Former Prosecutor

Judge since: 2012

Prior to his appointment to the bench, Mullen worked as an assistant Illinois attorney general for three years, and an assistant U.S. attorney for six years, before spending 20 years as a private attorney in personal injury law. He received the Department of Justice’s Special Achievement Award for Sustained Superior Performance in 1988 and 1990.

Bar Association ratings

This year: The CCL and CBA rated him qualified and the ISBA recommended him for retention.

Past: In 2012, Mullen received the “highly qualified” designation from the CBA, “highly recommended” from the ISBA and “well qualified” from the CCL.

Notable: In 2017, Mullen dismissed a case brought by former Illinois governor Pat Quinn calling for the Chicago Board of Education to be transformed into an elected body rather than a body appointed by the mayor. Mullen ruled that mayoral control of the board does not violate the voting rights of Chicago residents.