Hon. Patricia O’Brien Sheahan is our Latest Featured Speaker!

Our latest featured speaker is the Honorable Patricia O’Brien Sheahan, a Circuit Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County, IL!

Illinois Circuit Court Judge Patricia O’Brien Sheahan is speaking at our upcoming 14th Annual Circuit Court Boot Camp: The Nuts and Bolts program on December 10 & 12, 2024. The comprehensive program covers a wide range of topics, including effective complaint and answer strategies, deposition and discovery techniques, navigating case management conferences, honing motion writing skills and heading up to trial. Led by experienced Circuit Court Judges, and accomplished attorneys from a variety of backgrounds, including both large and small firms, this program offers an insider’s perspective on litigating in Illinois Circuit Court, along with invaluable general litigation skills.

Attendees have found this program helpful year after year. Judge Sheahan has previously taught at our Annual Circuit Court Boot Camps in 2020 and 2021, and our attendees really appreciated her insight and advice.

Judge Sheahan will be teaching on December 10th. You can see the detailed agenda and the rest of the program, and sign up to watch it live or purchase OnDemand Streaming or a recorded package download here.

Judge Sheahan is a Cook County Circuit Court judge, currently assigned to Law Division, Motions Section, Calendar D, in Courtroom 2207 of the Daley Center. She oversees a call of approximately 1,300 Law Division cases, which include medical malpractice, motor vehicle accidents, products liability, defamation/libel, premises liability and other general torts.  She previously covered civil non-jury and jury trial courtrooms and a civil jury motion call, as well as the post-judgment and miscellaneous remedies call in the First Municipal District. Judge Sheahan serves on the Board of Directors of the Illinois Judges Association and serves as a Topic Editor of the Illinois Judicial Benchbook on Civil Law and Procedure.

Prior to her election in 2014, Judge Sheahan served as Associate General Counsel of the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC), now known as the Shirley Ryan Ability Lab.  In this capacity, she oversaw all litigation and claims, including case investigations, pre-trial discovery and settlement negotiations. Additionally, she handled and defended all employment/labor matters and claims before the EEOC, the NLRB and the IDHR, including fact conferences, mediations and evidentiary hearings. She also represented RIC in a wide variety of other complex disputes ranging from contractual, insurance coverage and probate matters.

Before joining RIC, Judge Sheahan worked as an attorney at Baker McKenzie in its litigation practice group.  She gained extensive federal and state court experience in a wide range of complex civil litigation matters, including medical malpractice, employment, products liability, and class action suits. She also represented clients at the appellate level, including the Illinois Supreme Court and multiple appellate districts throughout the State of Illinois.

We are thrilled to have you back Judge Sheahan!