"One of my strongest assets is that I can be trusted, without a doubt, to follow the law and protect the citizens of Cook County, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation. My goal is to use my values of integrity, improvement, and impartiality to secure justice for Cook County’s citizens. In fact, during my last two decades, as a private practice attorney, I have worked tirelessly to ensure that Cook County’s residents receive the rights and freedoms they are entitled to as American citizens."
- MABLE TAYLOR
Q&A WITH MABLE
WHY SHOULD VOTERS SUPPORT YOUR CANDIDACY?
I believe that voters should support my candidacy for Cook County Judge, not solely because of my advanced education, diverse legal experience, or deep understanding and respect for the law, rather I believe they should support my quest to become Judge because of my strong sense of justice and fairness and my rational, non-bias view of the world. One of my strongest assets is that I can be trusted, without a doubt, to follow the law and protect the citizens of Cook County, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation. My goal is to use my values of integrity, improvement, and impartiality to secure justice for Cook County’s citizens. In fact, during my last two decades, as a private practice attorney, I have worked tirelessly to ensure that Cook County’s residents receive the rights and freedoms they are entitled to as American citizens.
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WHAT QUALITIES DO YOU PLAN TO BRING TO THE BENCH?
Aside from my 40 years of legal experience, 25 of which have been in private practice, 20 of which have been as an Arbitrator and Adjunct professor, the judicial qualities that I would bring to the bench include: a sound intellect, a tolerance that comes from maturity and diverse experiences, a keen analytical ability, fairness, patience, impartiality, the ability to make wise decisions, exemplary organizational skills, sensitivity to the needs of others, a caring demeanor, and the ability to actively listen. I possess both a wisdom and “balance,” which I believe are qualities that are essential for an effective judge. In addition, my personal experiences as a parent, daughter, community participant, congregational member, friend, and advocate have given me the patience and understanding needed to listen to, and really understand and appreciate the challenges that people face.
WHAT IS YOUR LEGAL EXPERIENCE?
I have over 40 years of civil and criminal legal experience, including 25 years in private practice, 20 years as an Arbitrator for the Cook County Mandatory Arbitration Program, 6 years as a Law Editor at a well-respected publishing house, and 13 years as an Adjunct Professor and Volunteer Attorney. I have also worked on several community boards and participated in several non-profit organizations. In addition, I have spent numerous years championing civil rights causes, including equal rights for members of the LGBT community and justice for all, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. Moreover, I have a vast experience working alone and in a team environment with other attorneys.
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WHAT WOULD YOU CONSIDER YOUR GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT?
Although I have several career accomplishments that I am proud of, the cases that stand out in my mind are the ones, in which I have made a difference in the lives of my clients and the ones, in which my advocacy and sheer passion for justice has resulted in exonerations. However, if I had to choose my greatest career accomplishment it would be the time I defended the 15-year-old boy mentioned above. My courtroom advocacy, in which I requested leniency for this first-time offender, a high school athlete with several college scholarships pending, helped my client avoid a sentence that would have cost him the scholarships and ultimately destroyed his life. Thankfully, the judge accepted my request, stating that he preferred to see this student in college, rather than on the street. As a result, the judge offered my client supervision, instead of prison time.
WHAT WAS THE MOST INTERESTING CASE YOU HANDLED AS A LAWYER?
The most interesting case I’ve handled, as a lawyer is the Crane High School murder case, involving a 15-year-old boy, who had been charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of an 18-year-old male. The victim was gunned down outside of Crane High School. I represented the defendant, a 15-year-old boy with no prior record. This case highlighted the ever-increasing violence and gang activity that is slowly destroying Cook County’s youth.
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WHAT ARE YOUR HOBBIES?
In my spare time, I enjoy photography, karate, sewing, cooking, and interior decorating.