Spotlight on Women and the Law Committee members

Judge Patrice Ball-Reed

Judge Patrice Ball-Reed is an Associate Judge in the Circuit Court of Cook County. As a lifelong resident of the West Side of Chicago, she received a Scholarship for Illinois Residents to attend Trinity College in Hartford, Ct. After receiving her undergraduate degree in Economics from Trinity College, she attended the John Marshall Law School. Prior to her appointment to the bench in 2008, she served as President of the Black Women Lawyers of Greater Chicago, The John Marshall Law School Alumni Association and Women’s Bar Association of Illinois. She is a member of the Illinois Judicial Council, Illinois Judges Association, Illinois State Bar Association, Justinian Society of Lawyers, Chicago Bar Association, Cook County Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. Her community activities include the following: Vice President – Scholarships for Illinois Residents (attending Trinity College); Board of Trustees for Trinity College; Westside NAACP; National Council of Negro Women – Chicago Midwest Chapter; League of Black Women; Jack and Jill of America; and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

Her current assignment at the Circuit Court is the Domestic Violence Division – Civil Section. Prior to this assignment, she handled Traffic court matters involving traffic offenses and DUI cases. During her assignment in Traffic, she also handled First Municipal district evictions, collections and small claims. Prior to her appointment as a judge, she was a practicing attorney for twenty-five years in the public (Cook County State’s Attorney, Deputy Attorney General for Child Support) and private (associate in small firms) sector. She is the mother of three children, grandmother of one child, and has been married for 30 years.

Sherry Mundorff

Sherry Mundorff graduated from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a degree in Psychology. Following graduation from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 1999, she began practice in Chicago. Following thirteen years as a medical malpractice defense attorney, Sherry moved to Markel International as a Senior Claims Examiner in the medical group.

She is currently the co-editor of The Catalyst and a member of the American Society of Healthcare Risk Management, with a special designation as a Certified Professional in Healthcare Risk Management.

Sherry spends her time finding new restaurants to try, traveling to new locales (looking forward to a warm place next!) and spending time with friends and family.

Letitia Spunar Sheats

Letitia (“Tish”) Spunar Sheats began her undergraduate work at Lake Forest College (biology) and completed her degree at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Education). She then worked with the Department of Defense in Europe. She attended John Marshall Law School, where her father also matriculated.

Tish began her career as a prosecutor for the City of Chicago in the Building and Housing court. At that time, Tish recalls she was definitely in the minority as a female attorney-only about 4% of lawyers were women!

She now works at the Women’s Legal Services Center, P.C. doing mostly Family and Probate work, along with Wills and Trusts. She is also a partner at Sheats & Kellog doing general practice work. Tish describes her most rewarding experience as an attorney was assisting her brother with the adoption of her niece and nephew.

Tish is a self-proclaimed “ISBA Bar junkie.” She also enjoys shopping, traveling, shopping, reading socializing with friends, and then, of course, shopping. ■

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Alice Sackett Henrikson is an associate at Turner Law Offices in Sycamore, IL, a firm that specializes in Personal Injury, Workers Compensation and Wrongful Death Claims. Alice was previously an Assistant State’s Attorney in Kane County for 13 years where she specialized in Criminal Law, most recently as the head of the Juvenile Delinquency and Mental Health Divisions. She can be reached at 815-895-2131 or AHenrikson@Rturnerlaw.com