The Hon. Andrea M. Buford is a Circuit Judge for the Illinois Circuit Court of Cook County. She was appointed to the bench by the Illinois Supreme Court in 2013, filling a vacancy created by the retirement of the Hon. Pamela Hill-Veal. Judge Buford is currently assigned to the Child Protection Division (Calendar 4D).
Buford earned a B.S.in Speech from Northwestern University in 1978. She completed her J.D. at the Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago-Kent College of Law, in 1986 and was admitted to the Illinois Bar the same year. She worked as the Chief of Dental Investigations for the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation from 1975 to 1987.
In 1987, Buford went into private practice. She first worked as a partner at Jones, Ware & Grenard, specializing in civil defense litigation, then as a named partner at Buford Peters Ware & Zanzitis. In 2001, she became a managing member of the Buford Law Office, where she worked until her appointment to the bench. While at Buford Law, she also served as a Special Assistant Attorney General, a Special Assistant Corporation counsel, and a Federal Foreclosure Commissioner.
During her tenure in private practice, Buford served as a Hearing Officer for the Illinois Department of Human Services from 2007 to 2009 and the Illinois State Board of Education from 2009 to 2013. She also served as a Commissioner for the Illinois Court of Claims from 2007 to 2013 and as an Arbitrator for the Cook County Circuit Court from1998 to 2013.
Her memberships have included the Cook County Bar Association Foundation and the Cook County Bar Association.
She is a registered Democrat.