2025 BLACK HISTORY MONTH SPOTLIGHT:

HON. LEVANDER SMITH, JR.

The Illinois Supreme Court appointed Judge Smith to the bench in 2019. Prior to his appointment, Judge Smith was a licensed, practicing attorney for 26 years. Most of that time has been dedicated to public service through state and county governments in child protection law, with some practice in juvenile justice, domestic relations, and workers’ compensation.

In addition to being a circuit judge in the Child Protection Division of the Cook County Juvenile Court since 2020, Judge Smith volunteers to hear Benchmark cases with youth who have a permanency goal of Independence. Judge Smith previously served two years on the Illinois Supreme Court Committee on Justice and Mental Health Planning and has continued to serve on the Illinois Supreme Court’s Committee for Juvenile Court since 2022. Additionally, Judge Smith serves on the Judicial Subcommittee on the SAFE Model Implementation by the Illinois Department of Children & Family Services (to help wards of the court return home sooner). Moreover, Judge Smith will serve as faculty at the 2026 Education Conference for Judges. Judge Smith continues to volunteer with Operation PUSH Oratorical Coaching for elementary and high school students and has also volunteered as a guest presenter in law school classes on child protection law and as a guest panelist at DePaul College of Law’s Family Law Center Symposium. He also served on the Empire (national) mock trial, as well as a local (South Suburban) high school mock trial, and volunteered as a speaker at a high school during Law Week.

Judge Smith is a member of the Cook County Bar Association, LAGBAC – Chicago’s LGBTQ+ Bar Association, the Chicago Bar Association, the National Bar Association, including its Judicial and LGBTQ+ committees, the Illinois Judicial Council, the Association of Illinois Judges, and the Illinois Judicial Association.