Steven Walker
Chicago,IL
Summary
Persuasive expert analyzes complex legal issues, formulates legal arguments, and provides sound advice on a wide range of topics. Adept at legal research and persuasive legal writing, leveraging resources, and communicating with clients. Thorough understanding of regulations, statutes, and precedents.
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
Work History
Assistant Attorney General
Office Of The Illinois Attorney General
08.2023 - Current
- Handled sensitive information with discretion and professionalism, maintaining confidentiality as required by law and agency policy.
- Managed a diverse caseload while adhering to strict deadlines, effectively prioritizing tasks based on urgency and importance.
- Prepared and filed pleadings, motions, and other legal documents in over 20 court proceedings.
- Researched, wrote, and filed dispositive motions and briefs in federal habeas cases, state habeas cases, and direct and collateral appeals in the Illinois Appellate Court in criminal and quasi-criminal civil cases.
- Reviewed and analyzed pertinent state and federal laws and legal precedents.
Assistant General Counsel — Federal Litigation
The Board of Education of the City of Chicago
09.2022 - 08.2023
- Third-chairing jury trials.
- Drafting and arguing dispositive motions and memoranda (e.g., motions to dismiss, motions for summary judgment, motions for directed verdict, etc.) in federal and state court cases
- Preparing, taking, and defending depositions
- Drafting motions in limine, motions for rule to show cause (i.e., requesting civil contempt findings), responsive motions, reply motions, written discovery, and answers to written discovery
- Defending the District in Title VII, ADA, ADEA, and related statutes before federal and state administrative bodies (e.g., EEOC, IDHR, IHRC), including drafting Position Statements, interviewing witnesses and respondents, and preparing respondents for fact-finding conferences
- Reviewing documents for responsiveness and privilege, creating and maintaining production logs, and propounding discovery
- Conducting legal research and analysis regarding various federal claims, including Section 1983, First Amendment, Title VII, Title IX, ADA, ADEA, and common law tort claims
- Construing and applying Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and Illinois Rules of Civil Procedure
- Negotiated case settlements with opposing counsels.
Assistant State's Attorney — Felony Review
Cook County State's Attorney's Office
10.2020 - 09.2022
- Second-Chairing felony jury trials.
- Arguing motions in limine in felony matters.
- Reviewing cases for felony charge(s) approval in over 100 instances.
- Indicting cases before grand juries and presenting evidence supporting findings of probable cause during hearings before judges.
- First-Chairing over 50+ misdemeanor and traffic bench trials.
- Presenting evidence and argument in 50+ pre-trial motion hearings, trials, post-trial motion hearings, and sentencing hearings.
- Maintained up-to-date knowledge of applicable case law, Federal and State statutes, State and court rules, and regulations via comprehensive legal research utilizing the Lexis search engine.
- Drafting legal memoranda, motions in limine, post-trial motions, briefs, and plea agreements for a high volume (100+ cases) of misdemeanor and traffic caseload.
- Initiating and maintaining communication with victims, victim's families, and third parties regarding prospective case resolutions, sentencing matters, and restitution.
- Drafting case law and statutory instructional diagrams, case law digest materials, and form motions and subpoenas for fellow Assistant State's Attorneys.
Assistant Appellate Defender
Office of the State Appellate Defender
04.2018 - 10.2020
- Achieved a successful summary remand in People v. Kolesnikov, No 126362, 2021 Ill LEXIS 851, (Sep 29, 2021), after filing a petition for leave to appeal arguing the limits of the community care-taking exception. The argument was drafted before the United States Supreme Court's ruling in Caniglia v Strom, 593 US (2021), 141 S. Ct. 1596, 1597 (2021), but mirrored the Court's analysis and conclusions regarding the exception's limits. See People v Kolesnikov, 2020 IL App (2d) 180787.
- Presented 8 oral arguments before the Illinois Appellate Court
- Drafted 50+ opening briefs, responsive briefs, reply briefs, and petitions for leave to appeal to the Illinois Supreme Court articulating complex legal doctrines within strict deadlines
- Reviewed and distilled 40+ voluminous case records (commonly 1000+ pages) involving complex fact patterns concerning (1) State post-conviction appeals at the first, second, and third stages, (2) successive post-conviction appeals, (3) felony matters, (4) misdemeanor matters, and (5) State and Federal constitution, court rule(s), and statutory interpretation issues
- Researched complex legal doctrines, legislative histories, and Federal and State legislative updates using Westlaw
- Assisted or provided guidance to assistant public defenders and assistant appellate defenders concerning matters of statutory, policy, or case law interpretation.
Education
Juris Doctor (J.D.), cum laude -
University of Illinois - College of Law
Champaign, IL05.2016
ABA Paralegal Studies Certificate -
Roosevelt University
Chicago, IL01.2012
Bachelor of Arts - Anthropology And Archaeology
University of Illinois At Chicago
Chicago, IL12.2010
Skills
- Problem-solving skills
- Case Evaluation
- Legal Writing
- Legal Research
- Document Review
- Discovery Management
- Settlement Negotiation
- Oral Advocacy
- Client Counseling
- Negotiation
- Litigation Management
- Statutory interpretation
Admissions
The Southern District of Illinois (2023)
The Central District of Illinois (2023)
The California State Bar (2022)
The Northern District of Illinois (2017)
The Illinois State Bar (2017)
Languages
French
Limited Working
Spanish
Professional Working
Hindi
Limited Working
Timeline
Assistant Attorney General
Office Of The Illinois Attorney General
08.2023 - Current
Assistant General Counsel — Federal Litigation
The Board of Education of the City of Chicago
09.2022 - 08.2023
Assistant State's Attorney — Felony Review
Cook County State's Attorney's Office
10.2020 - 09.2022
Assistant Appellate Defender
Office of the State Appellate Defender
04.2018 - 10.2020
Juris Doctor (J.D.), cum laude -
University of Illinois - College of Law
ABA Paralegal Studies Certificate -
Roosevelt University
Bachelor of Arts - Anthropology And Archaeology
University of Illinois At Chicago
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