Bridging Chicago's Federal Legal Network

On June 15, 2026, the Federal Bar Association Chicago Chapter hosted its 2026 Annual Ethics Program at Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Chicago, Illinois. The event ran from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. In-person attendance was capped at 50 participants, and the program offered 3.0 hours of Professional Responsibility CLE credit.

On Tuesday, July 14, 2026, Hon. John Z. Lee hosted a private chambers luncheon with members of the Federal Bar Association Chicago Chapter at the Dirksen United States Courthouse in Chicago, Illinois.

Sau Ung Loo Chan was one of the first Asian Americans to attend Yale Law School. Her story is one of the most remarkable in American legal history. A U.S. citizen by birthright, Chan fell in love with a man who was also born in the United States. He could not prove his birthright, however, because family circumstances and the destruction caused by the 1906 San Francisco earthquake left his records unverifiable. The government refused to recognize him as a citizen.

Hon. Georgia N. Alexakis joined a small group of FBA Chicago members for a Younger Lawyers Division Chambers Lunch on Wednesday, May 20, 2026. The private, in-person lunch took place at the Dirksen Federal Building in downtown Chicago from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. Limited to twelve participants, the program gave early-career attorneys a rare chance to speak directly with Hon. Georgia N. Alexakis in an intimate, informal setting.

On the evening of May 19th, the Federal Bar Association Chicago Chapter and Federal Problem-Solving Courts Foundation hosted the 2026 Restoring Lives Reception at the Union League Club of Chicago, bringing together nearly 190 members of the federal legal community. Overall, this event celebrated second chances in our society and those who make them possible.

On April 27, 2026, the Federal Bar Association Chicago Chapter drew the city’s labor and employment community to its 2026 Annual Employment Law Seminar. This hybrid program was co-hosted with JAMS and Chicago-Kent's Martin H. Malin Institute. Attendees earned four hours of CLE credit and gathered for a reception following the afternoon programming.

On Thursday, April 9, 2026, Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP hosted the Federal Bar Association Chicago Chapter’s 2026 Criminal Law Seminar. Titled 2026 Hot Topics, Practice Tips & Current Developments in Federal Criminal Law, this annual event brought together federal judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys for an afternoon of practical analysis and timely discussion.

On Wednesday, April 8, 2026, the Federal Bar Association Chicago Chapter hosted a Northwestern Law Judges' Panel. Titled How to Reason Like an Appellate Judge, this program brought together three judges from the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit for a candid conversation on appellate practice. The CLE program took place in Lincoln Hall at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, 375 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago.

On Thursday, March 12th, the Federal Bar Association Chicago Chapter hosted the 2026 Women's History Month event, A Seat at Counsel Table. This program brought together four distinguished women in federal law, and was co-hosted by the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. It took place in the Ceremonial Courtroom of the historic Dirksen Federal Building in downtown Chicago.

On March 6, 2026, three Chicago appellate judges joined the Federal Bar Association Chicago Chapter for a panel discussion at Winston & Strawn LLP. The judges, John Z. Lee, Thomas L. Kirsch II, and David F. Hamilton, all serve on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Sharon Desh, a trial lawyer and partner at Winston & Strawn, moderated the conversation.

On Wednesday, March 4, 2026, Hon. Nancy L. Maldonado hosted a private chambers luncheon with members of the Federal Bar Association (FBA) Chicago Chapter at the Dirksen United States Courthouse in Chicago, Illinois. The event took place from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. in South Conference Room 2753 on the 27th floor at 219 S. Dearborn Street.

The prosecution of Jack Johnson, America's first Black world heavyweight boxing champion, took center stage on February 11, 2026, as the Federal Bar Association Chicago Chapter hosted a compelling in-person program at the Dirksen United States Courthouse's Ceremonial Courtroom.

Kicking off the new year with strong momentum, the Federal Bar Association Chicago Chapter welcomed approximately 60 attorneys to its first program of 2026, Unfamiliar Waters: Navigating Procedural Differences Between Federal and Illinois State Court. Held on January 13th at Saul Ewing LLP, the program delivered a timely, highly practical discussion for litigators who regularly practice in one forum but may suddenly find themselves navigating the other. The strong turnout underscored the reality that many lawyers spend most of their careers in either federal court or Illinois state court, but rarely both. When cases cross jurisdictions, even experienced practitioners can feel uncertain about procedural traps, unwritten customs, and strategic differences that materially affect outcomes. This program was designed to address that challenge head-on. Featuring an engaged audience, a thoughtfully structured agenda, and two sitting judges who were generous with both preparation and perspective, the program set an energetic and substantive tone for the FBA Chicago Chapter’s year ahead.

On January 20, 2026, the Federal Bar Association Chicago Chapter and the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois co-hosted a free CLE program at the Everett McKinley Dirksen United States Courthouse in recognition of National Human Trafficking Awareness Month.

The Federal Bar Association Chicago Chapter closed out 2025 with its Annual Holiday Party & Toy Drive on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, bringing members and guests together for an evening of community, connection, and generosity. Hosted at Greenberg Traurig, LLP’s new office in Fulton Market (360 North Green Street), the event offered a welcoming space to reflect on a full year of programming and to celebrate the season with colleagues from Chicago’s federal legal community.

Last week’s CLE event, hosted by the Federal Bar Association Chicago Chapter, educated attendees on criminal court appeals, particularly in the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Organized in partnership with the Seventh Circuit Bar Association Criminal Law and Procedure Committee, attendees joined Zoom for You’ve Taken an Appeal in a Criminal Matter. Now What? This one-hour program walked federal practitioners through the life cycle of a federal criminal appeal, from the initial notice filed to the final client communication. The program’s featured presenters were Hannah V. Garst (Law Offices of Hannah Garst, P.C.) and Ruth F. Masters (MastersLaw LLC). Additionally, Saul Ewing LLP covered the program’s administrative costs.

The Federal Bar Association Chicago Chapter hosted an in-depth panel covering alternative dispute resolution techniques, including mediation, arbitration, and settlement conferences. Held on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, its “Deal or No Deal? Strategies for Successful Resolution at Mediations, Arbitrations & Settlement Conferences” CLE event brought in 80 Chicagoland legal professionals. Hosted by Jenner & Block LLP (353 N. Clark Street, Chicago), the discussion centered on practical decision-making for attorneys in federal practice.

The Federal Bar Association (FBA) Chicago Chapter officially launched its Raising the Bar Mentorship Program with a well-attended mentorship program happy hour on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, at the Chicago Bar Association’s Winston & Strawn Presidents’ Room. Designed to connect law students and early-career attorneys with experienced professionals in the Chicagoland legal community, the program runs from Fall 2025 through Spring 2026. It represents a cornerstone of the Chapter’s commitment to fostering professional growth and collaboration.

On October 1, 2025, the Federal Bar Association Chicago Chapter hosted an engaging lunchtime program at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law titled A Debate on the State and Future of Class Actions. The event brought together two of the nation’s leading scholars on complex litigation—Professor Martin H. Redish of Northwestern University and Professor Brian T. Fitzpatrick of Vanderbilt University—for a spirited, intellectual discussion about the past, present, and potential future of class action lawsuits in the United States.

The Federal Bar Association Chicago Chapter held its 2025 Annual Meeting and Installation Luncheon on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, at the Union League Club of Chicago, marking one of the chapter’s most well-attended gatherings of the year. The event brought together federal judges, attorneys, and practitioners from across the Northern District of Illinois and surrounding communities to celebrate the transition of leadership, recognize distinguished public service, and reflect on the chapter’s ongoing commitment to advancing the administration of justice.

On September 23, 2025, the Federal Bar Association Chicago Chapter hosted A Miscarriage of Justice: Insights for Today from the Acquittal of Emmett Till’s Murderers at K&L Gates LLP in downtown Chicago. Sponsored by K&L Gates and attended by judges, attorneys, law students, educators, and law enforcement officials, the program marked the 70th anniversary of the 1955 acquittal, which remains one of the most infamous miscarriages of justice in American history.

On September 11, 2025, the Federal Bar Association Chicago Chapter hosted a special lunchtime program titled “Meet the New District Court Judges.” Held at the Chicago Bar Association, the event provided attendees with an opportunity to hear firsthand from the 2025 district court judges of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (NDIL).

On August 6, 2025, the Federal Bar Association Chicago Chapter hosted its annual Northern District Practice for New Lawyers & Lawyers-To-Be at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in Chicago. The event offered law students, interns, summer associates, and new attorneys an opportunity to observe and learn from distinguished members of the Northern District of Illinois (NDIL) bench. Attendees witnessed live oral arguments on real motions, followed by a judicial panel discussion centered on effective written and oral advocacy in federal court.

On July 16, 2025, the Federal Bar Association Chicago Chapter welcomed Hon. John F. Kness for an exclusive Chambers Lunch at the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse. Open only to FBA member attorneys, this in-person event was limited to 12 participants, creating a rare opportunity for direct engagement with a sitting federal judge in a small, conversational setting.

During the recent “Effective Settlement Advocacy: Pro Se Litigants’ Settlement Assistance Program”, the Federal Bar Association Chicago Chapter discussed effective settlement advocacy and pro bono service in federal court. Held at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, the event brought together three U.S. Magistrate Judges, experienced litigators, and communication specialists. Each of them shared strategies for guiding unrepresented litigants through the settlement process. Attendees received practical tools for case evaluation, client communication, ethical decision-making, and settlement advocacy that benefit both the litigant and the court system.

The Federal Bar Association Chicago Chapter hosted the 2025 State of the Court Address on Tuesday, July 8th, at the Chicago Bar Association, bringing together more than 90 attorneys, judges, and members of the legal community. Chief Judge Virginia M. Kendall delivered her first official report as Chief Judge of the Northern District of Illinois (NDIL), providing key updates on case statistics, community programs, and challenges facing the judiciary.

The 2025 FBA Ethics Program brought together 56 legal professionals on June 5, 2025, for a high-impact continuing legal education (CLE) event hosted by the Federal Bar Association (FBA) Chicago Chapter. Held at Kirkland & Ellis LLP’s riverfront office in downtown Chicago, the three-hour program addressed critical topics in lawyer well-being, ethical negotiations, and courtroom professionalism. Attendees had the option to participate in person or via Zoom.

On May 29, 2025, the Federal Bar Association Chicago Chapter partnered with the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the Asian American Bar Association of Greater Chicago (AABA Chicago) to present United States v. Wen Ho Lee – 25 Years Later. Held on the 25th floor of the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse, the program marked the culmination of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. It brought together judges, attorneys, and legal scholars for a thought-provoking exploration of a landmark federal case.

The new Northern District of Illinois (NDIL) magistrate judges were formally introduced to the legal community on May 13, 2025, during a panel hosted by the Federal Bar Association Chicago Chapter. Held at the Chicago Bar Association’s Corboy Hall, the event featured a moderated discussion with four recently appointed United States Magistrate Judges for the Northern District of Illinois. The program covered topics relevant to federal practitioners, including settlement conference advocacy, management of discovery disputes, and expectations in civil and criminal proceedings. Edward W. Feldman of Miller Shakman Levine & Feldman LLP moderated the discussion. Attendees received CLE credit, and the event included a Q&A session to facilitate direct engagement between the judiciary and practitioners.

The Honorable Judge Beth W Jantz hosted a sold-out Chambers Lunch with the Federal Bar Association Chicago Chapter on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, offering an exclusive opportunity for 12 active FBA members to gain an inside look at her career and courtroom philosophy. As a U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of Illinois, Judge Jantz shared valuable insights drawn from her experiences on the bench and in private practice.