Seventeen file to fill associate judge position

Comments

November 6, 2009

NEWS-SUN STAFF REPORT

Seventeen attorneys have filed applications to succeed retired Associate Judge Victoria Martin, Chief Judge James Booras said Thursday.

The applicants are:

Janelle Christensen of Lindenhurst, a Lake County assistant state's attorney; Joann Fratianni-Atsaves of Lake Forest, arbitrator and former commissioner of the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission; David Ganfield of Lake Bluff, a partner in the firm of Ryan, Ryan & Landa; Deborah Goldberg of Highland Park, a partner in the firm of Goldberg & Kane.

Christopher Kennedy of Libertyville, a partner in the firm of Kennedy, Pierson & Strachan, LLP; John Kezdy of Highland Park, a bureau chief in the Office of the Illinois Attorney General; Mark Levitt of Deerfield, a Cook County assistant public defender; Margaret "Meg" Marcouiller of Libertyville, chief deputy of the civil division of the Lake County State's Attorney's Office.

James Simonian of Libertyville, a partner in the law offices of Stephen Simonian; Perry Smith, Jr. of Libertyville, a partner in the firm of Wysocki & Smith; David Stolman of Buffalo Grove, president of David Stolman and Associates, P.C.; Robert Wilson of Libertyville, an associate in the law offices of James M. Hoffman & Associates.

Sole practitioners Burr Anderson of Deerfield; Martin Blumenthal of Highland Park; David DeRose of Lake Villa; Elizabeth Rochford of Lake Forest; and Scott Williams of Libertyville.

The applicants, certified by the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, will be interviewed by the full circuit judges and be evaluated by the Lake County Bar Association. Public comment by letter is invited before Nov. 30 2009 addressed to: Chief Judge James K. Booras, Lake County Courthouse, 18 N. County St., Waukegan, IL 60085-4359.

Once the review process is completed, the nominating committee consisting of circuit judges will select the names of two candidates to be placed on a ballot. The ballots will be returned to and tallied by the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts in Springfield.