Thaddeus Wilkins is Deputy Chief Counsel of the Illinois Executive Ethics Commission and serves as the Agency’s Equal Employment Opportunity Officer as well as the Agency’s Business Enterprise Program Liaison.  He acts as a Procurement Protest Officer for procurement disputes, provides legal counsel to the four Chief Procurement Officers of the State of Illinois regarding legal issues based on Illinois laws, including but not limited to the Illinois Constitution, the Illinois Procurement Code, State Officials and Employees Act, Illinois Procedures Act, and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

Thaddeus previously served as Senior Administrative Law Judge for the City of Chicago Department of Administrative Hearings where he trained, advised, and supervised the department’s seventy-five Administrative Law Judges for more than a decade.  

Thaddeus was managing member of Graham Wilkins, LLC.  In that capacity he represented business clients in compliance, regulatory matters, and strategic planning.

He was on the faculty at Chicago State University Department of Criminal Justice for eleven years, where he taught criminal law, criminal procedure and served as the coach for various law school mock trial competitions.  He also served as a faculty facilitator at the National Judicial College for several courses for over a decade.

In July of 2022 he was appointed as a member of the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Lawyer Referral and Information Services.

Professional Affiliations/Community Organizations

• Georgia Bar Association
• Chicago Bar Association
• American Bar Association
• Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
• Board Member – Global Alliance Preparatory Charter School
• Board Member – United Council for Higher Education in Haiti
• National Association for Public Procurement (NIGP)

 Honor/Awards  

• CARPLS 20th Anniversary Golden Gavel – Honorary Civic Committee
• International Judicial College Scholarship, Haifa Israel