BY: ERIN M. WILSON
Originally Published: ISBA’s Standing Committee on Women and the Law: The Catalyst (August 2021)
Honorable Judge Elizabeth Rochford is currently an associate judge in probate court of the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit, Lake County. Judge Rochford is now running for a seat on the Illinois Supreme Court, and I was lucky enough to have her answer questions to learn more about her campaign, ambitions, and passion for her role as a judge.
1. What inspired you to become a lawyer and what area of the law were you originally interested in?
A variety of factors influenced my decision to study law including: the model of women attorneys and judges I admired, the enthusiastic encouragement of my parents, and my observation that lawyers had the ability to have a powerful positive impact in the community.
I did not have a predisposition to a particular area of law. Throughout my professional life, I have been open to studying and exploring new areas. Over the course of my career, when opportunities presented in: personal injury, criminal, government, municipal, probate, real estate, and family law, I eagerly seized each, and have enjoyed and been challenged by each area of experience.
2. What led you to be interested in becoming a circuit court judge, and to others interested, what advice could you offer?
For 23 years, I served as a commissioner of the court of claims, hearing trials and writing opinions on civil suits filed against the state of Illinois. I demonstrated aptitude for the management of a court docket, and administration of cases from filing, to trial, to ruling, and I enjoyed the work. I also served as a hearing officer for four local municipalities. Both of those opportunities provided a chance to perform “judge-like” work. Applying for judicial appointment seemed to follow naturally from those experiences.
It is not novel advice, but continues to prove true: Get involved in bar associations (there are so many great groups to join), build relationships with colleagues you respect, and seek opportunities in service that are genuinely matched to your own passions.
3. Now that you have made the amazing decision to campaign for the Illinois Supreme Court, what do you see as your greatest strengths that you bring to the bench?
My greatest assets are the depth and broad scope of my legal, judicial, and leadership experience, as well as my proven and long-standing commitment to providing access to justice for all people, and my personal strengths of self-examination, openness, and innovation.
4. What challenges do you believe you will face in this endeavor?
I recognize that candidacy for the Illinois Supreme Court is a lofty aspiration, and I have been cautioned that the path ahead will be treacherous, but I stand armed with experience and humility gained through the course of my career, and I am up to the challenge.
Anecdotally, I hear that voters don’t care about judicial races, and that qualifications get lost in the hand-to-hand combat of modern campaigns, but I respectfully disagree. Qualifications DO matter. And voters DO care. It will be our job to enlighten the citizens of the communities of DeKalb, Kane, Kendall, Lake, and McHenry counties of the necessity of electing the most qualified candidate to our highest court.
5. If given the opportunity to serve on the Illinois Supreme Court, how do you plan to advocate for access to justice?
Commitment to fulfilling the supreme court’s mandate for access to justice has been an enduring theme and personal passion of my legal, and judicial career. I have the unique perspective of serving on several AOIC Access to Justice committees where we chart the course of policy and provide guidance for courthouses across the state. At the same time, I have been actively involved in translating the supreme court’s mandate into practical reality in our local courthouse. Through self-examination and by taking a “walk in a litigant’s shoes” many stumbling blocks were exposed. We have used those experiences to streamline and simplify processes and procedures within our court, the improvements have been dramatic. But there is so much more to be done. It would be a privilege to have the opportunity to share the expertise and knowledge gained in the local trial courtroom and at the state level to continue to advance the strategic agenda of the Illinois Supreme Court and fulfill its vision for courts “to be trusted and open to all by being fair, innovative, diverse, and responsive to changing needs.”
6. What do you wish to be your legal legacy?
Hard to answer about myself. But, if I must, then perhaps that my efforts to achieve true justice and equity for ALL Illinoisans was genuine, and that through our united commitment, we (hopefully) achieved some measure of progress.
7. How can WATL help support you in your campaign?
More than a decade ago, I was attending an ISBA committee meeting and trying to maintain focus, but was distracted by spirited conversation and joyful laughter from the participants of another meeting down the hall. Upon inquiry I discovered that it was a WATL meeting that had been drawing my attention. I wanted in!
Apparently wishes do come true, because I later had the pleasure to serve as a Board of Governors liaison to the ISBA’s WATL Standing Committee, and it was among the most satisfying and inspiring bar experiences of my life. To the supportive, smart, joyful, committed, generous, capable and fun women gathered to advance the rule of law and to eliminate inequities, I say this: just keep doing exactly what you do, you provide me with model, inspiration and strength every day, and I am so grateful for your support and friendship.
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