Maureen Elizabeth Connors was born in Chicago in 1950 and received her bachelor of arts degree in History from Loyola University of Chicago in 1972, and her juris doctor from Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago-Kent College of Law. She began her legal career in private practice and then became an Assistant General Attorney for the Chicago Park District.

Justice Connors was selected as an associate judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County in 1988, and served in that capacity in Traffic Court, Domestic Violence Court, the First Municipal District Court, and the Fifth Municipal District Court in Bridgeview, Illinois. Elected as a circuit judge in 1994, Justice Connors was then assigned to the Probate Division, where she served until her appointment to the Appellate Court, First District, in October of 2010.

Justice Connors is a member and chair of the Supreme Court Committee on Discovery Procedures. She and her husband are lifelong residents of Chicago.