24 Attorneys Apply For Lake County Judge Vacancy

WAUKEGAN, IL — Two dozen lawyers, including a Lake Forest resident, have applied to fill a seat on the 19th Judicial Circuit next month, Lake County Chief Judge Jay Ukena announced Wednesday. The vacancy was created by the retirement of Associate Judge Margaret Marcouller, who steps down Dec. 14.

The public and Lake County lawyers are being asked to comment on the 24 people who want the $192,311-a-year job before judges decide on finalists and vote on who should replace Marcouller in the post.

Circuit judges will conduct interviews with the applicants over the coming weeks. Attorneys on a Lake County Bar Association committee will evaluate their qualifications and conduct a poll of its membership. Members of the public interested in providing information about the applicants may submit written comment until Dec. 18.

The 24 applicants for Marcouller's seat include five prosecutors for Lake County and one for the federal government, a Cook County public defender, and solo practitioners and lawyers with various firms. Several applicants were among those who applied for two vacancies earlier this year.

• Jeffrey A. Berman of Buffalo Grove, counsel at Anderson and Wanca
• James C. Bertucci of Libertyville, partner at Bertucci & Bertucci
• Patricia L. Cornell of Old Mill Creek, partner at Cornell Anderson LLC
• Lisa L. Dunn of Deerfield, partner at Massucci, Blomquist, Anderson & Dunn
• Joann M. Fratianni-Atsaves of Lake Forest, Chair of the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission
• Deborah L. Goldberg of Highland Park, partner at Goldberg & Kane
• Bolling W. Haxall, III of Barrington, Assistant United States Attorney
• Christopher M. Kennedy of Libertyville, Office of the Special Deputy Receiver
• Ryan P. Koehl of Waukegan, Assistant Lake County State’s Attorney
• Kenneth W. LaRue of Waukegan, Assistant Lake County State’s Attorney
• Daniel Naranjo of Barrington, Assistant Cook County Public Defender
• James R.M. Newman of Lake Villa, Assistant Lake County State’s Attorney
• Danielle M. Pascucci of Long Grove, Assistant Lake County State’s Attorney
• Michael J. Perillo of Grayslake, partner at Noonan, Perillo & Thut
• Donald R. Tyer of Long Grove, Assistant Lake County State’s Attorney

Nine of the applications have their own practices:

• Robert O. Ackley of Round Lake
• David J. Axelrod of Highland Park
• Nandia P. Black of Kildeer
• Rhonda K. Bruno of Mundelein
• Michael J. Conway of Lake Villa
• Roderick A. Drobinski of Wauconda
• John L. Joanem of Wadsworth
• Gretchen A. Neddenriep of Gurnee
• Charvis R. Walker of Antioch

A nominating committee of circuit court judges will select two candidates as finalists. All circuit judges will then vote on which of the finalists should join them on the Lake County bench. It includes 15 circuit court judges, who serve six-year elected terms, and 24 associate judges appointed to four-year terms by the elected judges. Retention requires support of 60 percent of the vote, either from circuit judges or the public.

Written comment from the public on the applicants should be addressed to: The Office of the Chief Judge, Lake County Courthouse, 18 N. County Street, Waukegan, IL 60085.