Attorney Profile

When you are facing serious problems in the justice system, you want an award-winning lawyer who has the experience to fight for you. Chicago  and Northbrook criminal defense  and DCFS attorney Lori G. Levin has such experience. Recognized by her peers as a Leading Lawyer and Super Lawyer in the area of Criminal Defense, Lori G. Levin will provide aggressive representation for your legal issue.

EXPERIENCE

Lori G. Levin, Attorney At Law

  • Vigorously defending clients facing serious charges in state court as well as within the juvenile justice system
  • Forcefully helping clients facing DCFS investigations and appealing DCFS indications of child abuse or neglect
  • Possessing and applying the knowledge, training and experience in the criminal justice system to assist and benefit her clients
  • Handling cases in the Circuit Courts of Cook and Lake Counties as well as before Administrative Judges handling Department of Children and Family Services Administrative Appeals
  • 2017 Illinois Academy of Lawyers Laureate
  • Illinois Super Lawyer, Top 50 Illinois Women Lawyers, 2023
  • Illinois Super Lawyer, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2005
  • Illinois Leading Lawyer, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015

Executive Director, Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority
Directed agency dedicated to improving criminal justice statewide

  • Oversaw $100M+ criminal justice research and grants
  • Chaired Task Force for Update of Model Domestic Violence Protocol
  • Served on Illinois Violence Prevention Authority, Illinois Family Violence Coordinating Council, Sex Offender Management Board, City of Chicago Mayor’ Domestic Violence Advisory Coordinating Council
  • Served on Juvenile Justice ReDeploy Illinois Steering Committee
  • Governor’s Community Safety and Prisoner Reentry Working Group, Metropolis 2020’s Justice
  • Member of Governor’s Community Safety and Reentry Working Group, Metropolis 2020’s Justice Violence Index Advisory Council, GoTo 2040 Crime and Justice Planning Initiative Advisory Board, State of Illinois/City of Chicago Collaborative on Reentry Advisory Council

Supervisor, Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office
Seniors and Persons with Disabilities/Mental Health Divisions

  • Directed investigation/prosecution of financial exploitation cases, violent crimes, and abuse cases
  • Supervised civil commitment and forced treatment of mentally ill persons in crisis
  • Participated in planning first felony diversion mental health court

Trial Attorney, Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office

  • First chair, Felony Trial Courts, 26th and California, handling violent and white collar crimes
  • Other assignments: post-convictions, Juvenile Court, felony review and preliminary hearings
  • Tried 50+ felony and civil juries

EDUCATION

Georgetown University Law Center, Juris Doctor, 1980

University of Illinois, Bachelor of Science in Journalism, 1977

ADMISSIONS

Attorney and Counselor, State of Illinois, 1980

United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, 1980

Certified Lead Counsel, Capital Litigation Trial Bar of State of Illinois, 2002

Bar, Board, and Community Positions

Illinois State Bar Association

  • Recipient, Illinois Academy of Lawyers, Laureate Award for those demonstrating greatness in legal profession, June 2017
  • Recipient, Matthew Maloney Tradition of Excellence Award, June 2014
  • Chair, Standing Committee on Women and the Law, 2018-2019
  • Chair, Standing Committee on Continuing Legal Education, 2011-2013
  • Assembly Member, 2005-2011, 2012-2018, 2020-present
  • Child Law Section Council, 2023-present
  • Bench and Bar Council, 2021-2023
  • Chair, Standing Committee on Mental Health Law, 2002-2003
  • Criminal Justice Section Council, 2005-present
  • Standing Committee on Women and the Law, 2007-2020
  • Elder Law Section Council Member, 2001-2003

Women’s Bar Association of Illinois

  • President, 2004-2005
  • Co-Chair, Past Presidents Council, 2016-present
  • First Vice-President, April-May 2004
  • Second Vice-President, 2003-2004
  • Treasurer, 2002-2003
  • Corresponding Secretary, 2001-2002
  • Board of Directors, 2000-2006
  • Co-Chair, Past Presidents Council, 2016-17
  • Co-Chair, Criminal Litigation Committee, 2015-2016
  • Co-Chair, Annual Dinner, 2003, 2006 and 2009
  • Co-Chair, Joint Professional Dinner 2000 and 2001
  • Programming Co-Chair, 1999-2000
  • Joint WBAI-CBA Elder Women’s Task Force, 1999-present

American Bar Association

  • Vice-Chair of Criminal Justice Section Council for Professional Development/CLE, 1997-98
  • Assistant Secretary of Criminal Justice Section Council, 1988-89
  • Criminal Justice Section Council member 1988-93
  • Co-Chair, Legal Problems of the Elderly Committee, Criminal Justice Section, 2006-2010
  • Chair/Co-Chair, Ad Hoc Committee, Women in Criminal Justice Community, 1998–2006
  • Liaison from Criminal Justice Section to ABA Commission on Women, 1998-2001
  • Co-Chair, ABA/American Psychological Association Symposium on Psychology and Criminal Law, Washington, D.C., October 14-17, 1999.

Chicago Bar Association

  • Strategic Planning Committee, 2005-2006
  • Criminal Law Committee, 2009-present
  • Mental Health Law Committee, 1998-2005

Decalogue Society of Lawyers

  • Board of Managers, 2011-2013

North Shore Law

  • Secretary, 2023-present
  • Board Member, 2021-present

Additional Memberships

  • Women’s Criminal Defense Bar Association
  • Northwest Suburban Bar Association
  • North Suburban Bar Association
  • Illinois Bar Foundation, Grant Review Committee, 2006-2012,
  • American Jewish Congress-Midwest Region, Governing Council, 1999-2004

Professional Activities

  • Speaker on issues pertaining to criminal and juvenile justice, women, elder law, and mental health as well as trial competition evaluator and demonstrator. Highlights include:
  • How DCFS May Impact Your Clients: The Investigative Process and Administrative Appeals, Speaker, Illinois Collaborative Divorce, October 6, 2022
  • Girls in Crisis Part II, Moderator, Girls in the Juvenile Justice System, Illinois State Bar Association, October 25, 2019
  • Girls in Crisis: Foster Care and Unaccompanied Immigrants, Organizer and Moderator, Illinois State Bar Association, May 17, 2019
  • Nuts and Bolts of Illinois Administrative Hearings, Speaker on DCFS Administrative Appeals, Illinois State Bar Association, April 12, 2017
  • Discussion on Mental Health Court, Women’s Bar Association of Illinois, Moderator and Co-Coordinator, May 11, 2016
  • Participant on WVON radio show hosted by Cliff Kelley on Juvenile Justice Developments, January 26, 2016
  • Practice Area Pros and Cons: Understanding Where You Will Thrive, Chicago Bar Association, Speaker, May 13, 2014
  • Criminal Law: Back to Basics, Illinois State Bar Association, Moderator, May 31, 2013
  • Fitness to Stand Trial: The Process, The Procedure and the Law, Speaker, Illinois State Bar Association, Speaker, May 7, 2012
  • Women in Criminal Justice: Justice Delivered or Denied? Moderator and Speaker, Illinois State Bar Association, February 25, 2010
  • Governor’s Elder Rights Conference, Moderator and Panelist, July 16, 2009
  • Women in Criminal Justice, CLE Speaker, Decalogue Society of Lawyers, May 14, 2008
  • Connecting the Pathways: 1st Annual Collaborative Juvenile Justice Conference, Welcome Address, Springfield, October 31, 2007
  • Justice for Girls: Delivered or Denied? Moderator, Illinois State Bar Association, October 4, 2007
  • Supervised Child Visitation & Exchange Services, City of Chicago Mayor’s Office on Domestic Violence, Welcome Address, August 30, 2007
  • Illinois Integrated Justice Information Systems Summit, Welcome Address and Panelist, Naperville, June 2005 and Springfield, June 2007
  • Women’s Bar Association of Illinois Tribute to Justice Mary Ann McMorrow, Master of Ceremonies, July 12, 2006
  • Female Offenders, Speaker, Illinois State Bar Association’s Women and the Law Committee, May 4, 2006
  • Kids in a Jam, Planning Committee, Illinois State Bar Association, December 8, 2005
  • Public Safety Public Hearings Moderator, Governor’s Community Safety and Re-Entry Group,
  • East St. Louis and Peoria, April and May 2005
  • Welcome Address, Making Your Own Rain, Women’s Bar Association of Illinois, May 18, 2005
  • Illinois Bar Swearing-In Ceremonies, Speaker as WBAI President, November 2004 and May 2005
  • Women in Government, Panelist, Women’s Bar Association of Illinois, April 20, 2005
  • Illinois Juvenile Justice, Welcome Address, March 2, 2005
  • Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Public Innovator Award Luncheon, Acceptance Address on Behalf of the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, November 19, 2004
  • Legal Rights of Breast Cancer Patients, Welcome Address, American Bar Association-Women’s Bar Association of Illinois, October 2004
  • Bureau of Justice Assistance, Welcome Address, Rave/Club Drugs Seminar, September 20, 2004
  • Combating Elder Abuse, Organizer and Speaker, Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, Champaign, Illinois, November 5, 2004 and Rosemont, June 10, 2004
  • Criminal Prosecution in Elder Abuse Cases, Illinois Guardianship Association, Springfield, April 27, 2004
  • Elder Justice, Luncheon Speaker, Office of the Attorney General, Tinley Park, October 16, 2003
  • Balance and Restorative Juvenile Justice Summit, Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, Welcome Address, September 25, 2003
  • Spotting, Prosecuting and Preventing Elder Abuse, Organizer and Moderator, Women’s Bar Association of Illinois, February 3, 2003.
  • Mental Health Issues, Illinois State Bar Association and Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, Skokie, December 23, 2002
  • WBAI-CBA Joint Task Force on Elder Women’s Issues, Cable TV Program Co-Coordinator, 1999-2001
  • Governor’s Conference on Aging and Human Services, Presenter, Chicago, December 2000
  • ABA/American Psychological Association Symposium on Psychology and Criminal Law Symposium Co-Chair, Washington, D.C., October 14-17,1999
  • Cook County Sheriff’s Law Enforcement Award, Recipient, April 1996
  • National Criminal Justice Trial Advocacy Competition, Juror, Final Competition, 1992, 1996,1997, 2000 and 2002
  • Courtroom TV, California v. Erik and Lyle Menendez, Guest Commentator, August 12,1993
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