November 29, 2017

The Illinois Supreme Court has appointed Peter Michael Gonzalez as a Circuit Judge of Cook County, at Large, to fill a vacancy created by the retirement of Circuit Judge Lynn M. Egan. The appointment is effective November 27, 2017 and goes through December 3, 2018.

Gonzalez has worked as a criminal defense attorney at the Law Offices of Michael Gonzalez for the last 14 years, handling 10 jury trials and over 500 bench trials in that time. Prior to entering private practice, Gonzalez served as an Assistant Public Defender in the Cook County Public Defender's Office from 1994 to 2003. Additionally, Gonazlez served as an Administrative Law Judge with the Illinois Department of Employment Security from 2003 to 2012 on an intermediate basis, presiding over 9000 unemployment benefit hearings in that capacity.

Gonzalez is the President of the 14th Ward Volunteer Legal Clinic and a board member with the Illinois Association of Judges Foundation, Lawyers Auxiliary Committee. He formerly served on the Judicial Evaluation Committee for the Women's Bar Association of Illinois and the Puerto Rican Bar Association of Illinois.

Gonzalez earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan and his juris doctor from the Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago-Kent School of Law.