Faculty and Administration Profiles

Deborah J. Baker

About

Deborah (“Dee”) Baker was appointed as a Commissioner for the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission by the Office of the Governor where she decided administrative appeals with a panel of administrative law judges (ALJs). Prior to this, Dee served as an appointed Arbitrator for the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission where she presided over administrative hearings. Previously, Dee worked for the Illinois Department of Corrections as Assistant Deputy Chief Legal Counsel and Agency Ethics Officer, and as an Assistant Attorney General where she represented the state, its agencies, and state employees in federal court. Dee also has experience working as in-house Litigation Counsel for a bankruptcy law firm and as an Associate Attorney at a plaintiffs’ personal injury and workers’ compensation law firm.

Dee is very active in the community and volunteers with various non-profit organizations and bar associations including the Chicago Bar Association, the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Association, the National Association of Women Lawyers, the Black Women Lawyers Association, and Cabrini Green Legal Aid, NFP. Additionally, Dee is a member of the Dean’s Diversity Council at Loyola.

During law school, Dee competed on a moot court team, served as an Associate Editor on one of Loyola’s prestigious journals, and tutored for the Legal Writing Department.

Degrees

BA,  Psychology, University of New Mexico
BA, Political Science, University of New Mexico
MA, International & Comparative Politics, Loyola University Chicago 
JD, Certificate in Trial Advocacy, Loyola University Chicago 

Program Areas

Legal Writing
Professional Identity Formation
Women and Leadership