Illinois

Conservative group sues ABA over Legal Opportunity Scholarship Fund program

A group led by a conservative activist has filed a lawsuit alleging that an ABA scholarship program engages in “blatant discrimination” in violation of federal law.

Apr 17, 2025 12:36 PM CDT

Former Girardi Keese CFO ordered to pay over $8.9M in restitution, serve prison time for embezzlement

The former chief financial officer for the now-defunct law firm Girardi Keese was sentenced Friday to 121 months in federal prison for embezzling money from the firm and its clients.

Apr 15, 2025 11:32 AM CDT

House committee drops information request about law clinics amid ‘ongoing negotiations’ with Northwestern

The U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on Education and Workforce has withdrawn its request for information on law clinics at the Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, citing "ongoing negotiations" with the university and an intent to pursue "other means of inquiry."

Apr 14, 2025 10:59 AM CDT

Disbarred lawyer sentenced for using then-girlfriend’s identity to take out over $82K in loans

A disbarred Illinois lawyer has been sentenced to six years in prison for using his then-girlfriend’s identifying information to obtain four bank loans totaling $82,700.

Apr 2, 2025 8:55 AM CDT

Do law school clinics engage in ‘progressive-left’ advocacy? Congressional committee seeks information

Legal clinics at Northwestern University’s Pritzker School of Law are being targeted by the U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on Education and Workforce, which is requesting information about policies, funding sources and budgets.

Apr 1, 2025 2:02 PM CDT

Former Skadden associate says ABA inspired her letter asking BigLaw to push back on White House executive orders

A week ago, Rachel Cohen was a finance associate in the Chicago office of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. She watched as the Trump administration issued several executive orders aimed at law firms and the legal industry and noted BigLaw’s muted response. Last week, Cohen also shared with Skadden a conditional notice of resignation unless the firm came up with a “satisfactory response to the current moment.”

Mar 25, 2025 12:28 PM CDT

Merely misleading statements aren’t illegal under false statements law, Supreme Court says

A federal law that makes it a crime to knowingly make false statements to influence the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. does not punish statements that are merely misleading, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Friday.

Mar 24, 2025 3:41 PM CDT

Once-homeless University of Chicago law grad getting treatment, hopes to return to law practice

A University of Chicago Law School graduate who lived for two years on the streets of Los Angeles has moved back home with his mother in Virginia and hopes to resume law practice.

Mar 19, 2025 12:41 PM CDT

Law prof suspended over exam question, class discussion can sue for First Amendment retaliation, 7th Circuit says

A federal appeals court has revived a First Amendment retaliation claim by a professor at the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law who used an “expurgated racial slur” on an exam question, leading to an investigation, required diversity training, a suspension and denial of a pay raise.

Mar 13, 2025 2:14 PM CDT

This year’s historic ABA Techshow will be bigger than ever

It’s that time of year again. This year’s ABA Techshow 2025 will be a historic one for a couple of reasons.

Mar 12, 2025 9:07 AM CDT

Former Duane Morris partner arrested on outstanding warrant related to Michigan assault case

Updated: A former Duane Morris partner was arrested on an outstanding Michigan warrant at his condo in Chicago’s South Loop on Friday, the same building where his wife’s body was found in a stairwell in October 2024.

Mar 10, 2025 3:16 PM CDT

Parade shooter signed his trial waiver ‘Donald Trump;’ will it make a difference?

An Illinois man accused of killing seven people and wounding 48 others at a 2022 Fourth of July parade in suburban Chicago pleaded guilty to all charges Monday, but he did not sign his name to a trial waiver.

Mar 6, 2025 12:25 PM CST

Former practice chair allegedly overbilled clients by over $3.5M at 2 BigLaw firms, ethics complaint says

A former partner in the Chicago offices of two large international law firms is facing an ethics complaint alleging that he falsified billing records and caused clients to be overbilled by more than $3.5 million over a period of 20 years.

Feb 26, 2025 12:13 PM CST

Lawyer accused of helping client defraud creditors is acquitted a second time

A former Freeborn & Peters lawyer in Illinois has been acquitted of wire fraud a second time in a case stemming from his representation of a neighbor, the owner of a Chicago business that eventually filed for bankruptcy.

Feb 19, 2025 8:52 AM CST

States are starting to offer reduced prison time to survivors of domestic violence

According to one study of women in Oklahoma’s prisons, 66% were abused by a partner the year before they were incarcerated. The state has a new law that allows domestic violence survivors to seek shorter sentences. Oklahoma is one of only a handful of states to pass laws that provide sentencing relief specifically for domestic violence survivors.

Feb 1, 2025 1:00 AM CST