Eric Rinehart is the Lake County state’s attorney, serving as chief administrator for the prosecutor’s office. Prior to becoming Lake County state’s attorney, Mr. Rinehart was the principal assistant for the Lake County Public Defender’s Office, where he represented approximately 100 defendants in felony cases and served as the lead attorney in 30 jury trials. He also trained assistant public defenders on trial and litigation tactics. Mr. Rinehart was the lead appellate counsel in successful oral arguments before the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals as a Schopf & Weiss litigation associate. He is a member of the Lake County Bar Association & Criminal Law Committee, Illinois Public Defender Association, Lake County Coalition to Reduce Recidivism, and the North Suburban Legal Aid & Illinois Domestic Violence Coalition. Mr. Rinehart earned a bachelor’s degree in political science at Knox College and a juris doctorate at the University of Chicago Law School.