Robert D. McLaren was born Oct. 1, 1944, in Oak Park. He attended Oak Park and River Forest High School, Monmouth College (B.A., 1966) and Drake University Law School (J.D., 1969). He served as an Assistant and Special Assistant State's Attorney from 1970 to 1977 and practiced law privately from 1977 to 1981. He was appointed an associate judge of the 18th Circuit Court in 1981, became a Circuit Judge in 1984 and was elected an Appellate Judge in 1988. He is a member of the Illinois Judges' Association, the DuPage County Bar Association and the Appellate Lawyers' Association. He is married, and he and his wife, the former Bonnie Janicek, have two children.