I specialize in Criminal Law and DUI defense. I am a graduate of Marquette University and Valparaiso University School of Law. I served on a felony jury trial team as an assistant prosecutor in Hudson County, New Jersey before joining the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office in 1994. I am the Author of IICLE’s publication, “James J. Ahern on DUI Caselaw 2016 and 2022.” I have served as a Chairman of the Traffic/Criminal Law Committee of the Northwest Suburban Bar Association. I also serve as a current Member, former Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, and CLE Coordinator and have also been on the Executive Committee for the Illinois Traffic Conference, which was held annually in Peoria, Illinois until 2015. I have been a featured speaker at the Illinois State Bar Association, Northwest Suburban Bar Association, the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, the Illinois Traffic Court Conference, and I was an adjunct professor at Harper College for ten years where I taught Criminal Law, Legal Writing, Probate, and Contracts.
Education
- J.D., Valparaiso University of Law
- B.A., Marquette University
Bar Certifications
- Admitted to the Bar of the Illinois Supreme Court
- Admitted to the Bar of Pennsylvania
- Admitted to the Bar of New Jersey
Bar Association Memberships
- Illinois State Bar Association, Traffic Laws and Courts Section
- Northwest Suburban Bar Association, Criminal and Traffic Law Committee
- National College of DUI Defense
- Lake County Bar Association, Former Member
Awards and Recognition
- IICLE Certificate of Publication (Various Publications of Defendant DUI” Practice and Procedure from
Publications
- IICLE James J. Ahern on DUI Case Law 2022, Author
- IICLE 2021 Edition Defendant DUI Practice and Procedure, General Editor
- IICLE James J. Ahern on DUI Case Law 2016, General Editor and Author
- ISBA / Recent Cases and Cases of Interest for numerous Newsletters for the Traffic Laws and Courts Section Council
- NWSBA – Recent Cases and Cases of Interest for numerous Newsletters for the Traffic Laws and Courts Section Council
Media
- Illinois State Bar Association
- Traffic Courts and Section Council
- Served as Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary and CLE Coordinator
Featured Speaker and Moderator for numerous Continuing Legal Education Seminars - Northwest Suburban Bar Association
Co-Chair Criminal and Traffic Law Committee, former CLE Coordinator
Featured Speaker and Moderator for numerous Continuing Legal Education Seminars - National College for DUI Defense
Cook County Public Defenders Seminar
Featured Speaker for Continuing Legal Education - Illinois Traffic Conference
Peoria, Illinois
Coordinator and Featured Speaker for this annual Conference - Northwestern University Traffic Institute
Featured Speaker - Chicago Bar Association
Featured Speaker - Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD)
Featured Speaker - Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists (AAIM)
Featured Speaker - South Suburban Bar Association
Featured Speaker - Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education
Featured Speaker
Instructional Experience
- Mr. Moran taught Criminal Law, Legal Writing, Probate, and Contracts for 10 Years at William Rainey Harper College.
