CBA Record July-August 2026

Leadership Profiles

The Steady Hand of Illinois’ Newest Supreme Court Justice, Sanjay T. Tailor By Judge Jasmine Villaflor Hernandez

J ustice Sanjay T. Tailor was sworn in as the newest member of the Illinois Supreme Court in January 2026. Being the first Asian American in that position, he commented, is both “hum bling and a privilege.” This is especially true because, as he noted, “35 years ago there was not a single Asian judge in the State of Illinois.” His ascent to the state’s top court is the culmination of decades of hard work, passion for the law and com munity, and his never-ending quest to increase access to justice. Background His academic and professional achieve ments include private practice, corpo rate work, and public service. He earned his BA in biological sciences from the University of Delaware, but rather than pursue a career in a science-related field to appease family, he followed his desire to advocate. He graduated cum laude from Loyola University Chicago School of Law and began his legal career in the private sector at Chapman and Cutler LLP. This was followed by an in-house position as a senior attorney at First National Bank of Chicago. He later moved to the public sector to serve as an Assistant State’s Attorney in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office Civil Actions Bureau, where he advanced to Deputy Supervisor of the Torts and Civil Rights Litigation Section. Justice Tailor’s path to the judiciary began when he was elected Associate Judge in 2003. He was appointed as a Circuit Judge in 2021, and in 2022 was elected to serve as a justice on the Illi nois Appellate Court. In his decades-long career on the bench, he has presided over cases in a variety of divisions, including First Municipal, Domestic Relations, Chancery, Law, and County.

Make the call and then stick by it, but be open to taking another look.

Law & Community Keen to share his passion for the law and advocacy, Justice Tailor has regularly dedicated time to educational endeavors aimed at law students, members of the judiciary, and the general public. For instance, he taught Illinois civil proce dure as an Adjunct Professor at Loyola University Chicago School of Law for two decades. He has also seized opportunities to share his experience and knowledge with attorneys and judges by routinely addressing members of local and national bar associations. He previously served on the Illinois Supreme Court’s Judicial Education Committee. As past president of the Asian American Judges Associa tion of Illinois, Justice Tailor emphasized the importance of being present in class rooms too, to show young students all the possibilities that lay before them. At the judicial level, he is a board trustee of the Illinois Judicial College. Despite his extensive experience within the court system, Justice Tailor com mented that the scope and breadth of the Supreme Court’s administrative remit has surprised him. In addition to hearing cases, his responsibilities also include oversee ing Supreme Court committees as well as addressing the needs of court systems that service the 100-plus counties in Illinois. “Illinois is so diverse in so many ways, so it is easy to overlook everything happening behind the scenes,” he observed. He believes that the third branch of government is the least understood.

Indeed, because a great deal of work is done in silos, it is difficult to quantify, share, and appreciate the extent and quality of work done throughout the court system. With his new perspective, Justice Tailor looks forward to showcas ing everything at the heart of the Illinois court system: passionate jurists dedicated to the law; teams who work tirelessly to create, lead, and support committees that address court needs and judicial education throughout the state; and innovative pro gramming to increase access to the law. Access to Justice Increasing access to justice is one key to how the Supreme Court justices aim to expand public confidence in the judicial branch. This encompasses more access to legal services as well as education. In March 2026, Justice Tailor attended his first “Riding the Circuit” session at West ern Illinois University—a tradition that brings the court into the community. The strong turnout and the attendees’ over whelmingly positive response impressed him. University students and community members alike filled the venue to listen to oral arguments in two cases and observe court practices and procedures. As he described it, “We brought the court to the people. It is important to get viewpoints from different places.” This program gave

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