Published on November 05, 2020

Judge Vincent Cornelius Joins Silver Cross Board of Directors

The Honorable Vincent F. Cornelius, a Circuit Judge of the 12th Judicial Court of Will County, has been appointed to the Silver Cross Hospital Board of Directors. 

Judge Vincent Cornelius

A native of Joliet and Will County, Judge Cornelius has served as a Circuit Judge since his 2018 election. Prior to his election, he was the founder and principal of the Law Offices of Vincent F. Cornelius, with offices in Joliet and Wheaton.  He was an associate attorney with the James D. Montgomery Associates in Chicago, and served as an Assistant State’s Attorney in DuPage County.   

Judge Cornelius earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of St. Francis, and his Juris Doctor Degree from the Northern Illinois University College of Law, where he currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of Visitors.   

Judge Cornelius was elected to serve as the 140th President of the Illinois State Bar Association. He was the first African American to serve as ISBA president in the 140-year history of the Association, and he is the only lawyer in Illinois history to serve as Illinois State Bar Association President, Illinois Bar Foundation President, and as Chancellor of the Academy of Illinois Lawyers. He has also served as a member of the American Bar Association’s House of Delegates. 

Judge Cornelius is a founding member of the Black Bar Association of Will County. He has served on the Governor’s Commissions, Supreme Court Commissions, Legislative Committees, and University Boards.  He is a board member and proud graduate of Joliet Catholic Academy and a graduate of Washington Junior High School. 

Judge Cornelius has received many awards for his accomplishments, including the Martin Luther King Journey Award, the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of St. Francis, the Medgar Evers Award from the NAACP, the Outstanding Alumni Award from NIU College of Law and the New Canaanland Christian Church Community Leadership Award. He was also inducted into the Boys & Girls Club of Joliet Hall of Fame. 

Judge Cornelius and his wife, Zina, have been married for 29 years and are the parents of two adult children.

If you’re a member of the media and need information about Silver Cross Hospital, please contact Debra Robbins, Director of Marketing & Communications, at 815-300-7562 or drobbins@silvercross.org

Parking Lot P, located on Silver Cross Boulevard, is our designated space for media and TV crews.

Physicians on Silver Cross Hospital’s Medical Staff have expertise in their areas of practice to meet the needs of patients seeking their care. These physicians are independent practitioners on the Medical Staff and are not the agents or employees of Silver Cross Hospital. They treat patients based upon their independent medical judgment and they bill patients separately for their services.