A native of Lincoln, Illinois, Mr. McCarthy served 22 years in the Illinois Legislature, being elected in 1954 to the Illinois House of Representatives. He served there until 1960, when he was elected to the Illinois Senate. Since his legislative career ended in 1976, he has practiced law in Decatur, Illinois full time.

Robert W. McCarthy was a graduate of the University of Illinois Law School in 1946, following service in the U.S. Army in World War II. His practice limited to worker’s compensation and personal injury claims for the injured party. Mr. McCarthy has been, both in the legislative and in his practice, an advocate for the injured worker.