Suburban Bar Association; North Suburban Bar Association; Illinois Judges Association; Jewish Judges Association of Illinois; and National Organization of Women Judges. PREVIOUS: Illinois Municipal League, Home Rule Attorneys' Committee; Subcommittee on Construction Standards on Public Right-of-Way and Infrastructure Maintenance Fee; National Institute of Municipal Law Officers; Northwest Municipal Conference, Attorneys' Committee (Chair); Community Safety Initiatives, State of Illinois, Circuit Court of Cook County, 2nd Municipal District, Chicago Traffic Center, Buckle-up Poster Contest; and 2nd Municipal District Family Violence Council. PAPERS, PUBLICATIONS AND SEMINARS Speaker, CBA, Matrimonial Law Committee, 2002 Speaker, Municipal Law Seminar, Ancel, Glink Consulting, 2004 Speaker,Government/Political Science Class-OCC, 2004, 2005 & 2008 Speaker, Niles Township High School, Various Classes, 2005 Speaker, DePaul College of Law, Domestic Violence and Law Class, 2005 Speaker, Family Law Class, DePaul College of Law, 205 Speaker, Municipal Clerks’ Association, 2006 Speaker, Judicial Training, Domestic Violence, Domestic Relations Division, 2006 Speaker, Divorce University, Lilac Tree: Resources for Divorcing Women, 2007 Panelist, What Family Court Judges Want You to Know About Domestic Relations Court, National Business Institute Organizer and Presenter, Village of Skokie, Youth Outreach Program, 2002 Presenter, New Partnerships for Juvenile Justice, Youth Outreach Presentation, Matteson, Illinois, sponsored by Cook County States Attorney & Child Care Association of Illinois; July 2001 Panelist, Buying & Selling Real Estate, North Suburban Bar Association, People’s Law School Mini Series; October 2001 Speaker, Teen & The Law Program, Niles North High School PTSA, Skokie, Illinois; 2000 Court Diversion: A New Alternative for Youthful Offenders, Illinois Network to Organize the Understanding of Community Health; April 2000 Presenter, Youth Outreach Program, Judicial Advisory Council Symposium, Local Law Enforcement Block Grant, Balanced Approach to Drug and Gang Elimination; September 1999 Infrastructure Maintenance Fee Legislation, Illinois Municipal League, Annual Conference, Chicago, Illinois, Infrastructure Maintenance Fee Legislation; September 1998 EDUCATION: Doctor of Jurisprudence, Drake University Law School, Des Moines, Iowa; December, 1979 Litigation and Legal Research Certification, Roosevelt University, Chicago, Illinois, 1976 B.A. Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, Illinois, Majors: Political Science and Sociology, Graduated with honors; December 1973 COMMUNITY SERVICE: Current Chair, Public Arts Committee, Village Of Skokie Member, Women’s Board Rush North Shore Medical Center Speaker, Colon Cancer Awareness Lifetime Member, Hadassah All America City Competition, Village of Skokie Representative, 2002 United Way of Skokie Valley, Board Member, 1990 to 2002 Member, Alliance of Latinos and Jews, 2002 to present |