CCL evaluations in the race for the countywide Simmons, Jr. vacancy

The Chicago Council of Lawyers has released its evaluations of candidates running for the Simmons, Jr. vacancy. Candidates are listed in ballot order. All of the following are candidates in the Democratic primary; no Republican filed for this (or any other) countywide Circuit Court vacancy.

Michael A. Forti -- Qualified

Michael Angelo Forti was admitted to practice in Illinois in 1980. He is currently the Deputy Corporation Counsel for the Constitutional and Commercial Litigation Division of the Chicago Department of Law. He has served as the Chief Assistant Corporation Counsel of that Division. From 1994-1999 he was Chief Assistant Corporation Counsel at the City of Chicago Law Department, and from 1980-1994 he was an Associate and later Partner at Bell Boyd and Lloyd, now K&L Gates. Mr. Forti is considered to have good legal ability. He is reported to be a thoughtful, organized, and well-prepared lawyer with a professional demeanor. While serving in a supervisory role, he also maintains a trial court practice where he appears as lead counsel in more complex matters. The Council finds him Qualified for the Circuit Court.

Jessica A. O'Brien -- Qualified

Jessica Arong O'Brien was admitted to practice in 1998. She received an LLM degree in 2002. She is currently a litigator with the Illinois Department of Revenue where she litigates income and sales tax cases and serves as an arbiter of facts and law for non-hearing cases. From 1998 to 2000 she served as an associate with Schuyler Roche & Crisham. She has been with the Illinois Department of Revenue since 2000. Before becoming a lawyer, Ms. O'Brien had a career in the hotel service industry. She is an active participant in bar association work and has an excellent record in community service.

Ms. O'Brien is considered to be a bright and hard-working lawyer. She has no jury trial experience as part of her employment, but recently volunteered to second chair a jury trial. She has extensive experience in evidentiary hearings before administrative hearing officers in proceedings that are similar to bench trials conducted in the Circuit Court of Cook County. The Council is concerned that Ms. O'Brien's legal experience is narrow and that she has been a lawyer for a relatively short period of time.

She does, however, have substantial litigation experience and enjoys a reputation as smart lawyer with a professional demeanor. On balance, the Council finds her Qualified for the Circuit Court.

James A. Wright -- Qualified

James Wright was admitted to practice in 1989. Prior to attending law school, Mr. Wright was a certified public accountant. From 2005 to 2010, he was the Executive Inspector General for the Agencies of the Illinois Governor. His present professional experience includes serving of counsel to the law firm of Altheimer & Gray, as an Assistant United States Attorney for three years, and working for more than three years as an attorney in the Tax Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. He has also served for two years as Chief of Staff to the Chicago Board of Education. From 2003 to 2005 he served as the Inspector General for the Illinois Toll Highway Authority. Mr. Wright is considered to have good legal ability and temperament. He has a variety of legal experiences requiring in-depth analysis of complex matters. The Council finds him Qualified for the Circuit Court.

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