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Career Overview
During a long career dedicated to public service, Mary S. Trew has had a leading role in providing legal services to the poor in Cook County. As the Executive Director of Domestic Violence Legal Clinic, she helped create one of the nation's first on-site Civil Court Clinics for Orders of Protection in the new Cook County Domestic Violence Courthouse. In addition to supervising, managing and training staff, she implemented the clinical program in concert with the court system. A tireless advocate for justice, Ms. Trew has represented countless victims of domestic violence in a variety of family law matters. Indeed, "equal access for equal justice" has been her mantra since becoming a lawyer.
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Origins
Although Ms. Trew is originally from Michigan, her family's connections to Chicago precede her birth. Her father, James Trew, was a professional baseball player and player/manager who originally signed with the Chicago White Sox, briefly playing on their major league team early in his career. He later played and managed teams for the Chicago Cubs organization from 1946 to 1954. Judge Trew resides in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood with her spouse, Lisa, a Chicago Public School teacher.
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Education
Ms. Trew is a 1981 graduate of Michigan State University College of Law and a member of numerous bar associations, committees, and task forces. In order to help train the next generation of advocates for the poor, Ms. Trew was appointed as an adjunct professor of law at John Marshall Law School in 2008.
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A Career In The Making
Ms. Trew began her legal practice as a public defender in Detroit, Michigan, before relocating to Chicago in 1991. In 2008, Ms. Trew was appointed by Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans to the Circuit Court of Cook County Committee on Domestic Violence Court. Among many changes, this committee recommended to the Chief Judge that a new division be created. As a result, on April 19, 2010, Judge Evans signed a General Order creating the Domestic Violence Division of Cook County Circuit Court.
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Recent Accomplishments
On November 22, 2010, a long time dream was realized when Ms. Trew was appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court to the James R. Epstein 9th Subcircuit Vacancy. Prior to appointment she was vetted by Justice Anne Burke's blue ribbon committee, receiving its highest rating of "Well Qualified." The Chicago Bar Association as well as all 10 members of the Judicial Evaluation Alliance issued 100% positive ratings.
