The Path to Becoming a Judge as a Minority (4/17/24)

The Path to Becoming a Judge as a Minority, A Panel Discussion 

This is a hybrid event with an in-person and a webinar option. Please select the appropriate button when registering if you plan to attend in-person. Event will take place at Chicago Bar Association, 321 S. Plymouth Court, Chicago, IL.

Public trust and legitimacy in the judiciary depends on society's belief in fair and impartial justice. That can only be achieved if the court reflects the same diversity as the communities it serves. This is why representation matters. However, the current makeup of the bench is overwhelmingly homogenous. How can this change? What obstacles exist? This panel will share the experience from several diverse judges on their path to the bench and advice for other minority attorneys to achieve the same. 

This program is co-sponsored with Puerto Rican Bar Association. 

Speakers: 
Justice Joy Cunningham, Supreme Court Justice, First District 
Judge Aileen Bhandari, Circuit Court of Cook County, Municipal Department               
Judge John Fairman, Associate Judge, Circuit Court of Cook County, Municipal Department
Judge Diana Lopez, Circuit Court of Cook County, Municipal Department   
Judge Ed Underhill, Circuit Court of Cook County, Traffic Division 

Moderator: 
Judge Beatriz Santiago, Circuit Court of Cook County, Municipal Department           

To confirm you are ready to participate in an on demand webcast, please take the browser test here: http://eventcenter.commpartner...

Live CBA Committee meetings and seminars will take place via Zoom webinar.  You will click on "view video" and be directly connected to the meeting/seminar on Zoom.  (You will not receive a Zoom link.)

You MUST have Zoom Desktop Client on your Mac or PC to view a live program. If using a mobile device, you must have the Zoom App (available in the App Store or Google Play).

System requirements for Mac & PC can be found here. System requirements for mobile devices can be here.  

Please note that audience members do not need video or audio access.  Audience members are able to submit questions via the chat or Q & A features of Zoom. 

Chat: Open in-meeting chat, allowing you to send chat messages to and send a message to the host, panelists, and attendees (if permitted). Question & Answer: Open the Q&A window, allowing you to ask questions to the host and panelists. They can either reply back to you via text in the Q&A window or answer your question live.