DuPage state’s attorney promotes four prosecutors

Four DuPage County prosecutors have been promoted, the result of one attorney moving to the bench and another retiring.

Assistant State’s Attorney Mike Pawl was named deputy chief of the child protection division. The position was previously held by Alex McGimpsey, who joined the office in 1992 and was appointed an associate judge in December.

Prosecutor Ann Celine O’Hallaren also moved up, from lead assistant in Judge Kathryn Creswell’s courtroom in Wheaton to Pawl’s former position as supervisor of the domestic violence and child abuse unit. Demetri Demopoulos, a former assistant in the same unit, took O’Hallaren’s place in Creswell’s courtroom.

Also promoted was Assistant State’s Attorney Paul Bruckner, who was named deputy chief of general and complex litigation in the civil division. He replaced Anna Harkins, who retired in November after 23 years in the office.

State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said his office employs 84 attorneys. Two new members were hired in December after McGimpsey and Harkins left.

Berlin said the internal promotions are a sign of the quality of attorneys in his office.

“I’ve always said victims of crime deserve the best lawyers, and that’s what they’re getting,” he said. “We don’t have to go outside to get experienced people. We’re creating them here.”

The promotions involving Pawl, O’Hallaren and Demopoulos took effect Monday. Bruckner was moved into his new position earlier last month.