Cook County Circuit Court in Illinois

Justice Cynthia Y. Cobbs was appointed by the Supreme Court of Illinois as a justice on the Illinois Appellate Court in January 2015. Prior to her appointment to the appellate court, Justice Cobbs was appointed as a circuit court judge in September 2011.  Early in her legal career, Justice Cobbs served as senior judicial law clerk to Supreme Court (Chief) Justice Charles E. Freeman, the first African American judge to serve on the state’s Supreme Court. Justice Cobbs thus became the first African American to serve as a senior judicial law clerk on the state’s highest court.  In March 2002, Justice Cobbs was appointed Director of the Illinois Courts, becoming the first woman and the first African American appointed by the Supreme Court to serve alongside the Court as its statewide director.  As Director, she developed and hosted Illinois’ first statewide child welfare summit, bringing together national speakers, trial court judges, state’s attorneys, prosecutors and child welfare practitioners, for the purpose of developing strategies to improve outcomes for children in the child welfare system.  “I believe that I can add value to the Supreme Court, having worked as a judge and a law clerk on the Supreme Court and also having run the court, which is the work of the Supreme Court”. Justice Cobbs received her B.A. degree from Morgan State University, Baltimore, Maryland and she holds a Master’s Degree in clinical social work (MSW) from the University of Maryland. A graduate of  IIT-Chicago-Kent College of Law, Justice Cobbs was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1988. Justice Cobbs has received many awards a few include: National Bar Association’s Heman Sweatt Award (2018); Cook County Bar Association – Kenneth E. Wilson Award (2017); Sweet Holy Spirit – Justice of the Year Award (2016); Top Ladies of Distinction Crown Jewel Award (2016); Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Crescent Moon Award (2015).