Retired Justice Marvin J. Leavitt graduated Chicago-Kent College of Law and became a member of the bar in 1976. He served as a Cook County Circuit Judge, and as a justice on the Illinois Appellate Court, and has a reputation of being an outstanding member of the judiciary. When evaluated by the Chicago Bar Association, they remarked that “he enjoys impeccable credentials,” and the Chicago Council of Lawyers wrote that he “has outstanding legal ability, an excellent temperament…and is hard-working,” rating him highly qualified. Not only has Marv tried hundreds of cases as a lawyer, he has also presided over thousands of cases as a judge and authored opinions in almost every area of the law while serving as a justice of the Appellate Court. He is a founding partner Grund & Leavitt, and has litigated a number of high-profile trials and appeals in both federal and state courts. Marv has also served as a member of the guest faculty of the University of Chicago Intensive Trial Advocacy Program and has participated as a lecturer in numerous legal workshops, seminars, and served as a judge for numerous moot court competitions and trial advocacy classes. 

Marv has served as a liaison between the legal community and the judiciary for every retention election since retiring from the bench. He constantly works to support the judiciary and the legal community, and has been a co-chair of the Jewish Judges Association Installation Dinner since the organization was founded. He is the first person ever to receive the Emeritus Award, in recognition of what he has accomplished in giving back to the legal community and the judiciary. Marv is married to Susie Karkomi.