Background
Durkin was born in Chicago, Illinois.
Durkin was born in Chicago, Illinois.
He received his Bachelor of Science degree, cum laude, from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1975.
He received his Juris Doctor degree, cum laude, from the DePaul University College of Law in 1978. From 1978 to 1980, he served as a law clerk to Judge Stanley J. Roszkowski of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. From 1980 to 1993, he served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Northern District of Illinois.
His leadership positions during that service included Chief of the Special Prosecutions Division, Chief of the Criminal Receiving and Appellate Division and First Assistant United States Attorney.
On May 21, 2012, President Obama nominated Durkin to be a United States District Judge for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, to the seat vacated by Judge Wayne R. Andersen who retired in 2010. The United States. Senate confirmed Durkin in a voice vote on December 17, 2012.
He received his commission on December 19, 2012. In 2015, Durkin heard allegations against Speaker of the House J. Dennis Hastert, charged with alleged violations of banking laws, reportedly to pay off a victim of sexual abuse.
Durkin declared several potential conflicts of interest, including a past donation to Hastert"s congressional campaign and past interactions with prosecutors in the case.
Ultimately, the attorneys did not seek his recusal.
Durkin"s brother, Jim Durkin, is a Republican member of the Illinois House of Representatives.
