Over a legal career that has spanned nearly three decades, Judge Hooks has been a Marine Corps Assistant Chief Trial Prosecutor, Marine Corps Criminal Defense Counsel, Marine Corps Head Administrative Law Officer, Judge Advocate of Marines, large firm insurance defense counsel, boutique law firm owner, personal injury attorney, criminal defense attorney (Federal and State), civil rights advocate, commercial litigator, Cook County Special States Attorney, adjunct law professor (DePaul College of Law and IIT-Chicago Kent College of law), Federal Defender Panel Attorney, bar association leader, legal lecturer, corporate general counsel (WVON radio, and Ndigo Magazine), federal class action counsel (plaintiff and defendant), and most importantly to him, a community leader.
Hooks has been featured in NDigo Magazine in its cover story entitled Attorney Bill Hooks: Fighting for Civil Rights In Dr. King Fashion. In addition, NDigo Magazine has included Hooks in their list of Whos Who in NFluential Black Chicagoans, on several occasions. Judge Hooks was also the recipient of the 2009 Chicago Defenders Men of Excellence award. In addition, Chicago Magazine featured Hooks and recognized him in a special event as One of Chicagos 30 Toughest Lawyers.
While an attorney, Hooks was named to the Leading Lawyers Network and Illinois Super Lawyers on numerous occasions. Hooks and his firm also held the highest Martindale ratings while he practiced law.
Judge Hooks is a past president of the Cook County Bar Association, which is Americas oldest African American Bar Association. Judge Hooks was also the first African American president of the Chicago Chapter of the Federal Bar Association.
Bill has been married for almost 35 years and is the father of two daughters and grandfather of a grandson whose first name is Hooks, with whom the judge shares the same birthday.
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