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The city attorney for Lockport will become a Will County circuit court judge in February.
On Friday, the Illinois Supreme Court announced that Sonni Choi Williams will serve out the rest of former Will County Circuit Court Judge John Anderson’s six-year term between Feb. 10 and Dec. 7, 2026.
Anderson was elected Nov. 5 to the 3rd District Appellate Court in Ottawa. Williams also ran for a seat on the same appellate court in 2022 but lost to Liam Brennan.
“I believe Sonni Williams’ professional and personal experiences make her uniquely qualified for the judiciary,” Illinois Supreme Court Justice Mary K. O’Brien said in a news release announcing the appointment.
O’Brien said Williams has more than 25 years of experience in municipal law. She has served as the attorney for the cities of Lockport and Peoria, and her work has covered “virtually every area of the law, including civil, criminal and appellate litigation,” O’Brien said.
He said Williams has “personally committed to improving the legal community” through her involvement with the Illinois State Bar Association and other legal organizations, and she will “serve the citizens of Will County with distinction in this new role.”
Since 2017, Williams has been the city attorney for Lockport.
“Yes, we are very proud of her and look forward to her service to [the] community at large,” Lockport City Administrator Ben Benson said.
Benson said city officials plan to conduct interviews to find a long-term replacement for Williams.
Williams has been serving as president of the Illinois State Bar Association.
She also has been named to an advisory council for a statewide initiative to research the prevalence of bullying in the legal profession and how to prevent it.
Last year, Williams was charged with driving under the influence in Romeoville. Attorney Chuck Bretz represented her in the case and successfully fought against the suspension of her driver’s license.
Special prosecutor William Elward dropped the DUI charge. Williams pleaded guilty to improper lane usage, and she was sentenced to six months of court supervision.