CBA Record November 2018

Y O U N G L A W Y E R S J O U R N A L

Judicial Evaluation Committee. For those who are unaware of the massive effort that is required, it is worth providing insight into the process that the committee uses to perform this selfless public service. In 2018, the Judicial Evaluation Com- mittee consisted of approximately 50 hearing members who conducted over 150 investigations. This group evaluated and interviewed 61 judges who were seek- ing retention. In addition, the committee evaluated and interviewed 44 candidates who were running for election, disseminat- ing their findings prior to the March 2018 primary. The process begins with each judicial candidate receiving a questionnaire, which seeks information on the candidate, including, but not limited to: professional references; judicial references; disciplin- ary complaints; and the requirement to identify lawyers whom they have recently interacted with or who have appeared before their Court. Upon receiving a completed question- naire and all supporting documentation, a two-person investigation team is assigned to conduct personal interviews with the listed legal references. Upon completion of the interviews, and a review of the file materials, the investigation team completes a comprehensive report regarding the qualifications of the candidate. Typically, a judicial candidate provides between 50-100 references within their question- naire. Thereafter, the investigators are asked to interview at least 2/3 of listed references and find references that the candidate may not have listed. The second step in the process consists of in-person hearings. Hearing division members are randomly assigned to either of two hearing rooms by a blind drawing for room assignment. On average, 12 to 15 members of the Judicial Evaluation Com- mittee are assigned to a room. Until the members step into the rooms, none of the Judicial Evaluation Committee members

CBA YOUNG LAWYERS SECTION

Chair Brandon E. Peck Peck Ritchey LLC

First Vice-Chair Octavio Duran Hart, David, Carson LLP Second Vice-Chair Jeffrey Moskowitz J. Moskowitz Law LLC

Member Service Manager Alexis Crawford Douglas K&L Gates LLP Public Service Manager Tracy A. Brammeier Clifford Law Offices, P.C.

Making Informed Decisions By Brandon E. Peck YLS Chair W e are currently living through a period of heightened scrutiny when it comes to the election, appointment, retention, and confirmation of judicial officials. In the past few years, we have observed, and in some instances participated in, the confirmation process of not one, but two justices to the United States Supreme Court. While these two individuals have the ability to mold case law for the nation, most breaches will never have contact with them. Judicial interaction for most people takes place at the trial level, with judges in their respective counties and states. As such, it is relevant to look at how the Chicago Bar Association goes above and beyond to evaluate the judges that will have a day-to-day impact on our neighbors, colleagues, and families. Over the past 130 years, in one form or another, the Chicago Bar Association has been working to provide the public with evaluations of judicial candidates and sit- ting Judges who are seeking retention. For approximately the past 40 years, this has been done through the work of the CBA’s

Project Officer Katherine Oswald Golan Christie Taglia Project Officer Kate Schnake Hinshaw & Culbertson

Secretary/Treasurer Svetlana Gitman Bruce Farrel Dorn & Associates YLS Journal Co-Editors in Chief Daniel J. Berkowitz Aronberg Goldgehn

Natalie C. Chan Sidley Austin LLP

Assistant Editor Lindsey Purdy Weissberg and Associates, Ltd.

YLS Director Jennifer Byrne

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