This is a list of the first minority male lawyer(s) and judge(s) in
Illinois. It includes the year in which the men were admitted to practice law (in parentheses). Also included are other distinctions such as the first minority men in their state to graduate from law school or become a political figure.
Firsts in state history
Lawyers
Lloyd Garrison Wheeler (1869):[1][2] First African American male admitted to the Illinois State Bar. However, he relocated soon after to Arkansas.
Antonio Rosas Sarabia (1950):[3] First Mexican American male lawyer in Illinois
Theodore "Ted" Burtzos:[4] First deaf male lawyer to argue a case before a jury in Illinois
State judges
Albert B. George:[5][6] First African American male judge in Illinois (1924)
James K. Chelos:[7][8][9] First Greek American male judge in Illinois (1952)
David Cerda:[10] First Latino American male judge in Illinois (1965) and serve on the
Illinois Appellate Court (1989)
George N. Leighton (1947):[11][12] First African American male to serve on the First District Appellate Court in Illinois (1969)
F. Keith Brown (1981):[16][17] First African American male judge to serve as a Chief Judge in the Sixteenth Judicial District Court (Kane County, Illinois; 1991)
Vincent Cornelius:[50] First African American male to serve as the Illinois State Bar Association (2016)
Firsts in local history
K. Patrick Yarbrough:[51] First African American male judge in Boone and Winnebago Counties, Illinois (2008)
Chester Blair:[52] First African American male to serve as the President of the Chicago Bar Association [Cook and DuPage Counties, Illinois]
René A. Torrado, Jr.:[53] First Latino American male to serve as the President of the Chicago Bar Association (1995) [Cook and DuPage Counties, Illinois]
Moses Suarez:[54] First Latino American male to serve as President of the Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago (2019) [Cook and DuPage Counties, Illinois]
^"ILLINOIS LEGISLATURE WILL BE ASKED TO HONOR PIONEERING BLACK LAWYER IN ST. CLAIR COUNTY". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The Associated Press. 3 January 2003. p. B.2.
ProQuest402201801.
This is a list of the first minority male lawyer(s) and judge(s) in
Illinois. It includes the year in which the men were admitted to practice law (in parentheses). Also included are other distinctions such as the first minority men in their state to graduate from law school or become a political figure.
Firsts in state history
Lawyers
Lloyd Garrison Wheeler (1869):[1][2] First African American male admitted to the Illinois State Bar. However, he relocated soon after to Arkansas.
Antonio Rosas Sarabia (1950):[3] First Mexican American male lawyer in Illinois
Theodore "Ted" Burtzos:[4] First deaf male lawyer to argue a case before a jury in Illinois
State judges
Albert B. George:[5][6] First African American male judge in Illinois (1924)
James K. Chelos:[7][8][9] First Greek American male judge in Illinois (1952)
David Cerda:[10] First Latino American male judge in Illinois (1965) and serve on the
Illinois Appellate Court (1989)
George N. Leighton (1947):[11][12] First African American male to serve on the First District Appellate Court in Illinois (1969)
F. Keith Brown (1981):[16][17] First African American male judge to serve as a Chief Judge in the Sixteenth Judicial District Court (Kane County, Illinois; 1991)
Vincent Cornelius:[50] First African American male to serve as the Illinois State Bar Association (2016)
Firsts in local history
K. Patrick Yarbrough:[51] First African American male judge in Boone and Winnebago Counties, Illinois (2008)
Chester Blair:[52] First African American male to serve as the President of the Chicago Bar Association [Cook and DuPage Counties, Illinois]
René A. Torrado, Jr.:[53] First Latino American male to serve as the President of the Chicago Bar Association (1995) [Cook and DuPage Counties, Illinois]
Moses Suarez:[54] First Latino American male to serve as President of the Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago (2019) [Cook and DuPage Counties, Illinois]
^"ILLINOIS LEGISLATURE WILL BE ASKED TO HONOR PIONEERING BLACK LAWYER IN ST. CLAIR COUNTY". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The Associated Press. 3 January 2003. p. B.2.
ProQuest402201801.