Mike Cortina
Name: Michael Cortina
Age (as of Election Day): 51
Residence: Crystal Lake
Current position and employer: Partner, SmithAmundsen LLC
Past legal experience: SmithAmundsen, LLC. 14 years as a partner. Managing partner of the firm's Crystal Lake office and co-chair of the firm's Financial Services Practice Group. The Law Office of Michael G. Cortina, Ltd., two years as owner of a general practice firm that focused on commercial law. Zukowski, Rogers, Flood & McArdle, six years as an associate working primarily in commercial law and municipal law. Whiteside County State's Attorney's Office, two years as an assistant state's attorney prosecuting traffic and misdemeanor cases, engaged in felony review, and conducted preliminary hearings.
Law school, year graduated: Northern Illinois University College of Law, J.D. 1998
Campaign website: www.Cortina4Justice.com
Family: Married for over 25 years to my best friend, Becky Cortina. We have two adult daughters, and way too many dogs.
Hobbies/interests: I enjoy flying single-engine airplanes, writing and spending time with my family.
Have you ever run for office before?
I am not one of those people who run for an office just because it is open, so I have never run for any public office in the past. I have no intention of using election to the appellate court as a stepping stone to get to a different office. I am running for appellate court judge because I want to do only this job. Once elected, I will not be running for a different office.
Why should voters support your candidacy?
Voters should support my candidacy because I am running so that I can work for the people, not promote myself. My opponents have all run for office before and only decided to run for this once redistricting caused this to be an election for an open seat. I am not a politician looking to climb the political ladder -- I am a lawyer with nearly a quarter-century of experience who relishes the thought of studying the law and drafting opinions. Adding a desperately needed Hispanic voice to the 2nd District will also help bring the courts closer to the people.
Who is/was your most important mentor and why?
My most important mentor is my mother. She went back to school in her 40s in order to become a Certified Public Accountant, and when she sat for the exam she earned the highest score in the entire state. She taught me to pursue my dreams and that hard work will persevere against any obstacles.
What are your thoughts on a hybrid in-person and remote future for the courts?
Hybrid and remote court are likely here to stay. Our Supreme Court's Access to Justice initiative puts the idea of ensuring access to the court system to every Illinois resident from any walk of life, and hybrid and remote courts promote that ideal. In criminal courts, defendants will not have to miss work or pay for child care in order to appear for simple status hearings. The benefits of hybrid and remote court have been tested throughout the pandemic and have been proven to exist.
What would you consider your greatest career accomplishment?
I was a part of a team of attorneys that submitted an amicus curiae brief to the U.S. Supreme Court for a client. Not only did the Court rule 9-0 in favor of the position that we supported, part of the court's reasoning in its opinion appears to paraphrase our main argument as the rationale for the decision.
What qualities do you plan to bring to the bench?
I am not seeking to be elected only to run for a higher office in the future. This is the only elected position that I have ever sought. I have no intentions on running for a different office in the future since this is the job that I want to do. I will also help to balance the bench in that I am Hispanic and the 2nd District is nearly 25% Hispanic yet has no Hispanic Justice (it never has). I will also bring an important veteran's perspective to the bench that will allow my innate sense of service to our country aid in my service to the community.
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