Jim Durkin

Jim Durkin is an attorney in Croke Fairchild’s Public Finance Practice Group. Jim advises local governments on economic development and public finance matters. He is also an experienced commercial litigator, and conducts internal investigations for private and public entities.

Jim previously served as an assistant Illinois attorney general and as an assistant Cook County state's attorney, serving as a felony trial prosecutor and as a special prosecutor in the Narcotics Bureau. In 2002, he was the Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate for the state of Illinois. From 2013 to 2023, he was the minority leader in the Illinois House of Representatives. In December 2008, Jim served as the ranking Republican for the Illinois House of Representatives Impeachment Committee regarding Governor Blagojevich. In 2012, Jim served as house manager for the removal of Rep. Derrick Smith from the Illinois House of Representatives, following Smith's federal bribery indictment.

Jim’s work during his career led to many impactful policies, including a requirement that Medicaid cover continuous glucose monitors and the removal of the cap on coverage of test strips for low-income Illinoisans with Type 1 diabetes. Jim negotiated this change outside of the legislature and directly with the Department of Health and Family Services. Jim also played a key role, in collaboration with the University of Illinois Innocence Project and the Northwestern Center on Wrongful Convictions, in the successful effort to ban the use of deception during interrogation of minors accused of crimes. This law is the first of its kind in the United States. Jim’s work on this legislation earned him the University of Illinois “Defender of the Innocent Award” in 2021.

Jim has been active in Illinois state politics for more than 25 years, having served as state representative in the Illinois House of Representatives first for the 44th District and formerly represented the 82nd District. He was also the Illinois chair for the late Sen. John McCain's presidential campaigns in 2000 and 2008.

Jim is on various boards including Misericordia-Heart of Mercy Home, Giant Steps School for Autism, and JDRF Illinois. He is also a member of the 100 Club of Chicago, which supports the families of fallen first responders.