Who Is Mary Heftel Hooton?

Judge Megan Goldish currently serves in the Domestic Violence Division of the Circuit Court in Cook County, Illinois. Her legal experience spans 23 years, including service provided to community organizations and law schools. In 2020, Judge Megan Goldish received the Mary Heftel Hooton award from the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois.

The Women’s Bar Association of Illinois created the Mary Heftel Hooton award to recognize the work of leading figures who support female lawyers. The award has been given to circuit, supreme court, and federal judges. Mary Heftel Hooton was a pioneer in the field of law who earned her law degree from DePaul University in 1943 and went on to establish herself as an attorney specializing in family law. After practicing law for more than three decades, Hooton was elected as a judge in the Circuit Court of Cook County. In that role, she served as a high-profile role model and empowered more women to pursue careers as lawyers.