Bio
Education
- University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois Bachelor of Arts, Psychology
- University of Houston Law School, Houston Texas Juris Doctorate, Law
Bar Admissions
- Supreme Court of Illinois 1987
- General Bar, 1987 and Trial Bar, 1991
- District of Columbia and Court of Appeals, 1988
- Supreme Court of Texas, 1991
- Supreme Court of New York, 1993
- Supreme Court of Arkansas, 2013
- United States District Court in the Northern District of Illinois
- United States Court of Appeals in the 7th Circuit, 1989
Professional Employment
Legal
Office of the Chief Judge
Parentage and Child Support Court, Domestic Relations Division
Court Services Manager and Administrative Judicial Office.
Assisting Director with operational, managerial and administrative duties, maintaining a Minimal Continuing Legal Education Program (MCLE) and presiding over legal actions to establish parentage and child support.
Juvenile Probation Department, Juvenile Justice Division Administrator and Legal Advisor – coordinating collective bargaining matters, reviewing proposed grants and contracts for compliance and legal advisor to the Juvenile Court Director.
Office of the Illinois Secretary of State Legal Advisor – presided over administrative hearing and analyzed legal issues relative to the Illinois Vehicle and Administrative Cross.
Office of the Illinois Attorney General Chief of the Child Advocacy Division – managed the division, coordinated activities of the Forensic Advisory Board, developed programs and reviewed legislation.
Assistant Attorney General – represented state agencies, officials and employees in civil litigation cases involving corporations engaging in unfair and deceptive business practices.
Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Regional Counsel – advised employees and screened children for adoption.
Cook County States Attorney’s Office Assistant State’s Attorney – prosecuted criminal cases and supervised other attorneys as deputy chief and senior jury trial assistant.
Rockford Legal Department Assistant City Attorney – prosecuted city ordinance and state vehicle code violations and litigated municipal corporate matters.
Law Offices Of Joanne Guillemette Solo Practitioner – represented individuals or small corporations in the areas of juvenile, school, criminal, corporate, entertainment and tort law as a licensed attorney in Illinois, Texas, New York and the District of Columbia:
Arbitrator – presided over tort matters at the Cook County Mandatory Arbitration Center.
Nonlegal
Social Worker – investigated child abuse and neglect. Managed family cases, licensed day care and foster homes, conducted adoptive home studies.
Teacher – educated children in nursery and elementary schools.
Professional Associations (past/present membership)
- American Bar Association
- Black Women Lawyers Association
- Chicago Bar Association
- Cook County Bar Association
- Illinois State Bar Association
- Women’s Bar Association of Illinois – Treasurer
Civic Activities (past/present membership)
- Church of Christ
- Illinois Task Force on Violence
- League of Women Voters
- Women in Democratic Politics
- Illinois Women in Government
- National Council of Negro Women – First Vice Chair
- NAACP – Legal Redress Person
- Rainbow Push Coalition
- Winnebago County Sheriff’s Merit Commissioner
- Winnebago County Democratic Party Treasurer
- City of Rockford Elected Precinct Commiteeman
- Elected Delegate for United States Presidential Candidate
- Appointed State Deputy Counsel for Presidential Candidate
- Affiliation with the 27th Ward Regular Democratic Organization
- Outreach to prisons, schools, and churches as speaker on domestic violence and the criminal court system
- Pro bono legal services
- Donor of college scholarships
Personal
Currently resides in the historic Bronzeville/ Hyde Park area of Chicago with family.