2017 Roz Kaplan Government Service Award recipient Patrick Driscoll

Pat Driscoll’s service to the bar, to various bar associations (especially the ISBA), and to the public made him this year’s choice for this wonderful honor.

Pat’s roots are in Chicago, where he attended Loyola Academy. He graduated from Regis College in Denver before enrolling in DePaul College of Law. His law school classmates included Ed Burke, Marty Russo, Howard Carroll, and Richard M. Daley.

Pat has been a practicing attorney since 1967. At various times in his career, he has been with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office. First working in the office from 1968 through 1975, Pat returned from 1999 through 2013. During his various stints with the State’s Attorney’s office, Pat has served in many capacities and in almost all of the divisions of that office. Most recently, he served as Deputy State’s Attorney, Chief of the Civil Actions Bureau.

Even while in private practice, Pat has handled criminal and civil cases on behalf of Cook County, serving as Special State’s Attorney by appointment of judges of the Circuit Court of Cook County and as Special Assistant State’s Attorney by appointment of the State’s Attorney. During that time, he also represented clients in State and federal courts and before administrative agencies and boards. Starting in the State’s Attorney’s office when there were only 200 assistants, there were approximately 900 Assistant State’s Attorneys when he left the office years later. He was an active member of the Federal Defender Panel, trying a number of complex federal criminal trials.

Instead of one job, Pat now has six!! He is an administrative law judge hearing general administrative cases such as ordinance violations, revenue matters, building and zoning cases, and public health related matters. Pat serves as an administrative law judge for the Cook County Assessor, and he hears cases for the Electoral Board of Cook County and the Cook County pension fund. He is also an independent arbitrator with the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission on cases involving its own employees, AND he serves as an arbitrator on the commercial calendar’s arbitration program and the municipal calendar arbitrations.

Let’s not forget his service to the ISBA. Pat is a 50-year ISBA member. He has chaired the Committee on the Unauthorized Practice of Law, the Criminal Justice Section Council, Federal Civil Practice Section Council, and Government Lawyers Standing Committee. He has served in the ISBA Assembly for four six-year periods. Pat’s work on the Continuing Legal Education Committee has helped the ISBA grow in providing quality CLE. He also has been active with the Chicago Bar Association.

Pat has served on several Boards of the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois since 1985. He is a frequent speaker and has authored several articles and chapters for various publications. For good measure, Pat is also a member of the Federal Bar Association’s Board of Directors.

Perhaps most importantly, Pat is a remarkable mentor to younger lawyers. He worked tirelessly at the State’s Attorney’s Office (and pretty much everywhere else he finds himself) to teach and encourage young lawyers. His mild-manner and approachability assist him in this endeavor. How wonderful that the ISBA counts him as one of its own!

Lest, dear reader, you think Pat has no life, he is married with four children and 11 grandchildren. He enjoys vacationing to Wisconsin and Mexico – when he can find the time!

Pat shares that he “is honored to receive the Roz Kalpan Award. It is wonderful to be recognized by friends and peers with the award named for Roz, who was such a great person and lawyer.” Pat’s long service to the government, his dedication to the ISBA, and his example of professionalism led the committee to select him as this year’s recipient of the Roz Kaplan Award. 