United States Attorney's Office
Northern District of Illinois
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois is one of the premier federal prosecutors' offices in the country. Its outstanding reputation and tradition of excellence is based, in part, on famous undercover investigations and prosecutions of public corruption in Chicago and Cook County, such as Operation Greylord and Operation Gambat, which targeted judicial corruption, and, more recently, Operation Haunted Hall, Operation Silver Shovel and Operation Safe Road, which focused on political corruption.
Under the executive authority of the United States Department of Justice, the USAO is responsible for enforcing federal law through investigation and prosecution of alleged criminal activity. This includes pretrial investigations, trials of felony and misdemeanor charges and handling of criminal appeals. In the civil arena, the office is responsible for defending lawsuits against federal agencies and employees and affirmative civil litigation to ensure compliance with federal law, as well as collecting restitution owed to crime victims and money owed to federal agencies.
The office has more than 300 employees, including approximately 161 Assistant U.S. Attorneys and two dozen paralegals, along with other administrative and support staff. Patrick J. Fitzgerald began serving as the United States Attorney in fall 2001. The Northern District of Illinois covers 18 northern Illinois counties across the top tier of the state, with a population of approximately nine million people. The district has a branch office in Rockford staffed by seven attorneys. Both attorneys and staff are committed to a longstanding tradition of public service and community involvement throughout northern Illinois.
In the Criminal Division, new Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSAs) are assigned to the General Crimes Section where they receive training in federal criminal law and procedure, grand jury and trial practice, and participate in conducting investigations with the various federal law enforcement agencies. In large part, they learn by doing - that is, they quickly are assigned to investigations involving the entire spectrum of federal offenses, including tax fraud, bank robbery and embezzlement, illegal sale and possession of narcotics and firearms. After becoming proficient in the investigation and trial of less complex matters, AUSAs are assigned to the other sections, such as Narcotics and Gangs Section, which focuses on the investigation and prosecution of major narcotics distribution organizations, in particular street gangs and drug importation and transportation cartels. The Money Laundering and Asset Forfeiture Section investigates money laundering and attempts to "take the profit out of crime" by tracing the proceeds of drug traffickers and other criminals and seizing their profits.
Other "senior" sections of the Criminal Division are the Major Case, Public Corruption, Complex Fraud, Appeals and Organized Crime sections. The OC Section coordinates the investigation and prosecution of major organized criminal groups, particularly La Cosa Nostra (known in Chicago as the "Outfit"), using such federal law enforcement tools as the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (known as RICO - which allows the prosecution of organizations for crimes occurring over many years) and court-approved electronic monitoring.
Attorneys in the office work closely with agents of all of the federal investigative agencies, such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service, Secret Service, the Department of Homeland Security's Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the offices of inspector general of the various federal agencies and departments (such as the Departments of Defense and State). The office also encourages extensive cooperation between state, local and federal law enforcement agencies.
About 30 Assistant U.S. Attorneys are assigned to the Civil Division where they handle a wide array of litigation on behalf of the federal government and its agencies. These matters include civil rights, environmental, food and drug, and civil fraud cases. The division also defends federal officials against personal injury and medical malpractice claims, and employment discrimination lawsuits, in addition to defending class actions and administrative rulings relating to government policies and programs. The Financial Litigation Section is devoted to handling bankruptcy matters, defensive foreclosures, and collecting restitution for victims of crime, as well as debts owed to federal agencies.
The office typically receives hundreds of employment applications annually from lawyers and law students, making positions extremely competitive. Attorney applicants are evaluated on legal experience, law school performance, writing and oral communication skills and dedication to government service, among other factors. Successful attorney applicants are expected to commit themselves to serving a minimum of four years in the office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys in this district work, on average, between 50 and 60 hours a week.
The office also has an extensive intern program designed to expose law students to all aspects of federal criminal and civil practice. Student interns have an opportunity to participate in and observe conferences, depositions, hearings, trials and appeals. Interns usually work either full time or part-time as nonpaid volunteers, although some students may receive funds from school work-study programs.
For further information, please write or call the Office of the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois at (312) 353-5300.
Eastern Division (Chicago)
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Patrick J. Fitzgerald United States Attorney's Office Phone: (312) 353-5300 Covers Illinois Counties:
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Western Division (Rockford)
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John McKenzie United States Attorney's Office Phone: (815) 987-4444 Covers Illinois Counties:
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