Couple united by political ambitions

Wife aims to be judge while husband serves as Evanston alderman

By Yuxing Zheng

The Daily Northwestern

She is running unopposed for a Subcircuit Court judgeship. He is an Evanston City Council alderman.

Together, the husband and wife tandem own an Evanston law office and have raised three grown daughters.

But Jeanne Cleveland Bernstein and Ald. Steven Bernstein (4th) don’t always act like prominent local politicians. The down-to-earth couple kid and jokingly nag each other in their cozy law office, which comes complete with various potted plants and the resident black and white cat, Emory, who has a fascination with tipping over his water bowl.

But Cleveland Bernstein will be moving out of the office at 513 Chicago Ave. later this year after winning the Democratic nomination for 9th Judicial Subcircuit judge in the March 16 primary.

The district includes all of Evanston, some Chicago neighborhoods and other northern suburbs. She will run unopposed for the Cook County vacancy in the November election.

Cleveland Bernstein specializes in domestic and family law and said she will likely preside over similar matters in her new position. Because of her husband’s position as an alderman, conflict of interest rules prevent her from ruling on any lawsuits related to the City of Evanston, she said.

Bernstein helped his wife throughout her campaign with everything from campaign strategy and fund raising to yard signs and emotional support.

“He was the chief nagger,” she said jokingly — later adding, “He was always there and really supportive.”

But Bernstein said campaigning can take its toll, especially with the numerous elections the two have run in.

“You eat, sleep and drink the campaign,” he said. “Campaigns are ruthless.”

Campaigning over the years also meant less time with their daughters as they were growing up, but their second daughter Claire Bernstein, 25, said she didn’t mind.

“My parents always supported the community and the schools,” said Claire Bernstein, who now lives with her parents and teaches at Lincoln Elementary School, which she attended as a child. “My parents are very cool people and very supportive in anything I do or say.”

But her parents mentioned that law and politics would sometimes find their way into the family home. Though the Bernsteins didn’t become heavily involved in politics until their children were teenagers, it was enough to discourage their children from following in their footsteps.

“We shied away from politics because they were so involved,” Claire Bernstein said. “We were sort of intimidated in a way.”

Her parents split household duties relatively equally, though they often tease each other about the balance of power in the marriage tipping toward Cleveland Bernstein.

“I get to decide most things,” Cleveland Bernstein said. “If he has an opinion, then it goes his way.”

“We argue like lawyers,” her husband said.

But law also brought the two together. The couple first met when both attended DePaul Law School in the late ’60s and early ’70s.

“It was love at first sight,” Bernstein said, looking in his wife’s direction.

After both graduated in 1971, they traveled through Europe and Asia. They married in 1974, just four days after their engagement. The Bernsteins settled in Evanston the following year and opened their practice in 1977.

Working together hasn’t created excessive strain in their marriage, said Jessie Malinowski, the law clerk at the couple’s practice.

“As long as Steven does what Jeanne tells him, it goes along without a hitch,” Malinowski said. “They handle the stress very well.”

Malinowski described Cleveland Bernstein as unpretentious and Bernstein as “kind of a goofball, but he does a very good job of representing his clients.”

Even Chicago lawyer Michael Strom, who ran against Cleveland Bernstein in the Democratic primary, praised his former opponent.

“Jeanne was very nice to me,” Strom said. “At one time she signed my petition. When she did make her decision to go into the race, she gave me the courtesy to call me personally and tell me and I appreciated that.”

The Bernsteins said they are unsure if they will continue operating their law office when Cleveland Bernstein assumes her new position this fall. Bernstein is considering writing books or teaching and is uncertain whether he will run again for alderman when his term expires next April.

“(Practicing law) pays the bills, but it doesn’t excite me,” Bernstein said. “Being an alderman is my passion now.”

But the couple are both still very much attached to Evanston.

“Evanston is paradise to me,” Cleveland Bernstein said. “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”

“I think we’ve been lucky,” Bernstein said. “It’s been a good life.”