President Biden has nominated an Illinois Wesleyan University graduate to the federal bench.
Colleen Lawless is currently an associate circuit judge in Sangamon County. Before that she was a shareholder in a prominent Springfield law firm.
If the Senate confirms Lawless, she will replace federal judge Sue Myerscough of the Central District of Illinois. Myerscough is taking senior status, meaning she will continue with the court but hear a reduced number of cases.
“We are pleased that President Biden is nominating Judge Colleen Lawless to serve as a District Court Judge for the Central District of Illinois. She brings strong qualifications and experience that will strengthen our federal bench. We look forward to supporting her nomination in the Senate,” said Democratic U.S. senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth.
In May, the senators created a screening committee to review applicants to be a Federal District Court Judge in the Central District, comprised of distinguished members of the Central District’s legal community. In June, Durbin and Duckworth recommended three candidates for Biden’s consideration, including judge Lawless.
Lawless graduated from IWU in 2005, and from the Northern Illinois University College of Law in 2009.
