Hon. Georgia N. Alexakis Meets Younger Lawyers at FBA Chicago Chambers Lunch

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.

The Chambers Lunch series is a signature offering of the FBA Chicago Younger Lawyers Division. Each program pairs a small group of eligible members with a federal judge for candid conversation outside the courtroom. Eligibility for this session was limited to FBA member attorneys under 40 or with fewer than ten years of legal experience. Attorneys with active matters before Hon. Georgia N. Alexakis were not eligible to attend, preserving the informal nature of the discussion.

The chapter kept the Chambers Lunch program deliberately small. Capping attendance at twelve participants encouraged genuine dialogue rather than a formal presentation. Lunch was provided by Inspiration Kitchens, a Chicago nonprofit that trains and employs individuals facing barriers to employment through its culinary programs. Registration filled quickly given the limited seats and high member interest in engaging with Hon. Georgia N. Alexakis.

About Hon. Georgia N. Alexakis, U.S. District Judge for NDIL

Hon. Georgia N. Alexakis was sworn in as a United States District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois in August 2024. She holds a magna cum laude degree from Harvard University and a magna cum laude law degree from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. Before beginning her legal career, she worked as an associate and consultant at the Boston Consulting Group in Chicago.

Her legal career spans private practice, federal service, and now the federal bench. She clerked for Judge Marsha Berzon of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and Judge Milton Shadur of the Northern District of Illinois. She practiced at Bartlit Beck Herman Palenchar & Scott LLP and served multiple terms as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Northern District of Illinois. Prior to her appointment to the bench, she was a partner at Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila LLP, where her practice focused on government enforcement, investigations, and white-collar criminal defense.

Hon. Georgia N. Alexakis and the Value of Small-Group Access

Programs like this Chambers Lunch reflect the Younger Lawyers Division's ongoing commitment to fostering relationships between early-career attorneys and the federal judiciary. Small-group access to a judge like Hon. Georgia N. Alexakis is difficult to find elsewhere, and it gives younger members insight into a judge's career path, perspective, and approach to practicing law at the federal level.

FBA Chicago continues to prioritize this kind of direct engagement as a core membership benefit. Chambers Lunches complement the chapter's broader slate of CLE programming, networking events, and mentorship opportunities designed to support attorneys throughout their careers.

The Younger Lawyers Division Chambers Lunch with Hon. Georgia N. Alexakis underscored why these small-group programs remain among the chapter's most valued offerings. Members left the session with a deeper understanding of her path to the federal bench and a stronger connection to the Northern District's judiciary. FBA Chicago plans to continue offering Chambers Lunch opportunities with federal judges throughout the year, giving younger members ongoing access to the bench in a setting built for genuine conversation.

Members interested in future Chambers Lunch programs and other Younger Lawyers Division offerings can visit our upcoming events!