The Northern District of Illinois is accepting applications for a full-time United States Magistrate Judge position in the Eastern Division in Chicago. This prestigious role comes with significant responsibilities, a highly competitive annual salary of $227,608 and after 14 years of service and reaching age 65, a retiring Magistrate Judge receives an annuity equal to
R. David Donoghue
Meet the New Northern District Judges
The Federal Bar Association is hosting an event introducing the Northern District of Illinois’ newest district court judges on Thursday, September 11, 2025 from 12:00 p.m. until 1:30 p.m. The event will take place at the Chicago Bar Association, 321 S Plymouth Court, in Chicago. Lunch will be provided, along with one hour of credit…
Volunteer Opportunity: Provide “Bite-Sized” Pro Bono Assistance at the Hibbler Help Desk
The Uptown People’s Law Center (“UPLC”) coordinates the Hibbler Help Desk – a free, virtual resource designed to assist pro se litigants navigate federal court – for the Northern District of Illinois.
It provides a unique opportunity to offer unrepresented litigants practical guidance on procedures and rules as their case proceeds through the Northern District. …
Federal Bar Association CLE: Effective Settlement Advocacy
On July 9, 2025 from 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. CT, the Chicago Chapter of the Federal Bar Association and the 7th Circuit Bar Association Pro Bono Committee will host a free CLE event focusing on settlement advocacy techniques for pro se cases. Chief Judge Virginia M. Kendall of the U.S. District Court for the…
Roadblock or a Speedbump for Schedule A/Doe Case in the Northern District of Illinois?
Over the last five or more years, the Northern District has become the epicenter of intellectual property cases filed against an anonymous list of alleged infringers – often referred to as Doe defendants or Schedule A defendants – typically targeting online sellers of allegedly knock-off products. In fact, 83% of the Schedule A cases filed…
Federal Bar Association Lunch with Judge Kness
The Chicago Chapter of the Federal Bar Association is offering members a private lunch with the Northern District’s Judge John F. Kness on Wednesday, July 16, 2025 from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm CT.
This event is limited to FBA members and will be capped at twelve people. Lunch will be held in Judge Kness’s…
2025 State of the Court Address
The Chicago Chapter of the Federal Bar Association is hosting the Annual State of the Court Address on Tuesday, July 8, 2025 from noon to 1:30 pm CT. Chief Judge Virginia M. Kendall, will update us on the Northern District’s developments and trends.
The event will be held at the Chicago Bar Association, 321 S…
N.D. Illinois Mandatory Use of Updated Summons Form for CM/ECF Filing
The Northern District of Illinois updated its summons form, which is now required when submitting a summons via ECF in the Northern District. And as of February 10, 2025, all summonses must be submitted via ECF.
The newly revised summons form is available on the Northern District’s website under the “Forms” section or…
Federal Judiciary Updating its Financial System
Chief Judge Kendall and Clerk Bruton issued a notice that the Administrative Office of the United States Courts (AO) is upgrading the Judiciary Integrated Financial Management System (JIFMS), the federal judiciary’s financial system. That update is expected to impact all federal courts during the upgrade period, June 5, 2025 through July 2, 2025. During that…
U.S. v. Wen Ho Lee 25 Years Later
On May 29, 2025 from 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. CT, the Federal Bar Association Chicago Chapter, the Asian American Bar Association of Greater Chicago, and the Northern District will host a special event to mark Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month reflecting on the landmark United States v. Wen Ho Lee case.
The…

