The Bar News

Bar News Sections

Career Opportunities

  • September 4, 2013 | Practice News
    Applications sought for U.S. magistrate judge position in Springfield

    The Judicial Conference of the United States has authorized the appointment of a full-time United States magistrate judge for the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois. The official location for the position will be Springfield, Illinois. Full-time magistrate judges are appointed to eight-year terms of office by the judges of each respective United States district court.

    The duties of the position are demanding and wide-ranging, such as: 1) conducting most preliminary proceedings in criminal cases; 2) trial and disposition of misdemeanor cases; 3) conducting various pretrial matters and evidentiary proceedings on delegation from a district judge; and 4) trial and disposition of civil cases upon consent of the litigants. The basic authority of the United States magistrate judge is specified in 28 U.S.C. § 636.

    To be qualified for appointment as a U.S. magistrate judge, an applicant must:

  • August 15, 2013 | Practice News
    Applications being accepted for legal externs with U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Chicago

    The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Office of the Chief Counsel in Chicago, Illinois, is responsible for providing legal advice, training and services in cases related to the ICE mission in Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, and Wisconsin.  The office represents the United States in immigration removal proceedings, and provides legal support to ICE components focusing on customs, worksite enforcement, employment law, and administrative law.  Legal externs assist in the representation of the United States government in immigration removal proceedings.

    Legal Extern Location: Chicago, Illinois

    Application Materials: Resume, transcript, writing sample, and cover letter indicating dates when available.  Applications should be submitted to occ-chi-applications@ice.dhs.gov.  All electronically submitted documents must be in MSWord or Adobe Acrobat format. 

    Qualifications: First-year (second semester) and second-year law students.  Previous or concurrent course work in immigration law helpful, but not necessary.  Must be a U.S. citizen.  Will be subject to a background investigation due to the sensitive nature of the work performed.

    Application Deadline: For Spring of 2014: Applications will be accepted between August 15, and September 30, 2013.

    Minimum Weeks Required: 10 weeks minimum, 15 - 20 hours per week. 

    Salary: Volunteer (without compensation).            

  • July 1, 2013 | Practice News
    Applications sought for U.S. magistrate judge

    The Judicial Conference of the United States has authorized the appointment of a full-time United States magistrate judge for the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois. The official location for the position will be Peoria, Illinois. Full-time magistrate judges are appointed to eight-year terms of office by the judges of each respective United States district court.

  • April 16, 2013 | Practice News
    Sen. Durbin forms screening committee for open federal judgeships in Southern Illinois

    U.S. Senator Dick Durbin has announced the formation of a bipartisan screening committee to assist in selecting Federal District Court Judges for the Southern District of Illinois. It has been announced that a judicial vacancy will open up in the Southern District in December, and the immediate task of the screening committee is to review applications and make recommendations to Durbin for filling current and future vacancies.

  • January 31, 2013 | Practice News
    Applications sought for 5 associate judge vacancies in Cook County

    The Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County has posted a notice that there are five vacancies in the office of associate judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County. Applications are being accepted for these vacancies, as well as additional vacancies which may occur during the nomination process, the will be filled by vote of the Circuit Judges of the Circuit Court of Cook County.

    Any attorney who is a U.S. citizen, a resident of Cook County and licensed to practice law in Illinois may apply by completing two signed originals of the application prescribed by the Director of the Administrative Office of Illinois Courts to the address below:

    • Michael J. Tardy, Director
    • Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts
    • 222 N. LaSalle Street, 13th Floor
    • Chicago, Illinois 60601

    Applications must be received by 5 p.m. on Feb. 13, 2013. An application can be obtained from the Offices of the Chief Judge, Circuit Court of Cook County, 50 W. Washington, Room 2600, Richard J. Daley Center, Chicago, IL 60602. Applications may also be obtained from the Illinois Supreme Court's website at http://www.state.il.us/court/Administrative/Forms/Assoc_Judge/default.asp.

    Applications may not be submitted electronically or via facsimile. At the close of the application process, the Director shall certify to the Chief Judge a list of those applications who have timely filed and provide a copy of those applications.

  • January 23, 2013 | Practice News
    Chief Judge accepting applications for DuPage County associate judge position

    Chief Judge John T. Elsner has announced that the Court is accepting applications to fill a vacancy for the Office of Associate Judge of the 18th Judicial Circuit Court of Illinois, DuPage County. The vacancy is a results of the elevation of Associate Judge Robert G. Kleeman to Circuit Judge.

  • January 3, 2013 | Practice News
    Job opening: Executive Director of the Illinois Supreme Court Access to Justice Commission

    The Illinois Supreme Court Access to Justice Commission (“Commission”), created by the Illinois Supreme Court in June, 2012 to expand and improve access to justice in Illinois, is seeking an Executive Director.  The Executive Director is responsible for overseeing and coordinating all activities of the Commission. The Executive Director will report to the Commission Chair and be employed by The Chicago Bar Foundation (CBF). 

    The Executive Director will work in close collaboration with the Chair, other members of the Commission and Commission committees, the Illinois Supreme Court, the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, volunteer staff from the CBF and other Commission partners, and any consultants retained by the Commission. The Executive Director will be based in Chicago, but periodic travel throughout the State of Illinois will be required.  The salary range is $80,000 to $90,000, based on experience, plus benefits.  Applicants should send their resumes and cover letters to Jeffrey D. Colman, Chair of the Commission, via e-mail to jcolman@jenner.com by January 11, 2013. No phone calls please.

    The full job description is available here

  • October 5, 2012 | Practice News
    Applications for U.S. Magistrate Judge position now online - deadline is Oct. 15

    Chief Judge James F. Holderman announced today that the U.S. District Court Clerk’s Office has applications for the position of United States Magistrate Judge available online.

    The Court expects, subject to Judicial Conference and Circuit Council approval, that one vacancy will exist for the position of United States Magistrate Judge later this year, following the retirement of Magistrate Judge P. Michael Mahoney in December 2012. Chief Judge Holderman intends to appoint a Merit Selection Panel that will screen the candidates and make recommendations to the district judges in January of 2013. This is a full-time position with an eight-year term of office and a duty station at the Stanley J. Roszkowski Courthouse in Rockford. The current salary for this position is $160,080.

    The duties of the position of a United States magistrate judge include conducting most preliminary proceedings in federal criminal cases, the trial and disposition of federal misdemeanor cases as well as civil cases upon consent of the litigants, conducting various civil pretrial matters, such as settlement conferences and other proceedings on reference from the district judges of the Court.

  • July 24, 2012 | Practice News
    Applications for U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois now available online

    U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) have announced that the application for the position of U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois is now online.

    Prospective applicants can download the application at www.durbin.senate.gov, www.kirk.senate.gov or by clicking here or here. Applications must be returned by Friday, August 31, 2012.

  • May 15, 2012 | Practice News
    Illinois Supreme Court announces vacancy in 6th Judicial Circuit


    Justice Rita B. Garman of the Supreme Court of Illinois has begun an application process for a Circuit Court vacancy in the Sixth Judicial Circuit. The vacancy will be created by the retirement of Judge John P. Shonkwiler on July 31, 2012. Judge Shonkwiler has been a resident circuit judge since 1974.

    Under the Illinois Constitution, judicial vacancies are filled by Supreme Court appointment. The application process will lead to final Court approval. The applicants will undergo an evaluation and screening process.

    Notice of the vacancy has been posted in courthouses throughout the Circuit. The application form and instructions may be obtained by visiting the Illinois Supreme Court’s website at www.state.il.us/court and follow the instructions on the “Latest News” scroller announcing the Sixth Judicial Circuit vacancy. Original applications must be submitted via mail to:

    • Supreme Court of Illinois
    • attn.: Mrs. Mary Hurley
    • 3607 North Vermilion, Suite 1
    • Danville, Illinois 61832

    No electronic or facsimile applications will be accepted.

    Deadline for submission of applications is Tuesday, June 12, 2012. The person appointed to fill the vacancy will serve until the position is filled by election in November, 2014. To be eligible for consideration for appointment, the applicant must be a lawyer licensed to practice law in Illinois.

    The Sixth Judicial Circuit is comprised of Champaign, DeWitt, Douglas, Macon, Moultrie and Piatt counties.