The Hon. Thomas E. Nowinski is a judge on the Circuit Court of Cook County in Illinois. He was elected to the bench on November 8, 2022.
Nowinski has held assignments in the Third Municipal District.
Prior to his election, Nowinski was chief of staff of the Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, a position to which he was named in 2020. Before that, he sat as the deputy director of the Cook County Department of Labor Relations.
Nowinski earned a B.S. from DePaul University. He then completed a J.D. at the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law. He was licensed to practice in Illinois (1976).
After graduating from law school, Nowinski began his legal career as an assistant state’s attorney with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. During his tenure there, he held assignments in the Civil Actions Bureau, sitting as the lead attorney in the Shakman litigation to rid government employment of unlawful political discrimination.
His memberships have included the board of Lawyers4Choice and the advisory board of the C.H.I.L.D. Foundation. He has also been involved with the Partnership for the Education and Advancement of Kids.
A resident of Oak Park, Illinois, Nowinski and his wife have two daughters.
He is registered as a Democrat.
| Party Affiliation Democrat | Democrat |
| Current Appointment Circuit Court of Cook County (Third Municipal District), Department Rolling Meadows Courthouse | Circuit Court of Cook County (Third Municipal District), Department Rolling Meadows Courthouse |
| Election/Appointment November 8, 2022 - Circuit Court of Cook County | November 8, 2022 - Circuit Court of Cook County |
|
Education
J.D., University of Illinois Chicago School of Law B.S., DePaul University |
J.D., University of Illinois Chicago School of Law B.S., DePaul University |
| Official Website www.cookcountycourt.org | www.cookcountycourt.org |
| Current Court: | IL - Circuit Court of Cook County (Third Municipal District) |
|---|---|
| Clerk phone: | +1 (847) 818-2287 |
| Role | Employer | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Assistant State's Attorney | Office of the Cook County State's Attorney | Cook County, Illinois |
| Deputy Director | Cook County Department of Labor Relations | Cook County, Illinois |
| Chief of Staff | Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County | Cook County, Illinois |
| Judge | Circuit Court of Cook County | Cook County, Illinois |
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