CBA Record January-February 2023

Cook County Commissioner Larry Suffredin: “ Creating a Working County Government that the People Are Proud Of” By Judge E. Kenneth Wright, Jr., CBA Record Editorial Board Member

F or 20 years, Cook County Com missioner Larry Suffredin has served the citizens of Cook County. Throughout his career, he has worked to protect the rights and interests of Cook County residents and to improve local government. As an assistant public defender, and later, as a Cook County Commissioner, he has devoted his career to public service. Suffredin demonstrated a strong sense of civic duty from an early age. After earning his bachelor’s degree from Loyola University Chicago and graduat ing from Georgetown Law, he joined the United States Air Force. He worked at the United States Department of Justice while he earned his J.D. Suffredin returned to Illinois and brought his skills and knowledge to the Cook County Public Defender’s Office. Office leaders tapped him to help develop the murder task force concept. He recalls this time fondly, saying “I had the time of my life.” In this role, he tried cases before 32 juries in two and a half years. During one trial, a lawyer approached Suffredin after observing him during oral argu ment. The attorney spoke to him about becoming a lobbyist and eventually hired him for a client in Springfield. Suffredin continued his lobbying activities; in 1984 he was hired to represent The Chicago Bar Association and began serving as the CBA’s Legislative Counsel. At the time, almost half of the mem bers in the General Assembly were law yers. General Assembly members have always sought out the CBA’s input on matters because they knew whatever they passed would impact Illinois citizens and wanted to make sure that whatever they passed was consistent with the law. Suf

fredin adapted his style to his audience in his goal to be the most effective legis lative counsel in CBA history. He notes that now there are more non-lawyers in the general assembly and says that this change has altered his approach over the years. “The biggest challenge we have as lawyers is talking to non-lawyers so that they understand the nuances of the law. Everyone has a duty to be fair and listen to both sides.” Suffredin both lobbied and continued to try cases up until the 1990s. Eventually, he focused solely on lobbying. In the late 1980s, Illinois was con sidering opening and operating casinos. Suffredin was called upon to review and improve bills related to this endeavor. After legislation passed, he represented three of the first five licensees in Illinois. Soon thereafter, leaders in Michigan and Missouri sought him out to write gaming laws in their states. Initially in Illinois and Missouri, Commissioner Suffredin focused on riverboat casinos. In Michi gan, he focused on land-based casinos. Regardless of the forum, he ensured that lenders and bankers complied with the new laws. In 2002, he was elected as Cook County and Forest Preserve District of Cook County Commissioner for the 13th district. The district includes about 340,000 constituents across the following municipalities: Rogers Park, Evanston, Niles, Skokie, Wilmette, Kenilworth, part of Glenview, and New Trier Town ship. He was re-elected four times – 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2018 – and has served as Chairman of the Cook County Board’s Legislation & Intergovernmental Rela tions Committee and Rules Committee, as well as Chairman of the Forest Pre serve District of Cook County’s Botanic

Garden Committee. The Cook County Board of Commis sioners is the governing board and legisla tive body of Cook County. Comprised of 17 commissioners, the Board represents over five million people and has an almost $9 billion budget. Suffredin notes that at times it was challenging to get anything done because any change required at least nine votes. However, he was more than up to the task. During his tenure, he sponsored ordinances and resolutions that – among many other things – created an independent health and hospital board, gave Cook County an assault weapons ban, raised the minimum wage, and cre ated an eviction and mortgage foreclosure court protocol to protect people’s homes. “It’s a question of sitting down and under standing what the needs of the people of the county and their districts are.” As Forest Preserve commissioner, he spon sored ordinances and resolutions such as the recently passed tax referendum and a measure requiring children to wear bike helmets. During his 20 years of service, Suf fredin has relentlessly sought out and created opportunities to improve how Cook County functions. In addition to being Of Counsel at Taft, Stettinius and Hollister, he is retiring from the role of Commissioner, but not from service. He currently serves on the Supreme Court’s Judicial Conference and has been involved with gun control groups. He intends to continue his work with The Chicago Bar Foundation and its executive director Bob Glaves on gun safety issues. Suffredin will continue his legacy of creat ing a working government that the people are proud of.

10 January/February 2023