Sunday, March 4, 2012

Organizing the Data: countywide Simmons, Jr. vacancy

Candidates are listed in the order that they appear on the ballot in the Democratic primary; no Republican filed for this vacancy. Information on this post will be updated as time permits until the March 20, 2012 primary.
Updated 3/17/12

Michael A. Forti - #158

Candidate Website

Questionnaire Response: Chicago Tribune

Bar Association Evaluations

The Chicago Bar Association says:
Michael Angelo Forti is “Highly Qualified” for the office of Circuit Court Judge. Mr. Forti was admitted to practice law in Illinois in 1980 and has experience in private practice and the government sector. Since 1994, Mr. Forti has served in the City of Chicago’s Corporation Counsel’s office and currently is Deputy Corporation Counsel in the Constitutional and Commercial Litigation Section. Mr. Forti has extensive trial experience and possesses all the requisite qualifications to serve as a Circuit Court Judge.
The Chicago Council of Lawyers says:
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.
Other Bar Association Evaluations:
Asian American Bar Association of the
Greater Chicago Area		Qualified
Black Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater ChicagoRecommended
Cook County Bar AssociationRecommended
Decalogue Society of LawyersRecommended
Hellenic Bar AssociationRecommended
Hispanic Lawyers Association of IllinoisQualified
Illinois State Bar AssociationQualified
Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of ChicagoRecommended
Puerto Rican Bar Association of IllinoisQualified
Women’s Bar Association of IllinoisRecommended

Endorsements
Cook County Democratic Party
Personal PAC
Italian American Political Coalition
United Hellenic Voters of America
Jewish Chicago
Arab American Democratic Club
Chicago Fire Fighters Union, Local 2 (recommended)
Chicago Defender

------------------------------------------------------
Jessica A. O'Brien - #159


Candidate Website

Questionnaire Response: Chicago Tribune


Bar Association Evaluations

The Chicago Bar Association says:
Jessica O’Brien is “Qualified” for the office of Circuit Court Judge. Ms. O’Brien was admitted to practice law in Illinois in 1998 and is serving as a litigation attorney in the Income Tax Section of the Illinois Department of Revenue. Ms. O’Brien has an LLM degree in Taxation and Employee Benefits. In addition, Ms. O’Brien has served as the General Counsel for the Illinois Lottery since 2011. Ms. O’Brien possesses the breadth of legal knowledge and experience to serve as a Circuit Court Judge.
The Chicago Council of Lawyers says:
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.
Other Bar Association Evaluations:
Asian American Bar Association of the
Greater Chicago Area		Qualified
Black Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater ChicagoRecommended
Cook County Bar AssociationRecommended
Decalogue Society of LawyersRecommended
Hellenic Bar AssociationRecommended
Hispanic Lawyers Association of IllinoisQualified
Illinois State Bar AssociationQualified
Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of ChicagoRecommended
Puerto Rican Bar Association of IllinoisQualified
Women’s Bar Association of IllinoisRecommended

Endorsements
Chicago Tribune
Chicago Federation of Labor
Fraternal Order of Police, Chicago Lodge No. 7
IVI-IPO
Illinois Committee for Honest Government
Chicago Fire Fighters Union, Local 2 (recommended)

------------------------------------------------------
James A. Wright - #160


Candidate Website

Questionnaire Response: Chicago Tribune

Bar Association Evaluations

The Chicago Bar Association says:
James A. Wright is “Qualified” for the office of Circuit Court Judge. Mr. Wright was admitted to practice law in Illinois in 1989 and served as an Assistant United State’s Attorney, Chief of Staff for the Chicago Police Department, and as an Inspector General for the Illinois Toll Highway Authority and for the Office of Inspector General for Illinois gubernatorial agencies. Mr. Wright worked at a large law firm for several years and is currently engaged in private practice as a solo practitioner. Mr. Wright has a fine demeanor and temperament and possesses the requisite qualifications to serve as a Circuit Court Judge.
The Chicago Council of Lawyers says:
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.
Other Bar Association Evaluations:
Asian American Bar Association of the
Greater Chicago Area		Not Recommended
Black Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater ChicagoRecommended
Cook County Bar AssociationRecommended
Decalogue Society of LawyersRecommended
Hellenic Bar AssociationRecommended
Hispanic Lawyers Association of IllinoisHighly Qualified
Illinois State Bar AssociationQualified
Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of ChicagoRecommended
Puerto Rican Bar Association of IllinoisQualified
Women’s Bar Association of IllinoisRecommended


------------------------------------------------------
Back to "Start here for the most complete information about every Cook County judicial contest"
Posted by Jack Leyhane at 8:26 AM
Labels: ,

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)