Raymond W. Mitchell

Name: Raymond W. Mitchell

Age (as of Election Day): 52

Residence: Chicago

Current position and employer: Cook County Circuit Judge, State of Illinois

Past legal experience: 2008 to present, Circuit Judge; 1998-2008, partner and associate, Winston & Strawn LLP; 1996-1998, judicial clerk, Justice James Heiple, Illinois Supreme Court; 1995, associate, Gardner Carton & Douglas; 1994-95, Associate, Shearman & Sterling LLP (New York City); 1993-1994, judicial clerk, Judge James L. Ryan, United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

Law school, year graduated: Loyola University School of Law, attended 1990-92. Accelerated Admission, admitted after 3 years of undergraduate study at the age of 20. Graduated 1993. University of Chicago Law School, attended 1992-93.

Campaign website: ElectJudgeMitchell.com

Family: I grew up in union household in the Beverly-Morgan Park neighborhood on the south side of Chicago. I have three sisters, including my sister Bridget, who is a judge in the Law Division.

Hobbies/interests: Hiking, photography and rock climbing.

Have you ever run for office before?

Yes. I was elected countywide to the Circuit Court in 2010, and I was retained in 2016.

Why should voters support your candidacy?

In terms of judicial experience, I have the strongest record of any candidate in the race. I believe that I am the only candidate in this race that has presided over jury and other complex trials as a judge. Before becoming a judge, I was a partner at a national law firm, where I handled appeals across the country. I have published and taught on topics related to appeals. In short, I am the most qualified and most experienced candidate in the race.

Who is/was your most important mentor and why?

The late Governor James R. Thompson, my former law partner, was the singularly most important mentor in my professional life. In that regard, I am not alone: There are a great many lawyers and judges in Chicago and throughout the State of Illinois that claim Gov. Thompson as a mentor. We lost him in August 2020, but I trust that he would approve this campaign because he just loved politics.

What are your thoughts on a hybrid in-person and remote future for the courts?

Since July 2021, my courtroom has been set up to accommodate hybrid proceedings such that we can have lawyers and litigants appearing both in-person and remote in the same proceeding. There is undoubtedly an efficiency in being able to conduct more routine matters remotely. I must confess, however, that for more complicated matters and for taking evidence, I prefer in-person proceedings.

What would you consider your greatest career accomplishment?

In 2008, the Illinois Supreme Court appointed me to a vacancy on the Circuit Court, and that opportunity to serve the people of Cook County continues to be a source of great pride.

What qualities do you plan to bring to the bench?

I am hard-working, efficient and possess organizational skills that are well-suited for judicial work. In my tenure on the bench, I have conducted innumerable bench and jury trials, settlement conferences and hearings, and I have written over 1,000 opinions. No other candidate in this race has judicial experience of comparable breadth and depth.

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