Mark C. Palmer is the Chief Counsel of the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism. Mark strives to serve judges, attorneys, law students and people of the State of Illinois with a dedication to the quality of justice and the rule of law.
As Chief Counsel, Mark facilitates the promotion of professionalism, civility, and integrity among the legal and judicial systems to better provide equitable, efficient, and effective service to the public through education and outreach initiatives. Mark leads professionalism programming through the statewide mentoring program, collaborating with stakeholders from Galena to Cairo. Mark also supports the development and delivery of educational programming to lawyers and in law schools, and performs outreach across the state on behalf of the Commission.
Prior to joining the Commission, Mark was in private practice at the Champaign law firm Evans, Froehlich, Beth & Chamley where his law practice focused on areas including commercial litigation, municipal law, banking law, and creditor’s rights, among others. He represented private and appointed clients in both civil and criminal cases in state and federal courts.
Mark serves as a Adjunct Professor at the University of Illinois College of Law in Champaign. Additionally, he has trained hundreds of law enforcement officers in Illinois at the University of Illinois Police Training Institute, lecturing on topics such as use of force and police liability.
Mark grew up in Champaign and stayed for college prior to moving to Chicago for a full-time corporate job and part-time law school. After six years in the Windy City, Mark returned to practice law in Champaign for a decade while taking on several volunteer roles including with an expanding mentoring program in the Champaign-Urbana public schools.
Mark received his undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and his law degree from the University of Illinois-Chicago John Marshall Law School. He is active in numerous bar and civic organizations including as an Board Member for the Illinois State Bar Association and as the Chair of the Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) 6th Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee.
When not in the office, you will likely find Mark and his wife busy raising their twin daughters, enjoying his passion of traveling and eating around the world, and training for his next half marathon.