Justice Walker is a native Chicagoan, and he is admitted to the practice of law in both Illinois and Iowa. He engaged in a busy practice of law for 14 years prior to being appointed to the Circuit Court of Cook County. His law practice included both criminal and civil litigation. He has served as a Judge in Domestic Violence, Criminal Misdemeanors, Felony Preliminary Hearings, Evictions, Juvenile Court, and the Law Division hearing cases on administrative review, eminent domain, confessions of judgment, post judgment, replevin, detinue, and other extraordinary remedies. He also served as the Supervising Judge of the Surety Section until the Illinois Supreme Court elevated him to the Illinois Appellate Court where he has served since June 2018.

Justice Walker matriculated through the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. After earning an undergraduate degree in Accounting, he became a Certified Public Accountant. Subsequently, he attended The University of Iowa College of Law, where he served on the Iowa Law Review. Justice Walker’s efforts to make the atmosphere more hospitable to students of all backgrounds made him a recipient of the law school’s prestigious Human Rights Award.

Justice Walker has been admitted into the Distinguished Service Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. because of his extraordinary service to the fraternity and the community at large. His community service includes preparing eighth-grade students to pass the Algebra Exit Exam, tutor for the Upward Bound Program, a Junior Achievement volunteer, coordinator of the Positive Force Youth Foundation mentor program, coach of AAU and biddy basketball, mentor for the Shell Youth Program, the vice chairperson of the Local School Council, member of the Rainbow Push Coalition, 16th Ward Task Force, an advisor to the First Offenders Program of the Englewood community, along with many other community activities. He is a past president of the Illinois Judicial Council and board member of the Illinois Judges Association. Justice Walker previously served as a long-time board member and treasurer of the Cook County Bar Association and as treasurer of the Cook County Bar Foundation.

Justice Walker has been extremely active in the judiciary by serving as a member of the Illinois Judicial Conference, Liaison to the Commission on Professionalism, Committee on Judicial Education, Diversity & Inclusion Workgroup, Committee on Pattern Jury Instruction-Criminal, Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee, Legislative Committee, Judicial Ethics Committee, Juvenile Courts Committee, Disparate Impact Workgroup, Appellate Court Rules Committee, and Elder Law Committee. Justice Walker has also served as a faculty member of the Illinois Judicial College since 2010. He has lectured for the Judicial Council of the National Bar Association and been a panelist for the Joint Federal/State Judicial Conference.

Justice Walker has four talented children and was featured in the Daily Law Bulletin as a Judge who “applies restraint in the use of his power.”