Public Statements
Formal statements issued by the Chicago Council of Lawyers in response to current events, legal issues, or matters of public concern.
CCL Supports Diversity and Inclusion Standards for Law Schools
The Chicago Council of Lawyers (CCL)[1] believes that institutional diversity remains critical to ensuring the legal profession accurately reflects a multiracial democracy. As the Illinois State Bar Association notes, “Because we are a diverse [...]
CCL Calls For ARDC Investigation Into Conduct In Broadview Federal Prosecution
The Chicago Council of Lawyers has submitted a letter to the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (ARDC) of the Supreme Court of Illinois requesting an investigation into the conduct of attorneys involved in the [...]
CCL Condemns Politically Motivated Prosecutions
Since Donald Trump returned to the presidency, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has launched numerous investigations and prosecutions against his political opponents — often following direct threats from President Trump himself. The nonpartisan group Protect [...]
Chicago Council of Lawyers Asks State Government to Enforce The Law Against ICE
The Chicago Council of Lawyers’ newly installed President, Robert Held, has called upon the relevant state agencies to enforce the law against ICE agents driving illegally and dangerously without license plates in the Chicago [...]
Enforcement of Illinois Vehicle-Registration and Traffic-Safety Laws
Click here to download a PDF of the letter. April 16, 2026 Director Brendan F. Kelly Illinois State Police 801 South 7th Street Springfield, Illinois 62703 Re: Enforcement of Illinois vehicle-registration and traffic-safety laws [...]
Chicago Council of Lawyers Position On Reauthorization of FISA Section 702
Section 702 was added to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) by amendment enacted by Congress in 2008. Section 702 allows the National Security Agency to conduct individualized searches of non-U.S. persons' communications without [...]
Chicago Council of Lawyers Urges Withdrawal of DOJ Rule That Would Upend Enforcement of State Disciplinary Rules Against DOJ Attorneys
Update as of April 13th, 2026 The Chicago Council of Lawyers advocacy on this issue has received recognition at the federal level. In response to CCL's March 16th letter opposing the Deparatment of Justice's proposed [...]
AI Surveillance: Need for Regulatory Safeguards
The U.S. government’s use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) surveillance has increased rapidly in the last five years. For example, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has access to over 640 million photographs that can [...]
Legality, Justice, and the Use of Cruelty
Public debate over the policies of the second Trump administration—both in the mainstream press and across social media—frequently collapses two distinct questions into one: whether a policy is lawful, and whether it is just. [...]
Coalition of Chicagoland Bar Associations Statement on the Shooting of Alex Pretti
The Coalition of Chicagoland Bar Associations stands with the legal community in seeking accountability, transparency, and justice following the fatal shooting of Alex Jeffrey Pretti by federal Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis on January 24, [...]
