Power Rogers is pleased to announce that Justice Robert R. Thomas will be joining our firm as a Partner upon his retirement from the Illinois Supreme Court.
Justice Thomas expressed gratitude for his tenure in a retirement announcement released by the Supreme Court of Illinois on Monday, February 10, 2020. He has been blessed, he says:
“With the tremendous honor and privilege of serving as Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court. And now, the opportunity to practice law at Power Rogers with my son, Jonathan, alongside the best trial lawyer in the country, my close friend, Joe Power. I have been truly blessed.”
About Robert R. Thomas
Robert R. Thomas is a widely respected Judge who served on the Illinois appellate, circuit, and Supreme Courts for over 30 years, as well as a talented football placekicker who competed for the University of Notre Dame and played 12 seasons in the NFL – 10 of which were with the Chicago Bears. He attended Loyola University School of Law while still playing professional football, often studying between practices and games, was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1981, and spent the next seven years in private civil practice. He remains the fourth leading scorer in Chicago Bears history.
As a legal professional, Justice Thomas became the first Judge from DuPage County to serve as Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court when he was elected to the position from 2005-2008. While Chief, he established the Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism (Rule 799), an expansion of the Special Supreme Court Committee on Civility which promotes greater integrity as a means to eliminate bias and divisiveness within the judicial system, and ensure equitable and efficient access to justice. During his time on the Supreme Court, he authored numerous notable opinions which have shaped Illinois law, and continue to bolster the rights of citizens today.
Justice Thomas will continue to serve in his official capacity until February 29, 2020, after which he will join friend Joseph Power – who successfully represented Justice Thomas in a 2006 defamation case against the Kane County Chronicle – and his son, Jonathan M. Thomas, and as part of the Power Rogers team. As Mr. Power notes:
“I am honored to have represented Justice Thomas as a client and I’m thrilled he is joining our firm as a Partner. He has become a very good friend and I will treasure having him around the office. Bob has a well-deserved reputation as a brilliant jurist, but unfortunately due to our friendship and my representation of him, I was never privileged to argue a case in front of him. But nevertheless, I will now enjoy practicing law with him.”
Power Rogers proudly welcomes Justice Thomas as he transitions back to civil practice. You can learn more about his career, achievements, and new role with the firm on this Supreme Court of Illinois press release.