Resources

Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) – www.isba.org

The largest voluntary bar association in the state, focusing on serving lawyers,

judges, and law students across Illinois.

2. Illinois Bar Foundation (IBF) – www.illinoisbarfoundation.org

The charitable arm of the ISBA, offering support to lawyers in need and funding

law-related public education.

3. Illinois Trial Lawyers Association (ITLA) – www.iltla.com

An association dedicated to protecting and advancing the rights of injured parties

through the legal system.

4. Illinois Criminal Defense Bar Association (ICDBA) – www.icdba.org

A group that supports the criminal defense bar with resources and advocacy.

5. Illinois Real Estate Lawyers Association (IRELA) – www.irela.org

An organization that supports attorneys practicing real estate law.

6. Illinois Hispanic Lawyers Association (IHLA) – No official website

Promotes the interests and advancement of Hispanic lawyers in Illinois.

7. Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel (IDC) – www.iadtc.org

Focuses on promoting the interests of defense attorneys in Illinois.

Chicago Bar Association (CBA) – www.chicagobar.org

One of the largest and oldest metropolitan bar associations in the U.S., serving

the Chicago area.

2. DuPage County Bar Association (DCBA) – www.dcba.org

Represents lawyers in DuPage County, offering legal education and community

services.

3. Cook County Bar Association (CCBA) – www.cookcountybar.org

The oldest African-American bar association in the U.S., representing African-

American attorneys in Cook County.

4. Lake County Bar Association (LCBA) – www.lakebar.org

Serves the legal community of Lake County with networking and continuing legal

education (CLE) opportunities.

5. Will County Bar Association (WCBA) – www.willcountybar.org

Represents the legal community in Will County, providing services like CLE and

community outreach.

6. Kane County Bar Association (KCBA) – www.kcba.org

Supports legal professionals in Kane County through education, mentoring, and

resources.

7. Peoria County Bar Association (PCBA) – www.peoriabar.org

Offers legal professionals in Peoria County CLEs and community engagement

opportunities.

8. Winnebago County Bar Association (WCBA) – www.wcbarockford.org

Represents lawyers in Winnebago County, offering legal resources and public

education.

9. Madison County Bar Association (MCBA) – www.madisoncountybar.org

Serves attorneys in Madison County, Illinois, with a focus on professional

development and community service.

10. McLean County Bar Association (MCBA) –

www.mcleancountybarassociation.com

Provides legal services, education, and resources to attorneys in McLean

County.

11. Champaign County Bar Association (CCBA) – www.champaigncobar.org

Represents lawyers practicing in Champaign County with educational and

professional networking opportunities.

12. St. Clair County Bar Association – No official website

Provides resources and support for attorneys practicing in St. Clair County.

13. Rock Island County Bar Association (RICBA) – No official website

Serves lawyers in Rock Island County with continuing education and networking.

Women's Bar Association of Illinois (WBAI) – www.wbaillinois.org

Focuses on promoting the interests of women in the legal profession across

Illinois.

2. Asian American Bar Association of Greater Chicago (AABA) –

www.aabachicago.org

Supports Asian American lawyers and promotes diversity in the legal community.

3. Black Women Lawyers' Association of Greater Chicago (BWLA) –

www.bwla.org

Advocates for black women lawyers and legal professionals in the Chicago area.

4. Arab American Bar Association of Illinois (AABAR) – No official website

Serves Arab American legal professionals in Illinois, promoting inclusion and

networking.

5. Decalogue Society of Lawyers – www.decaloguesociety.org

A Jewish legal association based in Illinois promoting civil rights and justice.

6. LGBTQ+ Bar Association of Illinois – No official website

Supports LGBTQ+ lawyers and legal issues related to the LGBTQ+ community.

7. South Asian Bar Association of Chicago (SABA) – www.sabachicago.org

Promotes the interests of South Asian attorneys in the Chicago area.

8. Korean American Bar Association of Chicago (KABA) –

www.kabachicago.org

Represents the interests of Korean American legal professionals in Illinois.

9. Hellenic Bar Association of Illinois (HBA) – www.hellenicbar.org

Serves the Greek legal community in Illinois.

10. Justinian Society of Lawyers (Chicago) – www.justinians.org

An organization representing Italian-American lawyers in the Chicago area.

Illinois Supreme Court – www.illinoiscourts.gov/courts/supreme-court/

The highest court in Illinois, overseeing the administration of justice and final

appeals in the state.

2. Illinois Appellate Court – www.illinoiscourts.gov/courts/appellate-court/

Handles appeals from the Circuit Courts, with five appellate districts spread

across the state.

3. Illinois Circuit Courts – www.illinoiscourts.gov/courts/circuit-court/

The trial courts of general jurisdiction, divided into 24 judicial circuits. They

handle civil and criminal cases.

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois – www.ilnd.uscourts.gov

Covers the northern third of Illinois, including Chicago, and handles federal

cases.

2. U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois – www.ilcd.uscourts.gov

Serves the central region of Illinois, including Peoria and Springfield, and hears

federal cases.

3. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois –

www.ilsd.uscourts.gov

Covers the southern portion of the state, adjudicating federal cases in areas like

East St. Louis.

4. U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit – www.ca7.uscourts.gov

Hears appeals from federal district courts in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin.

University of Chicago Law School – www.law.uchicago.edu

One of the top law schools in the country, known for its emphasis on

interdisciplinary legal studies and the Socratic method. The school has a

reputation for academic rigor and producing leaders in academia, government,

and private practice.

2. Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law – www.law.northwestern.edu

Renowned for its innovative approach to legal education, Northwestern offers

programs focused on interdisciplinary studies, practical experience, and

leadership in law and business. It is also known for its strong emphasis on

professional development.

3. University of Illinois College of Law – www.law.illinois.edu

Part of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the College of Law is known

for its strong focus on research, technology, and innovation in law. It offers a

comprehensive legal education with special strengths in business, technology,

and public interest law.

4. DePaul University College of Law – law.depaul.edu

Located in Chicago, DePaul Law has a strong tradition of providing legal

education that integrates theory and practice. It is particularly well-known for its

programs in intellectual property, health law, and public interest law.

5. Loyola University Chicago School of Law – www.luc.edu/law

Known for its commitment to social justice and service, Loyola offers strong

programs in child and family law, health law, and public interest law. The school

emphasizes ethics and professionalism in legal practice.

6. Chicago-Kent College of Law (Illinois Institute of Technology) –

www.kentlaw.iit.edu

Chicago-Kent offers a broad range of programs, with particular strengths in

intellectual property, labor and employment law, and technology law. It is known

for its hands-on approach, with legal clinics and trial advocacy programs.

7. Southern Illinois University School of Law – law.siu.edu

Located in Carbondale, SIU School of Law emphasizes affordable legal

education with a focus on practical training and community service. It is well-

regarded for its programs in health law, public interest law, and environmental

law.

8. Northern Illinois University College of Law – www.niu.edu/law

NIU Law is known for providing an affordable legal education with small class

sizes and personalized attention. It offers strong programs in criminal law, civil

litigation, and public interest law.

9. John Marshall Law School (Now University of Illinois Chicago School of

Law) – law.uic.edu

The only public law school in Chicago, UIC Law (formerly John Marshall) is

known for its focus on practical skills training, with a strong emphasis on clinical

experience. The school offers notable programs in intellectual property law, trial

advocacy, and legal writing.

Legal Information Institute (LII) – www.law.cornell.edu

Provides free access to legal information including U.S. Code, Supreme Court

decisions, and other federal regulations.

7. Congress.gov – www.congress.gov

The official website for U.S. federal legislative information, offering access to

bills, laws, congressional records, and committee reports.

8. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) – www.ecfr.gov

The eCFR provides access to the codified regulations of federal agencies,

updated daily to reflect new rules and amendments.

9. U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) – www.govinfo.gov

Provides access to authenticated government publications, including the U.S.

Code, federal court opinions, and other legislative and regulatory documents.

10. U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) – www.justice.gov

The DOJ represents the United States in legal matters and is responsible for

enforcement of the law and administration of justice.

11. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – www.fbi.gov

The FBI is the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Justice,

focusing on federal law enforcement, national security, and criminal

investigations.

12. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) – www.sec.gov

The SEC oversees securities markets, protects investors, and ensures fair

practices in the securities industry.

13. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) – www.eeoc.gov

The EEOC is responsible for enforcing federal laws against workplace

discrimination.

14. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) – www.irs.gov

Provides tax services, guidance, and regulations related to federal tax laws and

the IRS’s enforcement of tax policy.

15. U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) – www.dol.gov

Provides information and regulations on employment law, wage standards,

occupational safety, and workplace benefits.

19. Regulations.gov – www.regulations.gov

Allows the public to view and comment on federal regulations and proposed

rules.

20. Office of the Federal Register – www.federalregister.gov

The official record for daily publication of rules, proposed rules, and notices from

federal agencies.

Federal Bar Association (FBA) – www.fedbar.org

The official website of the Federal Bar Association, providing resources for

federal legal practitioners, continuing legal education (CLE), and information on

FBA chapters.

1. United States Courts – www.uscourts.gov

The official website for the federal judiciary, providing access to court information,

case law, and the PACER system for federal court records.

2. Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) – www.pacer.gov

An electronic public access service that allows users to obtain case and docket

information from federal appellate, district, and bankruptcy courts.

3. Supreme Court of the United States – www.supremecourt.gov

The official website of the U.S. Supreme Court, providing access to court

opinions, case information, oral arguments, and other resources.

4. Federal Judicial Center (FJC) – www.fjc.gov

The research and education agency for the federal judiciary, providing

educational resources for judges and court personnel.

5. Federal Register – www.federalregister.gov

The official journal of the U.S. government, containing government agency rules,

proposed rules, and public notices.

21. U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) – www.gao.gov

A nonpartisan agency that provides auditing, evaluation, and investigative

services for the U.S. Congress.

22. U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) – www.osc.gov

Protects federal employees from prohibited personnel practices, such as

retaliation for whistleblowing.