The University of Illinois College of Law recently published its 2025–2026 Employer Honor Roll, recognizing employers who have regularly hired recent College of Law graduates. This past year represents a significant milestone in the history of the Honor Roll, with a record-breaking number of employers—85 in total—being recognized. This year’s Honor Roll features an impressive and diverse array of employers, including law firms of many sizes; a wide variety of federal, state, and local government agencies; public interest employers; and courts. Combined, Honor Roll employers have hired approximately 270 recent College of Law graduates in the Classes of 2023, ’24, and ’25. With the support of Honor Roll members and hundreds of additional employers, the College of Law has continued to deliver a strong array of opportunities for its graduates.
“The College of Law is humbled to have such a diverse and impressive group of employer partners,” Jamelle Sharpe, dean of the College of Law, said. “We are especially pleased to have so many employers included on the Honor Roll this year. It’s a testament to the quality of our graduates and their ability to add value on day one.”
First created in 2014, the Honor Roll has been updated annually since. This year’s group includes many long-time honorees, as well as a large number of new employers.
“We appreciate the chance to be of service to so many great legal providers,” noted Greg Miarecki, the College’s executive assistant dean for Career Planning and Professional Development. “We are excited to continue working with our Honor Roll employers and all of our employer partners in this dynamic and challenging recruiting environment.”
In 2025, the College of Law introduced the first annual Employer Honor Roll luncheon, which welcomed more than 100 attendees from over 50 different employers. Employer Honor Roll members listed below will receive their awards at the next Honor Roll luncheon, currently slated for the fall of 2026.
DIAMOND
Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP
Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Sidley Austin LLP
PLATINUM
Benesch
Chapman and Cutler LLP
Circuit Court of Cook County
Del Galdo Law Group, LLC
Heyl Royster
Husch Blackwell LLP
Jenner & Block LLP
Jones Day
Law Office of the Cook County Public Defender
Litchfield Cavo LLP
McDermott Will & Schulte
McGuireWoods
Meyer Capel
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
Office of the Cook County Public Guardian
Office of the Illinois Attorney General
Reed Smith LLP
Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
University of Illinois – Office of University Counsel
Wilson Elser
Winston & Strawn LLP
GOLD
Champaign County State’s Attorney’s Office
Dickinson Wright PLLC
Donohue Brown Smyth LLC
Foley & Lardner LLP
Foran Glennon Palandech Ponzi & Rudloff PC
Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Ice Miller LLP
Internal Revenue Service
Jackson Lewis PC
Office of the State Appellate Defender
Polsinelli
Quarles & Brady LLP
U.S. Army JAG Corps
United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois
United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois
Vedder
WilliamsMcCarthy LLP
SILVER
Akerman LLP
ArentFox Schiff LLP
Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Beermann LLP
Champaign County Public Defender’s Office
City of Chicago Department of Law
Crowell & Moring
DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office
Dykema
Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
Fish & Richardson P.C.
Fox Rothschild LLP
Grant Austin, LLC
Hall Prangle LLC
Illinois Appellate Court, First District
Illinois Appellate Court, Fourth District Research Department
Jackson LLP
Johnson & Bell, Ltd.
K&L Gates LLP
King & Spalding
Latham & Watkins LLP
Levenfeld Pearlstein, LLC
Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP
Macon County Public Defender’s Office
Maron Marvel Bradley Anderson & Tardy LLC
Mayer Brown
McAndrews, Held & Malloy, Ltd.
McGuire Law, P.C.
Morgan & Morgan, P.A.
National Labor Relations Board
Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP
Nyhan, Bambrick, Kinzie, & Lowry
Patzik, Frank & Samotny Ltd.
Peoria County State’s Attorney’s Office
Ropes & Gray LLP
Seyfarth Shaw LLP
Squire Patton Boggs
Swanson, Martin & Bell, LLP
Thomas Mamer, LLP
Thompson Coburn LLP
Troutman Pepper Locke
United States Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of Illinois
Venable LLP
Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP
The complete list of Honor Roll employers, along with the methodology for selecting employers, can be found at www.law.illinois.edu/careers/employer-honor-roll.