CBA Record July-August 2025

Judge Patton welcomed attendees to the CBA’s 2025 Law Day Celebration.

Judge Patton served as Co-Chair of the CBA’s 150 Anniversary Celebration. Pictured with Gina Crumble and Judge Maryam Ahmad.

right place for her. “It’s such an enjoyable time for me because I love working with people,” she said. “I love working with the attorneys. I love meeting new people, dealing with new cases. I always wanted to appear in front of a knowledgeable judge, but yet a nice judge. A judge there greeting with a smile. I feel like I am that judge.” CBA Involvement Judge Patton’s first involvement in the CBA came as an Assistant State’s Attor ney. Her initial motivation to get involved was the availability of CLE credits. Then Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alverez, herself a former CBA President, obtained CLE-Advantage membership for the ASAs in the office, which allowed Judge Patton to get her required CLE without having to travel from the Loop where she worked to the Leighton Crimi nal Courthouse at 26th and California. It did not take long, though, before Judge Patton was roped into service by one of her nominal adversaries in the courtroom: Mark Epstein of Epstein Law. “I first met Judge Patton when she was an ASA at the Seniors and Disabled Persons’ mental health law unit,” Epstein

remembers. “Her responsibilities were to ‘prosecute’ petitions for involuntary psy chiatric admission and involuntary treat ment. I cannot think of an area of the law that is fraught with more controversy, passion, and fear, yet that holds open the possibility of turning around someone’s life for good. It takes a rare legal talent to address these cases with the sensitivity, compassion, and skill they deserve. Nich ole was one of those legal talents.” Judge Patton recalls hearing about the Mental Health Committee from Epstein and teasing him about the lack of pros ecutor involvement in the committee’s leadership. The next thing she knew, she was asked to help lead the committee. “[Epstein] called me on the carpet,” Judge Patton said. “He called my bluff. Behind me, another prosecutor was the Co-Chair, and that’s when we found the seat at the table.” Serving alongside Judge Patton, Epstein, himself a former CBA Board of Managers Member, envisioned a larger leadership role for her: “I could see then, with our work together as colleagues in mental health cases, and our work for the CBA Mental Health Law Committee, that Nichole had everything needed to

become a superb leader, be it as a Jurist or leader of the CBA.” Her committee service continued during the CBA’s 150th Anniversary, when she served as Co-Chair of the 150th Anniversary Committee, responsible for the CBA’s special programing during that momentous milestone. Judge Patton was asked to help lead the 150th Anniversary Committee by Past CBA President E. Lynn Grayson. “Plan ning for the CBA’s 150th anniversary cel ebration was a heavy lift. Getting the right people was a big priority,” Grayson said. “Judge Patton was very kind and helpful in sharing insights from other organiza tions she had worked with on similar celebrations. I immediately thought that combining the energy and talent of Judge Patton with the knowledge and unique CBA insights of retired CBA Executive Director Terry Murphy was the best pos sible ‘dream team.’ They proved to be the perfect duo!” Grayson attributes a big part of the success of the 150th anniversary celebra tion to Judge Patton’s unique qualities. “She has a natural magnetism that ener gizes people around her. While respecting traditions, she is a creative thinker who I

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