Justice Walker is a native Chicagoan, and he is admitted to the practice of law in both Illinois and Iowa. He engaged in a busy practice of law for 14 years prior to being appointed to the Circuit Court of Cook County. His law practice included both criminal and civil litigation. He has served as a Judge in Domestic Violence, Criminal Misdemeanors, Felony Preliminary Hearings, Evictions, Juvenile Court, and the Law Division hearing cases on administrative review, eminent domain, confessions of judgment, post judgment, replevin, detinue, and other extraordinary remedies. He also served as the Supervising Judge of the Surety Section until the Illinois Supreme Court elevated him to the Illinois Appellate Court where he has served since June 2018.

Justice Walker matriculated through the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. After earning an undergraduate degree in Accounting, he became a Certified Public Accountant. Subsequently, he attended The University of Iowa College of Law, where he served on the Iowa Law Review. Justice Walker’s efforts to make the atmosphere more hospitable to students of all backgrounds made him a recipient of the law school’s prestigious Human Rights Award.

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, mentor for the Shell Youth Program, the vice chairperson of the Local School Council, member of 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 long-time board member and treasurer of the Cook County Bar Association and as treasurer of the Cook County Bar Foundation.

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, 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 Elder Law Committee. 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 been a panelist for the Joint Federal/State Judicial Conference.

Justice Walker has four talented children and was featured in the Daily Law Bulletin as a Judge who “applies restraint in the use of his power.”

Justice Michael B. Hyman was assigned to the First Appellate District on January 8, 2013. He was appointed to the Circuit Court of Cook in 2006. The people of Cook County elected him to a countywide seat for a full-six year term in 2008. Before joining the judiciary, Justice Hyman was a principal at Much Shelist, Chicago, which he joined in 1979 after serving two years as an Assistant Illinois Attorney General in the Antitrust Division. He graduated from Northwestern University, Medill School of Journalism, with honors in 1974, and from Northwestern University School of Law in 1977.

As a judge of the Circuit Court Of Cook County, Justice Hyman sat in the General Chancery Division (Oct. 2010 – Jan. 2013); Domestic Relations Division (Mar. 2009 – Sept. 2010); Supplementary Proceedings, Courtroom 1401 (mid-Dec. 2006 – Mar. 2009); Municipal Court, non-jury, contract and tort trials (mid-Sept. 2006 – mid-Dec. 2006); and Traffic Court (July 2006 – mid-Sept. 2006).

The Illinois Supreme Court has appointed Justice Hyman to serve as the chairperson of the Illinois Judicial Conference Committee on Strategic planning for the Conference year 2013.

Justice Hyman has a habit of getting involved in causes he cares about and has been active in numerous professional organizations. Among them are: Chicago Bar Association (President, 2005 - 06 and Editor-in-chief of the CBA Record and columnist, 1988 - 1990, 1993 – 2004, and 2007 -present); Illinois Judges Association (First Vice-President, 2012-2013 and Board member 2007 - present); Illinois Judicial Ethics Committee (Committee member, 2007 - present); Illinois Judges Foundation (Board member, 2007 - present); Chicago Bar Foundation (Secretary, 2011 - present and Board member, 2003 - present); Lend-A-Hand to Youth Program (Executive Committee, 2007 – 2010 and acting treasurer 2009 - 2010); American Bar Association (House of Delegates, Chicago Bar Association representative, 2005 – 2009; Coalition on Racial & Ethnic Justice, chair, 2012 - present and member, 2009 - present; Judicial Division, Lawyers Conference, Chair, 2008 - 2009 and executive committee member, 2002 - 2010; Section of Litigation; Editor-in-chief, Litigation News, 1990 – 1992; Founding editor-in-chief, Litigation Docket, 1995 – 2001; Chair of a number of Section committees); and the Illinois State Bar Association (elected representative, Assembly, 1986 - 1992; 1993 - 1996; 2000 - 2004; Chair of a number of ISBA Committees or Councils); and Jewish Judges Association of Illinois (president, 2011 - present).

Other leadership roles of Justice Hyman include the Lawyers Trust Fund of Illinois (Board member, 2009 - present); SCRIBES, The American Society of Writers on Legal Subjects (First vice-present, 2012-present and board member, 2004-present); Coalition for Equal Justice (Chair, 2009 - present); and Decalogue Society of Lawyers (president, 2004 - 2005).

Justice Hyman has written numerous articles and columns on a variety of subjects which have appeared in legal publications including CBA Record, ISBA newsletters, ABA Judges’ Journal, Chicago Lawyer, Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, and The Bencher (American Inns of Court publication), among others. In addition, he frequently speaks at education programs for attorneys, law students, and judges.

Among awards Justice Hyman has received are the CBA's inaugural Diversity Initiative Award (2006); the IJA Presidential Service Award (2007); and the Court of Honor Award from Chicago Volunteer Legal Services (2008).

Judge Aurelia Pucinski was elected to the Illinois Appellate Court, 1st District, in 2010 and retained in 2020. She served as a Circuit Court judge in Cook County from 2004 to 2010. As a trial judge she heard more than 10,000 Domestic Violence cases, followed by an assignment to hear adoption, election, property tax and mental health cases. She is particularly interested in the law as it affects senior citizens and the disabled, having created a program in Domestic Violence Court to give additional protections and services to senior citizen victims of domestic abuse. She served as the Clerk of the Court from 1988 to 2000 where two of her major accomplishments were getting child support checks processed in record time and computerizing courtrooms. She started practicing law in 1976 in a neighborhood law office where she developed a reputation for pro bono work, including representing citizens who sued the Chicago Board of Education to keep a local school open, a case she won in the Appellate Court. A native Chicagoan, Judge Pucinski is a graduate of DePaul College of Law. 

Justice Cynthia Y. Cobbs currently serves as a justice on the Illinois Appellate Court. Prior to her appointment to the appellate court, Justice Cobbs was appointed as a circuit court judge in September 2011, and won election to the seat in 2014. Early in her legal career, Justice Cobbs served as senior judicial law clerk to Supreme Court (Chief) Justice Charles E. Freeman.

Prior to becoming a judge, she served first as a staff attorney and then as chief legal counsel in the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, the administrative arm of the Illinois Supreme Court. In 2002, she was appointed by the Supreme Court as Director of the Illinois Courts, becoming the first African American and the first woman to serve in that capacity. As Director, she advised the high court on every aspect of administering Illinois’ court system, including budgeting, continuing education for judges, the delivery of probation services, rules of practice for attorneys and the impact of legislation on the judiciary.

Justice Cobbs currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the Illinois Supreme Court's Judicial College, the governing body which oversees continuing education and professional development for all Illinois judges and justice partners;; the Board of Directors for South Suburban PADS, a not for profit organization which delivers shelter, housing and rehabilitative services to South Suburban Cook County's homeless population, and Lawyers Lend A Hand to Youth, a not for profit organization which provides grant funding for mentoring programs serving underprivileged youth in the Chicagoland area; and, the Supreme Court Rules Committee. Prior to COVID-19, she served as a weekly Lend A Hand tutor for children attending Englewood Montessori School. Justice Cobbs is a past chairperson of the Illinois Judicial Council, an organization largely comprised of African American judges.

She has been awarded the CF Stradford Award, Chicago-Kent Ida Platt Award; National Bar Association's Heman Sweatt Award; Cook County Bar Association’s Kenneth E. Wilson Award; Sweet Holy Spirit’s Justice of the Year Award; Top Ladies of Distinction Crown Jewel Award; Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Crescent Moon Award; IJC Chairperson’s Award; Chicago Bar Association’s Earl Burris Dickerson Award; Cook County Bar Association’s Judicial Award; Chicago-Kent’s Alumni Association Recognition Award; Chicago-Kent’s Bar and Gavel Society Inductee; and The Standish Willis Award.

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

Anna Johnson serves as a dedicated Paralegal Specialist for the United States General Services Administration (GSA), Office of the General Counsel, General Law Division. A proud alumna of South Suburban College, Anna's foundational studies as a Paralegal laid the groundwork for her impactful career in public service.

As part of the GSA's Office of General Counsel (OGC), the agency's chief legal office, Anna plays a crucial role in supporting its mission. OGC provides essential legal advice and services across a wide range of federal operations, ensuring compliance and managing critical legal matters related to federal property, acquisition, contracting, and employment.

Drawing on over 15 years of distinguished federal service, Anna provides invaluable support to GSA attorneys. Her expertise spans critical areas such as in-depth legal research, meticulous case management, comprehensive litigation support, and efficient document review, all contributing to the effective operation of federal programs and the public good.

Outside of her professional commitments, Anna embraces her most cherished role as a mother to four energetic daughters. Her nights and weekends are often spent navigating the joyful chaos of youth sports, from softball fields to track meets and gymnastics meets, all while expertly balancing her career with her family's active life. She is thrilled to be speaking at her alma mater today to share her experiences and insights with the next generation of Paralegals and Legal Assistants.

Jesus Dorado is 31 years old  and from Harvey IL. He landed his first job at age 10 and hasn’t stopped learning or working since. He graduated from Bremen High School in 2013, DeVry University in 2016, and the South Suburban College paralegal program in 2022. He further obtained his NBPA player agent license in 2024, real estate license in 2025 and insurance licensed in 2026. He began his paralegal career in 2020 and has specialized in the following areas of law: family, personal injury/workers comp and criminal. One of his goals is to earn a million dollars in passive income. 

Keiyomi graduated from SSC in 2020 and continued her education at Governors State University where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and graduated in 2021.  Upon graduation from SSC, she was an estate planning/probate paralegal and after a couple of years transitioned to criminal law. She was a paralegal with the Cook County States Attorney’s Office and now works at the Cook County Public Defender’s Office. Her passion is helping others in all avenues of life. 

Assistant Director of Legal Operations at Illinois Housing Authority  - Bio coming soon

Paralegal - Cook County Public Defender’s Office: Jacqueline began her legal career in 2020 as a legal assistant at an insurance defense firm, building a foundation in civil litigation.

In 2021,she interned as a student paralegal with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office Felony Review Unit, gaining experience in criminal law.

After becoming a paralegal in 2023, she continued developing my skills across legal settings and volunteered in 2024 with Legal Aid Chicago’s expungement clinic, assisting individuals with clearing their records.

In 2025, she joined the Cook County Public Defender’s Office as a paralegal, where she currently supports attorneys in representing clients and ensures equitable access to justice.