<P> The Illinois Attorney General is the highest legal officer of the state of Illinois in the United States . Originally an appointed office, it is now an office filled by election through universal suffrage . Based in Chicago and Springfield, Illinois, the Attorney General is responsible for providing legal counsel for the various state agencies including the Governor of Illinois and Illinois General Assembly, and conducting all legal affairs pertaining to the state . </P> <P> The office of the Illinois Attorney General was established on December 3, 1818 based on guidelines adopted by a state constitutional convention . The first person to fulfill the duties of the office was Daniel Pope Cook who only served eleven days, and was later elected to the United States Congress . Cook County was named in his honor . </P> <P> The current holder of the office is Lisa Madigan, step - daughter of Michael Madigan . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> #</Th> <Th> Name </Th> <Th> Political Party </Th> <Th> Term </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Daniel Pope Cook </Td> <Td> Democratic - Republican </Td> <Td> 1819 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> William Mears </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1819--1821 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Samuel D. Lockwood </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1821--1822 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> James Turney </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1822--1829 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> George Forquer </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1829--1832 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 6 </Td> <Td> James Semple </Td> <Td> Democratic </Td> <Td> 1832--1834 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 7 </Td> <Td> Ninian Wirt Edwards </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1834--1835 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 8 </Td> <Td> Jesse B. Thomas, Jr . </Td> <Td> Democratic </Td> <Td> 1835--1836 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 9 </Td> <Td> Walter B. Scates </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1836--1837 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 10 </Td> <Td> Usher F. Linder </Td> <Td> Democratic </Td> <Td> 1837--1838 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 11 </Td> <Td> George W. Olney </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1838--1839 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 12 </Td> <Td> Wickliffe Kitchell </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1839--1840 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 13 </Td> <Td> Josiah Lamborn </Td> <Td> Democratic </Td> <Td> 1840--1843 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 14 </Td> <Td> James A. McDougall </Td> <Td> Democratic </Td> <Td> 1843--1846 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 15 </Td> <Td> David B. Campbell </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1846--1848 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="4"> Office abolished 1848--1867 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> Robert G. Ingersoll </Td> <Td> Republican </Td> <Td> 1867--1869 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 17 </Td> <Td> Washington Bushnell </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1869--1873 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> James K. Edsall </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1873--1881 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 19 </Td> <Td> James McCartney </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1881--1885 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 20 </Td> <Td> George Hunt </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1885--1893 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 21 </Td> <Td> Maurice T. Moloney </Td> <Td> Democratic </Td> <Td> 1893--1897 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 22 </Td> <Td> Edward C. Akin </Td> <Td> Republican </Td> <Td> 1897--1901 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 23 </Td> <Td> Howland J. Hamlin </Td> <Td> Republican </Td> <Td> 1901--1905 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 24 </Td> <Td> William H. Stead </Td> <Td> Republican </Td> <Td> 1905--1913 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 25 </Td> <Td> Patrick J. Lucey </Td> <Td> Democratic </Td> <Td> 1913--1917 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 26 </Td> <Td> Edward J. Brundage </Td> <Td> Republican </Td> <Td> 1917--1925 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 27 </Td> <Td> Oscar E. Carlstrom </Td> <Td> Republican </Td> <Td> 1925--1933 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 28 </Td> <Td> Otto Kerner, Sr . </Td> <Td> Democratic </Td> <Td> 1932--1938 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 29 </Td> <Td> John Edward Cassidy </Td> <Td> Democratic </Td> <Td> 1938--1941 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 30 </Td> <Td> George F. Barrett </Td> <Td> Republican </Td> <Td> 1941--1949 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 31 </Td> <Td> Ivan A. Elliott </Td> <Td> Democratic </Td> <Td> 1949--1953 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 32 </Td> <Td> Latham Castle </Td> <Td> Republican </Td> <Td> 1953--1959 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 33 </Td> <Td> Grenville Beardsley </Td> <Td> Republican </Td> <Td> 1959--1960 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 34 </Td> <Td> William L. Guild </Td> <Td> Republican </Td> <Td> 1960--1961 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 35 </Td> <Td> William G. Clark </Td> <Td> Democratic </Td> <Td> 1961--1969 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 36 </Td> <Td> William J. Scott </Td> <Td> Republican </Td> <Td> 1969--1980 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 37 </Td> <Td> Tyrone C. Fahner </Td> <Td> Republican </Td> <Td> 1980--1983 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 38 </Td> <Td> Neil F. Hartigan </Td> <Td> Democratic </Td> <Td> 1983--1991 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 39 </Td> <Td> Roland W. Burris </Td> <Td> Democratic </Td> <Td> 1991--1995 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 40 </Td> <Td> Jim Ryan </Td> <Td> Republican </Td> <Td> 1995--2003 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 41 </Td> <Td> Lisa Madigan </Td> <Td> Democratic </Td> <Td> 2003--present </Td> </Tr> </Table>

Who is the current attorney general of illinois