Hon. Mary Colleen Roberts (Ret.) Joins JAMS in Chicago

JAMS, the largest private provider of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services worldwide, is pleased to announce that Hon. Mary Colleen Roberts (Ret.) has joined its panel. Judge Roberts joins JAMS after 18 years of service on the Cook County bench and an additional 17 years of service to the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office and City of Chicago.

While serving as a judge on the Circuit Court of Cook County, Judge Roberts presided over cases across a range of divisions, including the Law Division, Domestic Relations Division, Juvenile Justice Division and Municipal Division. In her time in the Law Division, she presided over complex commercial disputes involving breach of contract, business partnerships, deceptive practices, employment, professional liability, condominium actions, real property and construction. She has also presided over cases involving personal injury, including construction accidents and medical malpractice, as well as disputes arising in the areas of tax and eminent domain, family law, and trusts and estates.

Based in the Chicago Resolution Center, Judge Roberts will serve as an arbitrator, mediator, court-appointed neutral and neutral evaluator, handling business and commercial, class action and mass tort, construction, employment, trust/probate/estate, insurance, personal injury and real estate matters. She is available to conduct sessions in person, as well as virtually, for clients across the country and internationally.

“Judge Roberts is a pillar within the Chicago legal community. She is known as a patient and deliberate jurist and for her incredible depth of experience in handling matters that span a wide range of practice areas. We extend a warm welcome to her and look forward to the insight and creativity that she will bring to our panel," said Kimberly Taylor, JAMS CEO and president.

Beyond her work as a jurist, Judge Roberts is an active member of the legal community and is a founding member of the Alliance of Illinois Judges, an organization in which she has held various leadership positions since its creation in 2009. This organization was formed to serve as a resource for judges and the legal community and to help mentor LGBTQ+ law students. She has also served as the president of the Illinois Judges Association and is an active member of the Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago, Women’s Bar Association and the Illinois State Bar Association.

“Throughout my years on the bench, I’ve seen how the court system has evolved in response to changing legal and business trends and the needs of the community. I’ve had the opportunity to fine-tune my skill set in handling diverse, complex cases and have learned that a well-managed dispute resolution process is one that creates the space for all parties to be seen and heard. I look forward to applying my experience to this new role at JAMS," said Judge Roberts.

Judge Roberts earned her B.A., cum laude, from Benedictine University and her J.D. from DePaul University College of Law.