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Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office Holds Largest Swearing-In Ceremony for Class of 2024 Bar Takers The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office (CCSAO) last week celebrated its largest swearing-in ceremony for the Class of 2024 today, welcoming 54 new Assistant State’s Attorneys who recently passed the bar. This significant ceremony also marked the final swearing-in led by State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, who has overseen numerous class inductions during her tenure. The new Assistant State’s Attorneys took an oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution, the State of Illinois, and the duties of their role, underscoring a unique responsibility to both pursue justice and protect the rights of defendants. In her remarks, State’s Attorney Foxx highlighted the importance of this dual commitment, explaining, “Prosecutors take a separate oath – an oath not only as attorneys but as representatives of the people who ensure that justice is pursued fairly and equitably. This responsibility is at the core of our mission.
In attendance at the ceremony was State’s Attorney-elect Eileen O’Neill Burke, underscoring the Office’s commitment to a smooth transition in leadership. Her presence highlighted the ongoing dedication of the CCSAO to pursuing justice for Cook County residents and supporting its new Assistant State’s Attorneys as they embark on their careers in public service. The new ASAs are part of the 72-member cohort welcomed to the office in August. Those who did not pass the bar in the first sitting will continue working with the office and receive dedicated tutoring as part of the CCSAO’s commitment to their professional development. The ceremony featured a keynote address by Andrea Zopp, Managing Partner, Cleveland Avenue, a pioneering figure in the
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business and legal communities and the first Black woman to serve as First Assistant for the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. Zopp’s speech drew from her extensive career in public service, inspiring the new ASAs to embrace the values of dedication, integrity, and community responsibility as they embark on their prosecutorial careers. Under Foxx’s leadership, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office has implemented a range of initiatives to foster a diverse and highly skilled legal workforce, including expanded onboarding, paid clerkships, and professional development programs such as the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA) training. Additionally, a recent salary study enabled the office to adjust pay scales, aligning compensation more closely with comparable prosecutor’s offices, further enhancing the CCSAO’s ability to attract and retain top legal talent. The CCSAO has also covered Assistant State’s Attorneys’ ARDC annual dues and this year, Foxx has allocated this support as a separate and dedicated line item in the 2025 budget, underscoring the Office’s commitment to alleviating financial burdens on staff.
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Illinois medical debt relief program erases $72M of debt thus far A state pilot program designed to erase medical debt for 300,000 Illinois residents has already helped thousands eliminate $72 million of debt, the governor’s office announced Thursday. The Medical Debt Relief Pilot Program launched on July 1 – the start of the state’s 2025 fiscal year. Since then, it has erased debt for 52,745 residents. Residents whose debt has been forgiven so far will receive letters in the mail next week notifying them they no longer carry the debt. “The Illinois Medical Debt Relief Pilot Program represents a promise to help families focus on health and recovery without the weight of financial strain,” Gov. JB Pritzker said in a statement. “We’re just getting started, and my administration remains dedicated to bringing this relief to vulnerable communities across the state.” Lawmakers approved $10 million in this year’s budget with the goal of eliminating $1 billion of medical debt. The state is
partnering with the nonprofit Undue Medical Debt, which can buy debt from collection agencies, hospitals and similar entities for just a few cents per dollar. Every $1 collected translates into $100 of debt relief by the nonprofit, which partners with governments on debt forgiveness programs. The state’s pilot program is modeled off a Cook County program, where the county used $12 million of American Rescue Plan Act funds to forgive debt in partnership with the same nonprofit. Thus far, that program has relieved $382 million of medical debt for 213,000 qualifying county residents. Residents who had their debt erased in the initial round of forgiveness had an average of $1,349 of debt, according to the governor’s office, with one person holding $242,136 of debt. More than 20,000 Will County residents alone have had their debt retired so far. Illinoisans must meet certain qualifications to be eligible for the
program. Residents with a household income at or below 400% of the federal poverty level, or with debt that is 5% or more of their income, can receive forgiveness under the program. Eligible residents do not need to apply for help and will be notified by letters in the mail once their debt has been forgiven. Medical debt is particularly burdensome on people of color, with Black Illinois residents 50% more likely to suffer from medical debt, according to the governor’s office. Earlier this year, Loyola Medicine, Undue Medical Debt and Cook County announced another agreement to eliminate $112 million of medical debt for Loyola patients. Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.