Chicago, Illinois · 2005 – 2020
Shepherd Law Says Farewell
2020
After 15 years of service in the legal profession, I’m closing the doors of Shepherd Law.
As a young attorney, helping people navigate the legal system was my way of answering the questions that matter most: Why am I here? How can I serve?
In that pursuit, I’ve had the privilege of representing people young and old, American and foreign, from backgrounds nothing like my own.
Most came to me during the darkest season of their lives. Walking through those valleys with them shaped me and deepened my understanding of the resilience and dignity of the human spirit.
Of the many cases I have handled, two stand out: United States v. White and Harper v. Cook County.
In U.S. v. White I defended a man’s right to speak freely, including speech many found offensive. The principle is older than the case: a free society protects the speech we’d rather not hear, or it protects nothing at all.
In Harper v. Cook County I defended the right to bear arms. That case taught me the importance of challenging laws that are both wrong and unconstitutional. It was a demanding exercise in creative litigation.
These two cases, and many others like them, deepened my sense of the responsibility lawyers carry and the vigilance required to protect the rights that define a free people.
As my time as a trial lawyer draws to a close, Ecclesiastes comes to mind: “To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven.” I’ve argued what mattered, stood for what I believed and now it’s time to apply that hard-earned wisdom in new ways.
If you’d like to stay in touch or share reflections of your own, I welcome you to reach out: shepherdlaw@gmail.com.
Thank you,
Chris Shepherd
Chicago, Illinois · 2020
Credentials
Education
- Chicago-Kent College of Law, J.D. 2005
- Loyola University Chicago 2001
- Culver Military Academy 1997
Licensed to Practice
- Illinois 2005
- U.S. Northern District of Illinois 2006
- U.S. Ct. of Appeals, 7th Circuit 2011
Volunteer Activities
- John Marshall Veterans’ Legal Aid
- Friends of the Cook County Forest
- Chicago Anti-Cruelty Society
Favorite Activities
- Wilderness Backpacking
- Physical Fitness
- Archery