Illinois Supreme Court hires first Title II ADA Compliance Attorney

The Illinois Supreme Court and Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts (AOIC) announced the hiring of Anna Hurst as the AOIC's Title II ADA Compliance Attorney, a newly created position established to strengthen accessibility and ensure compliance with federal and state disability laws across the Illinois Judicial Branch.

As the first attorney dedicated exclusively to disability access across the judicial branch, Hurst will serve as legal counsel to the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts (AOIC) on matters relating to compliance with key accessibility legal frameworks including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Illinois Human Rights Act.

"I am honored to join the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts in this role and have the opportunity to engage in work that genuinely matters to me on a personal and professional level," Hurst said. "The courts play a vital role in ensuring fairness and justice for all, and meaningful access for people with disabilities is essential to that mission. I look forward to working with judges, court staff, and disability coordinators throughout Illinois to help strengthen accessibility across the judicial branch."

The position was created to provide dedicated legal expertise, training, and technical assistance to courts throughout Illinois as they work to ensure compliance with disability access requirements and expand access to justice for court users with disabilities. Hurst will establish an accessibility compliance program, provide legal advice, technical and operational resource development, training, and policy guidance to courts throughout Illinois and support statewide efforts to ensure equal access to court services for people with disabilities.

Prior to joining the AOIC, Hurst served as Director at Walmart, Inc., where she provided strategic direction and oversight for patient accessibility, technical systems development, policy and resource development, and other governance initiatives within the Health & Wellness Compliance space. She also acted as the organization's primary compliance subject matter expert on federal, state, and local healthcare accessibility laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.

Hurst earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law. In addition to her civilian legal and compliance experience, Hurst serves as Trial Defense Counsel in the Army National Guard, where she provides legal representation to service members.