Hon. Anita Alvarez

Hon. Anita Alvarez

Anita Alvarez made history when she was chosen by voters in 2008 to serve as the Cook County State’s Attorney. Not only did Alvarez become the first female and the first Hispanic State’s Attorney, she also became the first career prosecutor ever elected to this important public safety position. Alvarez has spent her entire legal career in public service in the State’s Attorney’s Office representing the victims of crime in Cook County. Since taking office, Anita has delivered on many of the promises that she made to voters when she sought public office. In her first two years on the job Alvarez has worked to stem the tide of gang and gun violence by drafting a new law that has increased criminal penalties for gang members arrested with guns. Gang members convicted under the new law face a mandatory prison sentence and are no longer eligible for parole. In addition, Alvarez has stepped up the investigation and prosecution of public and government corruption; opened three new community-based prosecutions offices, and formed a mortgage fraud investigations and prosecutions unit. She also created a Human Trafficking Initiative that works closely with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to crack down on individuals and human trafficking groups that exploit children. She also authored the Illinois Safe Children Act, a sweeping new law that enhances protections for juveniles caught in the sex trade and provides new legal tools for police and prosecutors to target those who prostitute children. A Chicago native, Anita was born and raised by working class parents in the Pilsen neighborhood. She attended Maria High School and received her undergraduate degree from Loyola University of Chicago. Anita earned her Law Degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law. Anita is married to Dr. James Gomez and she and her husband are the proud parents of four children.