2026 Annual Meeting & Installation Luncheon
Tuesday, October 6, 2026
Reception: 11:30AM – 12:00PM
Lunch: 12:00 PM – 1:30PM
65 W. Jackson Blvd.
Chicago, IL 60604
Please join the Federal Bar Association’s Chicago Chapter for its 2026 Annual Meeting & Installation Luncheon, featuring Chief Judge Virginia M. Kendall’s State of the Court Address as the event’s keynote. This popular annual event hosts federal judges and hundreds of practitioners from Chicago and surrounding communities for the election and installation of the Chapter’s 2026–2027 officers and directors.
This year’s luncheon will also honor two milestones in the Chapter’s tradition of recognizing distinguished service. First, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin will be recognized with the Chapter’s Lifetime Achievement Award ahead of his retirement on January 3, 2027, in recognition of 40+ years of public service. Also, the Kathryn Smith Matkov Award will be presented to Prof. Tom Geraghty and AUSA Kelly Greening for their lifetime dedication to excellence and public awareness on critical societal issues.
The event will take place at the Union League Club, 65 West Jackson Blvd, Chicago, beginning with a reception from 11:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., followed by lunch and the program from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. For individual tickets, please register below.
Tickets are available now. 10-person tables may be purchased through the website or by check. For those interested in purchasing a 10-person table by check, please email our team at info@fedbarchicago.org.
State of the Court Address Presented by Hon. Virginia M. Kendall
Hon. Virginia M. Kendall
Chief Judge, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
Judge Kendall serves as the Chief Judge of the Northern District of Illinois and as a member of the Judicial Conference of the United States Courts. She was appointed to the federal bench in January 2006. She lectures extensively both domestically and internationally on trial practice, public corruption, ethics, electronic discovery, patent litigation, internet and computer investigations, intellectual property case management, and child exploitation and human trafficking. She is the co-author of two books on human trafficking and global supply chains, as well as numerous legal articles.
Among other topics, Judge Kendall teaches human trafficking at the University of Chicago Law School, Northwestern University School of Law, and Loyola University Chicago School of Law. Additionally, she holds leadership roles across the Federal Bar Association, the American Bar Association, and the International Bar Association. She currently serves on the United States Judicial Conference and has served on the Judicial Conferences Committee on Judicial Conduct and International Judicial Relations. She is also a member of the United Nations’ Judicial Integrity Network. In 2018, she was the Peter and Patricia Gruber Fellow in Women’s Rights at Yale Law School.
Prior to her judicial appointment, she served for over 10 years as a federal prosecutor and as the Child Exploitation Coordinator and the Project Safe Neighborhoods Coordinator, during which she tried dozens of jury trials. She has received numerous awards for her work with victims and honorary degrees for her human trafficking work and her pro bono work. She received her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees from Northwestern University and her J.D. from Loyola University School of Law.
Lifetime Achievement & Kathryn Smith Matkov Awards Ceremony
The Federal Bar Association Chicago Chapter is proud to announce that this year's Annual Meeting & Installation Luncheon will include the presentation of a Lifetime Achievement Award and two Kathryn Smith Matkov Awards.
Ahead of his retirement in January 2027, the Chapter will honor U.S. Senator Dick Durbin with the Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing his more than 40 years of public service to Illinois and the nation.
The Chapter will also honor Prof. Tom Geraghty and AUSA Kelly Greening with the Kathryn Smith Matkov Award. Named for Past President Kathryn Smith Matkov, who passed away from cancer shortly after her presidency, the award recognizes an attorney or judge for a lifetime of dedication to excellence and public awareness on critical societal issues, particularly those affecting children, the aged, and minorities. The 2026 honorees exemplify that same enduring commitment. The Chapter looks forward to celebrating their contributions to advancing justice and improving conditions for the communities Kathryn dedicated her career to serving.
Sign up for the 2026 Annual Meeting & Installation Luncheon!
Sign up for the 2026 Annual Meeting & Installation Luncheon, organized by the Federal Bar Association Chicago Chapter. This event will be held on Tuesday, October 6, 2026 at the Union League Club of Chicago. For questions, please email us at info@fedbarchicago.org.
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