Elizabeth Anne Walsh
Elizabeth Anne Walsh

Name: Elizabeth Anne Walsh

Party: Democratic

Age (as of Election Day): 40

Residence: La Grange Park

Current position: Attorney, Bruce Farrel Dorn & Associates, 2007-present

Past legal experience: Trial attorney, Paul B. Wharton & Associates, 2006-07; associate, Michael D. Walsh P.C., 2006

Campaign funds available, Aug. 3 to Dec. 31: $16,900.30

Campaign funds spent, Aug. 3 to Dec. 31: $8,163.81

Law school: The John Marshall Law School, 2006

Campaign website: bethwalshforjudge.com

Family: One daughter; boyfriend

Hobbies/interests: Gardening, movies, live music, going to White Sox games

Have you ever run for office before?

No.

Why should voters support your candidacy?

I think we need judges that have actually put on jury trials before they’re presiding over them. And I think my trial experience, jury trial experience, sets me apart from other candidates. I’ve tried approximately 50 jury trials at this point, all on my own. I was always the only chair.

And I’ve learned something from every one of those trials. But I think that’s a big part of what a judge does, even if you’re not sitting in a trial room, you should know how it all comes together.

I think that is something I have that would really be an important experience that all judges should have before they are on the bench.

Why do you want to be a judge?

I guess it goes back to that trial experience. I hadn’t always been thinking about becoming a judge, but a judge that I know — I tried a case with him before he was on the bench — he started talking to me about running, and urging me to do that. And it’s because, specifically, we really need more judges that have civil jury trial experience. We just don’t have a lot of that, especially on the civil side.

Because of that, I think I would be well-suited to serve the public. I think I can fill that need based on the experience that I have. I’m at a good point in my career to transition from arguing for a client to make sure we have someone that can be fair and impartial. The goal is justice, and I can fill the need we have for that kind of experience on the bench.

What was the most interesting case you handled as a lawyer?

In addition to routine car accidents, slip-and-falls and dog bites, I had one that went up on appeal that involved trampolines. That was interesting, mostly because it went through the appeal.

And I had an accidental shooting [case] — because of ballistics testing on the weapon and different sorts of issues that aren’t every day.

I also had a slip-and-fall case that turned into a violation of civil rights claim that ended up in federal court and ended up as allegations of sexual assault. It just ended up very different, with different issues that you don’t always end up with in a slip-and-fall. It’s still pending.

What would you consider your greatest career accomplishment?

I had a trial in October 2019, and I think that was a big one because it was one of the longest ones that I’ve handled, and it had multiple experts of different kinds. There was an accident reconstruction, a claimed brain injury and psychology experts for both plaintiff and defendant. They had two attorneys trying the case for the plaintiff, then two others — four total who were working on the case. I had just me, and it was long and it was difficult, and so I think that was definitely something that I felt like was an accomplishment. It also had surgeons and treaters that testified.

There were a lot of witnesses in that case. The reconstructionist made it more complex on the negligence side. That was definitely one of the trials that I thought was significant.

I’d also say, I became a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, and they require a certain amount of jury trial experience. You have to be nominated.

What qualities do you plan to bring to the bench?

I think that the experience will really give me an understanding and knowledge to look at the case. I’ve been working on defense, but my father’s a plaintiff’s attorney, so I think I can be impartial and see the case from both sides and focus on issues that help resolve cases.

I think I can also listen well. Most people in court do want to be heard. Some people want to tell you the entire case, though, so case management becomes important. I think my experience being in court almost every day — I think that experience will help.