U.S. Representive, 8th District

Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi is dedicated to making better the lives of the people in the 8th Congressional District who live in Chicago’s west and northwest suburbs.

Raja was first elected to Congress in November 8, 2016. He is working tirelessly every day to combat the coronavirus and rebuild our economy as he seeks re-election.

Raja is the Ranking Member of the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party. He also serves as a senior member of the House Intelligence Committee and the House Oversight Committee.

Raja is Co-chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Immigration Task Force, a co-founder of the Congressional Solar Caucus, and vice-chair of the LGBT Equality Caucus.

If afforded another term in Congress, Raja will work to build on his record of standing up for our nation’s middle-class families — and all those aspiring to make it to the middle class.

To learn more or get involved: https://rajaforcongress.com/

Illinois Supreme Court

Joy V. Cunningham received her law degree from University of Illinois Chicago, John Marshall Law School. She has had a very diverse legal career, including serving as senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary for the Northwestern Memorial Healthcare System; Cook County Circuit Court Judge; Assistant Illinois Attorney General; Civil Litigator; Associate General Counsel of Loyola University; and first black woman President of the Chicago Bar Association, the nation’s largest municipal bar association. She was elected to the Illinois Appellate Court in 2006 and has served as chair of the Executive Committee as well as co-chair of the Diversity Committee of the Appellate Court for the First Judicial District.

Justice Cunningham is active in judicial education and mentorship. She serves on a variety of not-forprofit boards and has been involved with organizations which educate and foster civic knowledge within the community at large. In December 2022, the Illinois Supreme Court selected Justice Cunningham to suceed retiring Illinois Supreme Court Justice Anne M. Burke. Justice Cunningham has served at all levels of the judiciary in the State of Illinois.

To learn more or get involved: https://ww.joyforjustice.com

Illinois Appellate Court

Justice Mikva has successfully run countywide for retention in 2010, 2016 and 2022. She received positive bar ratings each time she ran from all bar associations. These included a rating of “Well Qualified” by the Chicago Council of Lawyers and “Highly Recommended” by the Suburban Bar Association in 2022. Throughout her judicial career Justice Mikva has been active in judicial education.

Justice Mikva is part of the Access to Justice Remote Access Committee of the Illinois Supreme Court. She has been active in the Illinois Judges Association. She has judged numerous moot court and trial competitions for Chicago’s law schools and for the ABA and for the ISBA High School Mock Trial Competition. She remains involved with the Mikva Challenge, an organization that was started in honor of her parents and whose mission is to develop youth to be empowered, informed and active citizens.

To learn more or get involved: https://marylanemikva.com/

Illinois Appellate Court

Justice Cobbs currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the Illinois Judges Association and is co-chair of the Association’s Pro Bono Committee. She also serves on the Board of Directors for South Suburban PADS, a not-for-profit organization delivering shelter and rehabilitative services to the southland’s homeless population. She previously served on the Supreme Court’s Judicial College Board, Lawyers Lend A Hand to Youth and various Supreme Court Committees, including the Rules Committee, Civil Jury Instructions, Judicial Performance and Evaluation and, Juvenile Justice. She is a past president of the Illinois Judicial Council, in which she holds a membership, in addition to the Cook County Bar Association, and the Black Women’s Bar Association.

She is the recipient of numerous awards and commendations, including, the Illinois Judges Association Civitatis Award; Supreme Court Judicial College Commendation; Cook County Bar Association Trailblazer Award; Cook County State’s Attorney CF Stradford Award, Chicago-Kent Ida Platt Award; National Bar Association Heman Sweatt Award; Omega Psi Phi Judicial Excellence Award; Chicago Bar Association Earl Burris Dickerson Award; Cook County Bar Association Kenneth E. Wilson Award; Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Crescent Moon Award; Chicago-Kent Alumni Association Recognition Award, and The Standish Willis Award.

Justice Cobbs received her B.A. in sociology from Morgan State University, Baltimore, Maryland; a Master’s Degree in clinical Social Work from the University of Maryland; and, her law degree from IIT-Chicago-Kent College of Law.

To learn more or get involved: https://www.justicecobbs.com

Illinois Appellate Court

Judge Gamrath has been a leader in various organizations, including a Board member of the Appellate Lawyers Association, a Vice President of the John Marshall (now UIC) Law School, Secretary of the Chicago Bar Foundation, President of the Justinian Society of Lawyers, Chair of the Illinois State Bar Association Women and Law Committee, and Co-Chair of the Chicago Bar Association Alliance for Women. As Co-Chair of the Alliance, Judge Gamrath helped co-found the Women Everywhere Partners in Service Project, which has improved the lives of thousands of women and impacts dozens of organizations and communities each year.

Over the course of her 29-year career, Judge Gamrath has received several awards for excellence and leadership, such as the Illinois Bar Foundation Distinguished Service to Law & Society Award, the Chicago Bar Association Alta May Hulett Award, a Distinguished Service Award from her law school, and Forty Under 40 recognition by the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin. Judge Gamrath has been married for 30 years to Rob Gamrath, a lawyer who is also in public service. She and Rob are proud parents of one daughter, an Air Force Cadet. They live downtown and are Chicago fans tried and true.

To learn more or get involved: https://www.judgegamrath.com

Illinois Appellate Court

Justice Walker has been admitted into the Distinguished Service Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. because of his extraordinary service to the fraternity and the community at large. His community service includes preparing eighth-grade students to pass the Algebra Exit Exam, tutor for the Upward Bound Program, a Junior Achievement volunteer, coordinator of the Positive Force Youth Foundation mentor program, coach of AAU and biddy basketball, Local School Council member, the Rainbow Push Coalition, 16th Ward Task Force, an advisor to the First Offenders Program of the Englewood community, along with many other community activities. He is a past president of the Illinois Judicial Council and board member of the Illinois Judges Association. Justice Walker previously served as a board member and treasurer of the Cook County Bar Association.

Justice Walker has been extremely active in the judiciary by serving as a member of the Illinois Judicial Conference, Liaison to the Commission on Professionalism, Committee on Judicial Education, Chairperson of Professional Responsibility Education Track, Diversity & Inclusion Workgroup, Committee on Pattern Jury Instruction-Criminal, Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee, Legislative Committee, Judicial Ethics Committee, Juvenile Courts Committee, Disparate Impact Workgroup, Appellate Court Rules Committee, and Commission on Elder Law. Justice Walker has also served as a faculty member of the Illinois Judicial College since 2010. He has lectured for the Judicial Council of the National Bar Association and served as a panelist for the Joint Federal/State Judicial Conference.

To learn more or get involved: https://www.justicecarlwalker.com

State Senator, 28th District

Murphy has over two decades of experience in health care and social services management. As a member of the Illinois Liquor Control Commission, she worked to educate youth on alcohol and tobacco prevention.

Murphy was appointed to the Illinois State Senate in 2015 to represent the 28th Senate District. That district neighbors O’Hare International Airport and includes all or parts of Arlington Heights, Des Plaines, Elk Grove Village, Hanover Park, Hoffman Estates, Mount Prospect, Park Ridge, Rolling Meadows, Roselle and Schaumburg.

In 2020, she was appointed Deputy Majority Leader of the Senate. Then, in 2023, she was appointed Assistant Majority Leader. Murphy also serves as chair of the Committee on Executive Appointments, and as a member of the Committees on Appropriations, Assignments, Executive, Higher Education, Labor, Local Government, Public Health and Transportation.

To learn more or get involved: https://lauramurphyforillinois.com/

State Senator, 22nd District

With her marketing and communications management background, Castro has held positions in both the public and private sector. In 2015, she decided to run for the Illinois State Senate with the intention of using her professional background, life experiences and compassion to represent the interests and concerns of the people of the 22nd District.

In her role as a state senator, she has stood up for working families and is never afraid to ask the tough questions. She has reached across the aisle on the issues that matter most to the people in her district and works in a bipartisan fashion to help solve problems to move Illinois in the right direction.

She is a member of the Latino Caucus and is Chairperson of the Executive Committee. She also serves on the Commerce, Energy and Public Utilities, Healthcare Access and Availability, Insurance, and Labor Committees.

To learn more or get involved: https://castroforstatesenate.org/

State Representative, 56th District

Mussman went to Springfield knowing that it would take time and hard work to address the many challenges ahead. Mussman has taken tough votes to stabilize our state finances, restrain property tax growth, and help grow quality job opportunities for residents of all ages and skill levels. She has voted to protect funding for vital services for seniors, children with disabilities, and veterans.

Mussman knows that her mission to improve our state is far from done. Her legislative priorities for the future include attracting new businesses to the area, making the state friendlier to job-creating companies, fostering transparency and accountability in state government, and strengthening education to care for the whole child and help them grow into self-sufficient global citizens. Mussman will also focus on funding for care programs that help senior citizens retain independence living in their own homes, make our communities inclusive of people of all abilities, provide support for families, ensure that returning veterans get the care they deserve, and promote environmental policies that move us, and our future generations, into a more sustainable, healthier future.

To learn more or get involved: https://www.votemichelle.org/

State Representative, 44th District

Illinois State Representative Fred Crespo, a Democrat from Hoffman Estates, serves as a full-time legislator representing the residents of the 44th district since 2006. Crespo serves as chair of the House Appropriations Committee for General Services. He is also a member of the Elementary and Secondary School Curriculum Policies Committee, Elementary & Secondary Education: Administration, Licensing & Charter School Committee and the Public Utilities Committee.

Committed to fostering a transparent and fiscally responsible State government, State Representative Crespo introduced and passed legislation to end legislative scholarships and to create The Grant Transparency and Accountability Act. Crespo also served on a task force that created Performance Based Funding for Higher Education.

To learn more or get involved: https://fredcrespo.com/

Cook County Clerk of the Circuit Court

Elected to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Board of Commissioners in 2010, Mariyana served as Board President from 2015-19. As president, she embraced green infrastructure and oversaw the disinfection of Chicago’s waterways – a project that directly benefited the region and created jobs.

Mariyana also maintained the MWRD’s AAA bond rating and pushed for transparency by introducing independent oversight of the District and live-streaming board meetings. Her hard work was recognized in 2017 when she received the Illinois Water Environment Association Public Official Award and again in 2021 when she received the Public Service Award from the Water Environment Federation.

A former Assistant State’s Attorney, Mariyana earned her law degree at UIC Law and her MBA from Loyola University Chicago.

Mariyana’s experience as an attorney makes her the best candidate to lead the office of Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County at a pivotal time. For years, the Clerk’s office has failed to modernize and operate in a transparent manner. Mariyana is running to improve the use of technology in the office, bring the courts to the communities to increase access to justice, and make the office more transparent and ethical.

Mariyana is a member of the Chicago Sierra Club, Hellenic Bar Association, Women’s Bar Association and Sankofa House Board.

To learn more or get involved: https://www.citizensformariyana.com

Cook County State’s Attorney

Clayton Harris III is a lifelong Democrat who is running for Cook County State’s Attorney to make sure every Cook County family feels safe, no matter what community they live in.

As a Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney in the Criminal Appeals, Traffic, Narcotics and Special Prosecutions divisions under former State’s Attorney Richard Devine, Clayton fought to hold violent offenders accountable and stand up for the needs of victims.

Clayton then joined the City of Chicago’s Intergovernmental Affairs team, advocating for public safety resources in Springfield, before becoming Counsel at the Chicago Department of Transportation.

To learn more or get involved: https://www.claytonharrisforcook.com

Cook County Board of Review, 3rd District

Commissioner Rogers was first elected in 2004 in his first run for public office, by citizens from the south and west sides of Cook County who were tired of “politics as usual” and wanted a Commissioner who would provide them honest, ethical and transparent government. Since his election, Commissioner Rogers has infused new and fresh ideas into the Board of Review’s appeals process. As Board of Review Commissioner, Mr. Rogers has taken County government to the community, where it belongs: in the communities it is meant to serve. Citizens appealing their property taxes before the Cook County Board of Review can trust that their claims will be reviewed in a fair, unbiased and just fashion; that they will have the opportunity to make their case for the reductions that they are entitled to receive. Some of his accomplishments while in office include:

– instituting a “Faith-based Outreach” initiative where citizens can file appeals after service and avoid trips downtown;
– implementing a “Digital Appeals Processing System” or “DAPS” system which provides for the on-line filing and processing of appeals, ridding the office of the archaic and inefficient paper-intensive system process used for decades;
– processing record numbers of appeals in less time and with less staff than previous administrations; and
– heard more appeals and certified decisions more efficiently than ever before despite record filings since being elected in 2004 ensuring timely tax bills

To learn more or get involved: https://www.larryrogersjr.com

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commissioner, 6-year term

Kari K. Steele was elected November 6, 2012, to her first term as Commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) and re-elected in 2018 for a second term. In January 2019, she became the first African American woman in the more than 130-year history of the MWRD to be elected by the Board of Commissioners to serve as President. She is currently serving her third term as President of the Board of Commissioners.

President Steele serves as Chairman for the Affirmative Action and Maintenance & Operations committees. She is Vice Chairman of the Federal Legislation; Pension, Human Resources & Civil Service; and Industrial Waste & Water Pollution committees. She also currently serves as a board member on the Public Building Commission of Chicago and trustee of the MWRD Retirement Fund.

President Steele is a chemist, environmentalist, licensed real estate broker, and a community leader. She has more than 11 years of experience working as a chemist. She started her career at MWRD as a water sampler and lab technician intern. She has also worked as a water chemist for the City of Chicago Department of Water Management’s Jardine Water Purification Plant.

President Steele is uniquely qualified to discuss and analyze proposed operational changes and operational efficiencies. She is the first and only chemist serving on the MWRD Board of Commissioners. President Steele is featured in Crain’s Chicago Business 2023 Notable Women in STEM edition.

To learn more or get involved: https://www.commissionerkaristeele.com/

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commissioner, 6-year term

Commissioner and Chairman of Finance, Marcelino Garcia, of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) is an attorney with expertise in local and international governments, healthcare, and community affairs. He is a public servant who has spent years helping people address their legal difficulties through his public interest law work. He also works arduously to bring resources to communities to ensure their economic and health development.

At the MWRD, Marcelino has thoughtfully and energetically set course several initiatives that advance equity in the water space in particular through business participation. In July 2019, Marcelino led the passing of the LGBT/Peoples with Disabilities policy to increase the number of companies within the diversity program and ensure that Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion are prime components of MWRD’s programs and contracting opportunities. During the pandemic, Marcelino hosted virtual business roundtables, helping advance MWRD’s efforts to create opportunities for small business owners. In 2020, Marcelino served as Co-Chair of the Strategic Plan’s Steering Committee, helping develop for the first time an equity- and resiliency-focused Strategic Plan.

His expertise in procurement spans 20 years, collaborating with partner agencies to ensure best practices. Marcelino has worked with management and budgets at the State of Illinois to ensure that entities run properly and ensure equal participation. Marcelino is also Director of Community Affairs for Cook County Health, the nation’s third largest public health system. His work also focuses on ensuring that Chicago and Cook County are recognized as a true international city with the many different business and cultural attributes that the city and region have to offer. Marcelino has many years of international business development experience having worked as Senior Manager of International Relations for Chicago 2016 the Olympic Candidacy Committee and as Assistant Managing Director of the Illinois Office of Trade and Investment (OTI) where he worked with Illinois companies looking to export to new markets in the Americas, Africa, and the Middle East.

To learn more or get involved: https://www.marcelinogarcia.org

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commissioner, 6-year term

MWRD Commissioner Daniel “Pogo” Pogorzelski’s long career in public service connects Chicago’s robust tradition of civic activism, economic development, environmental action, empowering the arts, and community organizing. Since being sworn just over a year ago, Commissioner Pogorzelski has made it a priority to connect with all 77 Community Areas in the City of Chicago as well as the 125 other municipalities the district serves. Commissioner Pogorzelski also takes pride in his work to secure additional funding for the district to expand their work in helping deal with flooding issues caused by climate change.

The son of immigrants, Commissioner Pogorzelski’s passion to link people with resources, especially with communities for whom English is a second language, has been a constant in his wide-ranging record of volunteerism.

As the former executive director of the local chamber of commerce in the Chicago neighborhood of Avondale, Pogorzelski worked to not only utilize the arts as an economic engine to assist local business, he helped foster a local movement by residents to beautify the neighborhood. During his tenure as chamber ED, Avondale became part of the city’s neighborhood tour program run by the Chicago Office of Tourism and Culture, helping to generate revenue for local mom-and-pop business owners. Partnering with organizations such as the Northwest Arts Connection and Arts Alive Chicago, festivals such as the Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival, the Avondale Restaurant Crawl, as well as A Day in Avondale, brought media attention to the area’s cultural revival. The capstone of this effort was the successful creation of a community space which doubles as a piece of green infrastructure to capture rainwater. Pogorzelski’s moniker as the “unofficial Mayor of Avondale” is a nickname he holds exceptional pride in.

To learn more or get involved: https://www.gopogomwrd.com

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commissioner, 2-year term

Precious Brady-Davis was appointed to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District by Governor Pritzker in 2023 and is the first openly Black Trans Woman appointed to public office in Cook County history and the first to serve on a water reclamation district in the US.

Commissioner Brady-Davis is a lifelong social justice advocate, communications professional, environmentalist, author of the memoir “I Have Always Been Me” and cares passionately about reaching the marginalized through her extensive career in nonprofit management and public speaking.

For the past six years she has served as the Associate Regional Communications Director at Sierra Club leading campaigns that champion renewable energy, hold corporate polluters accountable, and fight climate change. She counts fighting​​ to protect the water supply in Oklahoma from pollutants, Minneapolis committing to transitioning to run on 100% renewable energy by the end of 2023 along with holding Former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt accountable during the Trump years as solid victories for the environment under her leadership.

To learn more or get involved: https://www.preciousbradydavis.com

Mr. deCastro is a first-generation Cuban American. He grew up in a Spanish-Speaking household. Spanish was his first language, and much of his work as a lawyer has been for non-English speaking clients. His parents came to this country from Cuba when they were only 18 and 21 years old. They worked hard to put themselves through school, and they reached back to help other family members and their broader community. Mr. deCastro was raised to respect hard work, education, and the need to always keep an eye on what serves the public good.

From the beginning of his legal career, while still in law school, Mr. deCastro served on the board of the schools’ Public Interest Law Foundation and volunteered to represent immigrants detained in Louisianna penitentiaries. After law school he began his career at the Cook Conty Public Defender’s Office. For the past ten years he has dedicated most of his time to public defender work through the Federal Public Defender’s panel attorney program, and by volunteering to do pro-bono work for incarcerated individuals through a federal court program run by the Chicago Lawyer’s Committee For Civil Rights.

As an attorney Mr. deCastro has shown a dedication to the defense of due process, individual rights and access to justice. He looks forward to a career as a judge, where he hopes to ensure the protection of individual rights and equal access to the courts in a new role.

To learn more or get involved: https://www.decastroforjudge.com

Judge Corinne C. Heggie was appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court to serve as a Cook County Circuit Court Judge to fill the At-Large vacancy of the Honorable Vincent M. Gaughan. She is assigned to the traffic division where she has been presiding over a variety of court rooms since June 2023.

Judge Heggie brings 21 years of civil litigation with her to the bench. She practiced with a large national law firm, 8 years of which were as a partner. She practiced at the largest majority women owned firm in Chicago. Before Judge Heggie’s appointment, she was the owner of a suburban civil practice. This experience is why she was found qualified by all bar associations and Highly Qualified by the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois, The Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Greater Chicago, and the Hispanic Lawyers’ Association of Illinois.

Judge Heggie has been a contributor and leader in numerous legal and bar associations. She is a past president of the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois. She wrote a column for the Daily Herald, “Estates Made Easy,” and has presented on WGN Radio’s “Let’s Get Legal.” She focused her columns and radio presentations on educating people about how laws can help them. For instance, Judge Heggie discussed transfer of death deeds, the difference between a will and a trust, and the benefits of both wills and trusts. Judge Heggie is on the Dean’s Advisory Council for DePaul University College of Law and the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism’s Advisory Council on Bullying in the Legal Profession.

To learn more or get involved: https://www.corinneheggieforjudge.com

After attending law school at John Marshall, Judge Johnson began a career as a civil trial attorney, primarily representing nurses, physicians and health care facilities in cases alleging medical negligence. In addition to trying over 50 cases to civil jury verdict, Judge Johnson served her community through various organizations, including the Misericordia Womens’ Board, Mercy Home, and tutoring students in the Englewood area with Lawyers Lend a Hand.

Judge Johnson’s desire to do more for her community led her to make the decision to join the judiciary. She was appointed to the bench by Justice Joy V. Cunningham with unanimous approval of the entire Supreme Court of Illinois. Based on interviews with attorneys who worked alongside as well as against Judge Johnson, and an interview with Judge Johnson, every bar association found Judge Johnson to be qualified/recommended or highly qualified/highly recommended to serve as a judge. Judge Johnson currently sits in the First Municipal District where she hears civil matters under $50,000 and promotes judicial access for all litigants, including those who are self-represented. Judge Johnson will be running to maintain her position of Circuit Court Judge in the March 19, 2024 primaries.

To learn more or get involved: https://www.judgesarahjohnson.com

Judge Deidre M. Dyer was appointed to the bench on March 30, 2023. She is currently assigned to the First Municipal, Traffic Division. Prior to her appointment, she was Deputy Supervisor of Financial Crimes, Public Corruption, Money Laundering and both civil and criminal Consumer Fraud for the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. In 2020 the National Insurance Crime Bureau awarded her Prosecutor Partner of the year award. She was also chair of the Government and Insurance Fraud Work Group within the Cook County Regional Organized Crime Taskforce. Judge Dyer was previously an Illinois Assistant Attorney General in the Special Prosecutions Bureau and Supervising Regional Counsel for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Office of Legal Services. She is a graduate of DePaul University College of Law, and she has her B.A. from Illinois Wesleyan University, as well as a certificate of study from the University of Paris – la Sorbonne.

Judge Dyer is active in various local bar associations, including the Chicago Bar Association where she co-chairs the Wellbeing and Mindfulness Committee. She is a 2023 Cook County Bar Association Judicial Award Winner. Outside of her legal work activities and associations, she is an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Sorority, Inc. and a proud mother. She is fluent in French and enjoys sewing, jewelry design, digital art, swimming, and gardening.

To learn more or get involved: https://www.judgedeidredyer.com

Judge Arlene Y. Coleman Romeo was appointed by unanimous vote of the Illinois Supreme Court to the judicial vacancy of Retired Judge Marcia Maras on September 16, 2022. Currently, she is assigned to the First Municipal District where she presides over Small Claims, Consumer Debt and Non-Jury Trials.

Prior to her appointment, Judge Coleman Romeo was Principle in the law firm of A.Y. Coleman & Associates from 1996 until 2022. She was a Managing Member in the law firm of Coleman & Brown, LLC from 2007-2017. From 1987-1996, Coleman Romeo was a senior litigation associate with the law firm of Witwer, Poltrock & Giampietro where she practiced union-side Labor law representing members of the Chicago Teachers Union, Insurance defense, Employment & Probate law.

As a native Chicagoan, Judge Coleman Romeo attended Chicago Public Schools and graduated from Lindblom Technical High School. She attended Spelman College in Atlanta Georgia, graduating with honors. Coleman Romeo is a 1986 graduate of IIT/Chicago-Kent College of Law.

Judge Colman Romeo was admitted to the State of Illinois Supreme Court in May of 1987. Additionally, she is admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Northern and Central Districts of Illinois and the Seventh Circuit of Appeals.

To learn more or get involved: https://www.judgecolemanromeo.com

Judge Neil Cohen has been a Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County for 14 years. In September of 2022, the Illinois Supreme Court elevated him from Associate Judge to Full Circuit Court Judge.

Judge Cohen has been assigned to the General Division since 2011, where he presides over cases dealing with injunctions, business litigation, class actions, trusts, receiverships and administrative reviews.

Judge Cohen has been found qualified or recommended to serve as a judge by all bar associations.

Judge Cohen is a current member of several of the Illinois Supreme Court’s committees, including the Court’s Committee on Judicial Education, Advance Judicial Academy, New Judges Education Committee, Diversity and Inclusion Committee and is a member of the Court’s Historic Preservation Commission.

In the past, Judge Cohen has served as a member of the Illinois Supreme Court’s Executive Committee and Strategic Planning Committee.

In addition, Judge Cohen has taught criminal law and procedure and lectured on 4th Amendment issues as an Adjunct Professor at IIT Chicago-Kent School of Law.

To learn more or get involved: https://www.judgeneilcohen.com

Judge Edward Joseph Underhill is a longtime champion for equality who was appointed to the bench in 2023 by unanimous vote of the Illinois Supreme Court. He has a wide range of life and legal experience – and positive ratings from all bar associations which have evaluated him.

Judge Underhill grew up on the Southwest side of Chicago, the youngest of five. His father was a Marine in World War II, and then worked as a phone company lineman and a proud union member. Judge Underhill graduated from Bogan High School and put himself through college and law school at Northern Illinois University by holding down many part-time jobs. These included working as a reporter for the university newspaper, the county newspaper, and the Rockford newspaper.

Judge Underhill returned to Chicago upon graduating from law school, joining the Law Firm of Masuda Funai, a well-regarded firm that primarily represented the Japanese American community. Ed began his practice as a civil litigator working in the state and federal courts of northern Illinois. His practice included probate, civil litigation, limited criminal defense, and business disputes. Judge Underhill became an expert in the area of contract and commercial law, and wrote articles on important legal issues for the Illinois Bar Journal.

Judge Underhill tried bench and jury trials throughout the United States over his 30+ years of practicing law. Ed was admitted to the prestigious federal trial bar and to practice before the US Supreme Court.

Judge Underhill was and continues to be an active leader in the LGBTQ+ community. Before Illinois law recognized LGBTQ+ rights and gay marriage, Judge Underhill regularly advised gay individuals and couples on protecting their legal rights, especially in the estate-planning area. Ed has been a long-standing member of the Illinois State Treasurer’s Advisory Council representing the LGBTQ+ community. He has also served on important service committees of the Chicago Bar Association and LAGBAC, the bar association representing Chicagoland’s gay community.

To learn more or get involved: https://www.judgeunderhill.com

Judge Debjani Desai is the proud daughter of immigrants and a first generation lawyer. She was taught the spirit of service and hard work from her family and made the decision early on to devote her entire career to public service. She has proudly and compassionately served the underserved and underprivileged her entire career. When practicing as a lawyer, she zealously advocated for victims, elderly, indigent, disabled, and vulnerable individuals. Now, as a judge, she strives for equal justice for all, and ensures that anyone that comes into her courtroom gets a fair shot.

Judge Desai was appointed as a Cook County Judge upon the recommendation of Chief Justice Mary Jane Theis and by unanimous vote of the Illinois Supreme Court. She has been found Highly Qualified by the Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois, Well-Qualified by the Chicago Council of Lawyers, and Qualified and Recommended by all other evaluating bar associations.

Judge Desai previously served as General Counsel for the Illinois Office of Comptroller, where she provided legal counsel on state comptroller mandates, such as ordering payments through the treasury, managing the state’s fiscal accounts, and conducting audits and reports on the state’s fiscal health.

To learn more or get involved: https://www.judgedesai.com

Jennifer Callahan has been an attorney for over 17 years and has experience in criminal, civil, and transactional law, including serving as an Administrative Law Judge. She has litigated motions, bench and jury trials in court rooms throughout Cook County.

Some of Jennifer’s most meaningful work as an attorney has been in the specialty courts, including mental health, veteran’s and drug treatment courts. This work gave her the opportunity to help provide people with real solutions to rebuild their lives.

She has been found Qualified or Recommended by all of the reviewing bar associations

Jennifer grew up in Worth Township and now lives on the city’s northwest side with her husband, a military reservist, and 5 daughters. She is an active member of her ward organization and parish community. Jennifer particularly enjoys volunteering as a youth sports coach for her daughters’ teams.

To learn more or get involved: https://www.callahanforjudge.com

Judge James Murphy-Aguilú was unanimously appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court and sworn in by Supreme Court Justice Joy Cunningham. Judge Murphy-Aguilú was well regarded for the diversity of his legal practice. Judge Murphy-Aguilú spent most of his legal career litigating criminal and civil rights cases in both state and federal court. Judge Murphy-Aguilú transitioned into government oversight first reviewing incidents of police misconduct including use of force, officer involved shootings and in custody deaths with the Civilian Office of Police Accountability. Judge Murphy-Aguilú served as a Deputy Chief when he was asked to lead a team of investigators created to investigate civilian and police encounters in the days following the murder of George Floyd.

Judge Murphy-Aguilú took a position as the Inspector General for the Clerk of the Circuit Court in January of 2021 where he transformed the office through accreditation from the National Association of Inspectors General. Prior to his appointment, Judge Murphy-Aguilú served as the Chief of Staff for the Clerk of the Circuit Court where he worked hand in hand with stakeholders like the office of the Cook County Board president, Cook County State’s Attorney, Public Defender, Sheriff and Chief Judges office along with the legal aid community to improve court services.

Judge Murphy-Aguilú was recommended and qualified by every bar association. The Chicago Bar Association found Judge Murphy-Aguilú was “well-regarded for his legal experience, diligence and calm demeanor.”

To learn more or get involved: https://www.jmaforjudge.com

A judge, wife, and mother with over 16 years of courtroom litigation experience.

In May, 2023, Judge Chloé G. Pedersen was appointed to a countywide judicial vacancy by unanimous appointment of the Illinois Supreme Court. She seeks election to this vacancy.

Prior to her appointment, Judge Chloé was an equity partner with the national law firm of Fletcher & Sippel LLC. There, she managed the Labor & Employment Practice Group focusing on complex civil litigation and represented clients in a full range of labor and employment matters in state, federal and appellate courts across the country. In addition to litigation advocacy, she represented clients in collective bargaining negotiations and served on various public law boards adjudicating claims.

Prior to, she was Chief Legal & Labor Counsel for the Cook County Recorder. Here, Judge Chloé advised on litigation along with the Cook County State’s Attorney, and counseled on the development and enforcement of office policy, legislative platforms, and participated in collective bargaining negotiations. Judge Chloé previously served as an Assistant Attorney General in the Illinois Attorney General’s Government Representation Division providing legal representation to Illinois (its agencies, officers and employees) in civil litigation focusing on civil rights and labor and employment issues.

To learn more or get involved: https://www.chloeforjudge.com