Civic Involvement
Judicial Evaluations
In 1984, the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois entered the controversial arena of rating judicial candidates, making its view available to the legal community and the public. The WBAI evaluates candidates for the judiciary including Cook County Associate Judge vacancies, judicial primaries and retention elections. The WBAI conducts its judicial evaluations in conjunction with the Alliance of Bar Associations for Judicial Screening (the "Alliance") of which the WBAI is a member along with the following Bar Associations: Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Chicago Area; Black Women Lawyers' Association of Greater Chicago; Chicago Council of Lawyers, Cook County Bar Association, Decalogue Society of Lawyers, Hellenic Bar Association, Illinois State Bar Association, Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago, and Puerto Rican Bar Association of Illinois. Members of the Alliance work collaboratively to improve the process of screening judicial candidates. The goals of the WBAI’s evaluation process are to obtain a fair, accurate and complete evaluation of each candidate for judicial office. After undergoing an extensive investigation and interview process, the candidate is rated either "Not Recommended," "Recommended," or "Highly Recommended" and such rating is published to the public at large.
WBAI members wishing to evaluate judicial candidates may serve on the WBAI’s Judicial Evaluation Committee (“JEC”) if they have practiced law for at least two years and must be appointed by the President of the WBAI, at the recommendation of the JEC Co-Chairs. JEC members must participate in a training session wherein they learn how to conduct an investigation of a judicial candidate and how to complete a thorough investigator's report regarding the candidate which is then submitted to the Alliance.
JEC members represent the WBAI during interviews of judicial candidates conducted by the Alliance. These interviews generally take place at the offices of the Illinois State Bar Association, 20 S. Clark Street in Chicago, and usually occur during lunch or after work. Following the interview of the judicial candidate, the JEC member completes an evaluation form based on the following criteria: (a) litigation experience; (b) professional experience; (c) health and age of a candidate; (d) legal knowledge and ability; (e) integrity; (f) sensitivity to diversity and bias; (g) judicial temperament; (h) diligence; (i) punctuality; (j) impartiality; (k) professional conduct; and (l) character. The JEC member then presents the evaluation form to the WBAI Board of Directors along with the member's impressions of the candidate from the interview. Based on this information, the WBAI issues its rating of the judicial candidate.
If you are a member of the WBAI and wish to serve on the JEC, please contact JEC Chair Deanna Blair. You can either call Deanna at (312) 263-4730 or email her at drb@blaircaravelli.com.
The Women’s Bar Association of Illinois has recently eliminated the rating of “Highly Recommended” for all candidates for judicial office. Accordingly, all prior "Highly Recommended" ratings by the WBAI have been adjusted to “Recommended,” which is now the highest rating available. Please correct any and all press releases, website postings or other advertising to reflect a “Recommended” rating from the WBAI. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Jennifer Ballard, Deanna Blair or Vickie Voukidis Blum.
Continue to Career Center >>