In a heartwarming ceremony, Edward Washington II, JD ’82, donned a cap and gown to celebrate his WashU Law graduation 43 years after completing his degree. His return to campus was prompted by another special milestone: His daughter, McKenzie Washington, AB ’24, recently graduated from Arts & Sciences’ premed program, where she also excelled as a member of the women’s volleyball team.
Edward Washington made the difficult decision to forgo his own graduation ceremony to return home to Chicago and prepare for the bar exam. His dedication set him on a path to a distinguished career as a lawyer in Cook County, Illinois, where he established his own law practice and gained recognition for his work in civil and criminal litigation.
Washington continued to advance as an administrative law judge with the Illinois Commerce Commission, where he led key projects such as land acquisition for the White Sox stadium. He later served as a senior regulatory attorney and chief of the Public Interest Division in the Office of the Illinois Attorney General as well as partner at Hopkins & Sutter, focusing on complex litigation and regulatory matters.
From 2002 to 2017, Washington was a judge of the Cook County Judicial Circuit Court in Illinois, presiding over 170 jury trials and chairing the Judicial Inquiry Board, which manages and investigates complaints against current state court judges. He currently serves as senior counsel at Nixon Peabody LLP and a senior mediator with ADR Systems, while teaching civil, criminal, and trial advocacy at Harvard Law School.
We extend our congratulations to Judge Washington and his daughter, McKenzie, on this momentous occasion. Thank you for being an enduring source of inspiration for us all at WashU Law.