Schoop appointed At-large Cook County Circuit Judge
Justice Mary Jane Theis and the Illinois Supreme Court have announced the appointment of Chicago attorney Devlin Joseph Schoop as an at-large Cook County Circuit Judge.
Mr. Schoop was appointed by the Court to fill the vacancy created by Judge Themis N. Karnezis, who is retiring on July 31, 2015. The appointment takes effect August 10, 2015 and will terminate on Dec. 5, 2016, when the position is filled by the 2016 General Election.
Justice Theis recommended Mr. Schoop's appointment to the Supreme Court after candidates were reviewed by bar associations and a special judicial screening committee. Mr. Schoop received qualified or recommended ratings from a dozen bar groups, including a "well qualified" rating from the Chicago Council of Lawyers.
Justice Theis' screening committee is made up of 15 persons, both lawyers and non-lawyers. The committee is co-chaired by retired U.S. District Court Judge Wayne R. Andersen and retired Illinois Appellate Court Justice Michael J. Gallagher.
"I want to thank Justice Theis and the Supreme Court for appointing me to serve as a Circuit Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County," Mr. Schoop said. "This has been a humbling experience. I will work hard to provide fair and equal justice under the law, and to treat everyone with respect and dignity. Thank you for this opportunity to serve."
Mr. Schoop, a graduate of Whitney Young Magnet High School in Chicago, earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 1994. He received his Juris Doctor degree in 1997 from University of Illinois College of Law.
After law school, Mr. Schoop served as a law clerk to Judge Blanche M. Manning of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Following his clerkship, he joined the law firm of Wildman Harrold in Chicago where he specialized in complex commercial, employment and civil rights litigation.
In 2003, Mr. Schoop joined the Chicago law firm of Laner Muchin, Ltd., where he currently is a partner and focuses his practice on employment discrimination and other matters.
The Supreme Court appointed Mr. Schoop to serve on the Hearing Board of the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission in 2008 and reappointed him for six consecutive years. He has served as chair for a panel of the ARDC Hearing Board since 2011.
Throughout his legal career, Mr. Schoop has been active in pro bono and civic matters. He has been a volunteer attorney for the Cook County Bar Association Criminal Expungement Project and the Center for Disability and Elder Law, among others.
Mr. Schoop has also sat on the boards of the Center for Conflict Resolution and the Cy Pres Award Committee for the Chicago Bar Foundation, as well as on the associate board of the Jane Addams Hull House Association. He currently serves as his firm's vice chair for the Chicago Bar Foundation's annual campaign to support legal aid providers.
In addition, Mr. Schoop is an immediate past member of the Board of Managers of the Chicago Bar Association and is a member of the Cook County Bar Association and the Illinois State Bar Association, as well as a life fellow of the Chicago Bar Foundation.
He has been recognized by several professional and civic organizations. Mr. Schoop is an Eagle Scout and among his honors are several awards from the Chicago Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America; the President's Award from the Cook County Bar Association; the Excellence in Pro Bono Service Award from the U.S. Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the Federal Bar Association; the Distinguished Alumni Service Award from the Black Law Students Association; and the James A. Seaberry Award for Excellence in the Profession from the University of Illinois College of Law.
Mr. Schoop, 43, was born and resides in Chicago with his wife, Lynda. He has run multiple marathons, including the Chicago and New York marathons, and has participated in other running events to raise money for local charities.