In this episode, Chrissie White meets with Judge Julio Valdez to discuss the ways Atticus Finch sets a precedent for being an incredibly humble, wise, and effective attorney. Judge Valdez grew up in the same community where he now serves as a Circuit Judge in Kane County. He speaks openly about his career as a lawyer, his values as a judge, and what he hopes to convey to the attorneys and self-represented litigants who appear before him in court.
Born in Guanajuato, México, Judge Valdez and his family moved to Elgin, Illinois, when he was a child. He graduated from Larkin High School and then went on to study political science and public administration at Augustana College. His law degree is from the University of Iowa. He practiced law in Elgin for twenty years, the last ten as a solo practitioner offering services in criminal, family and real estate law. He was appointed as an associate judge in 2019 and then as a circuit judge in 2022.
Music by Blissful Thinking by Sounds Like Sander
