Richard Cockerill, MD, MBE, specializes in forensic psychiatry, with extensive experience in a range of criminal and civil matters, including insanity, diminished capacity, competency to stand trial, malpractice, torts and disability. Dr. Cockerill also has special training in biomedical ethics, focusing on the ethical issues raised by the use of artificial intelligence in forensic psychiatric assessment.

As part of his commitment to his patients, Dr. Cockerill is honored to serve as attending psychiatrist at the Competency Restoration Unit at UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial Hospital, the only program of its kind in the state. This program accepts psychiatric inmates found unfit to stand trial and are too ill to be managed in a county jail setting. These patients come from counties all over the state of Illinois to receive care at Ingalls Memorial.

In addition to his dedication to patient care, Dr. Cockerill is also invested in using clinical research to improve psychiatry care for his patients. His work has been published in a number of highly respected, peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, Focus, Innovations in Clinical Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic Proceedings and the Journal of Bioethical Inquiry. His expertise has also been highlighted in national meetings where Dr. Cockerill’s presentations have gained media attention, including in the popular periodicals MedPage Today and Real Simple. He also serves as an expert witness in criminal and civil cases.

Dr. Cockerill is passionate about teaching and mentoring medical students, residents and fellows, developing forensic psychiatry rotations and offering learning opportunities for the new generation of psychiatrists. Beyond teaching on the wards and clinics, he also frequently gives didactic instruction to learners, including in his role as Ethics Course Director for the general psychiatry program.