Chapman in the News Archive

We are pleased to share highlights of the firm’s environmental, community, and justice initiatives over the past year. Chapman’s Social Impact and Sustainability Communication on Progress report was prepared with guidance from our Social Impact and Sustainability Task Force and is part of Chapman’s commitment to the United Nations Global Compact.

Charles C. Calloway, Jr., a partner in Chapman’s Corporate Finance Department, has been selected to the 2022 class of Leadership Greater Chicago’s Signature Fellows Program.

Chapman has been named the 2021 Illinois State Bar Association’s John C. McAndrews Pro Bono Service Award recipient, after being nominated by one of the firm’s pro bono partner organizations, the Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI).

Chapman proudly reaffirms our commitment to advancing diversity in the legal profession and supporting of our Attorneys with Disabilities Business Resource Group, by adding our voice to the American Bar Association’s (ABA) initiative – Pledge for Change: Disability in the Legal Profession.

The 2021 list marks the thirteenth time Chapman has been recognized by Seramount (formerly Working Mother Media) for programs, policies, and best practices.

Chapman was named to the 2021 Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) Pro Bono Recognition Roster, recognizing law firms and corporate legal departments for inspiring and life-changing pro bono work performed by attorneys and legal professionals in Illinois.

Chapman Pro Bono Counsel Sara Ghadiri was recognized as the 2021 National Immigrant Justice Center Human Rights Award honoree.

R. Amani Smathers, a senior analyst on Chapman's Practice Innovations team, was recognized by Legal Aid Chicago as the “Volunteer of the Year” from Legal Aid Chicago’s Criminal Records Relief Project.

Chapman is proud to announce that David DePriest, a 2L at the Washington University School of Law, is the recipient of the third annual Chapman and Cutler LLP Maynard H. Jackson Jr. Diversity Scholarship.

Chapman Pro Bono Counsel Sara Ghadiri has been named the 2021 National Immigrant Justice Center Human Rights Award honoree.

A recent Chicago Daily Law Bulletin article, "CDEL Honors Its Innovative Volunteers," profiled Chapman's collaboration with the Center for Disability & Elder Law (CDEL) to expand access to estate planning services.

Chapman is proud to be honored as “Corporate Partner of the Year” by the Center for Disability & Elder Law (CDEL) at its virtual 2021 Light Up the Loop Awards Benefit.

For the third consecutive year, Chapman is proud to be recognized as an American Bar Association (ABA) Free Legal Answers Pro Bono Leader for the work of our attorneys in 2020 on behalf of the ABA Free Legal Answers program in Illinois.

Chapman was again named one of the Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality, receiving a 100% score on the annual Corporate Equality Index. 

Chapman attorney Latrice Baptiste was named by Lawyers of Color to its 2020 Nation’s Best list.

Chapman is proud to support the Pro Bono Institute and Corporate Pro Bono's Financial Institution Pro Bono Day with Chapman clients and Legal Aid Chicago.

Chapman has been proud to serve as pro bono counsel to Children’s Rights in its efforts to advocate for and protect vulnerable immigrant children as amicus to the plaintiffs-appellees in Flores v. Rosen, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 19-56326.

Chapman attorney Rebecca Wallenfelsz discusses key estate planning matters, including important information that families should know both before and while they provide care for loved ones.

Chapman attorneys Sarah Breitmeyer and David Cholst were named the Federal Tax Portfolio Authors of the Year by Bloomberg Tax & Accounting.

Chapman is expanding educational initiatives with Spark Program Inc., a national nonprofit that develops programming that correlates professional mentorship, educational engagement, and future achievement with middle school students from diverse backgrounds.

Chapman served as counsel to the underwriter in connection with a first-of-its-kind $236 million tax-exempt “receivables” financing of the Lincoln South Beltway public-private partnership project, which was named The Bond Buyer’s 2020 P3 Deal of the Year.

Ryan Bowen, a partner in Chapman’s National Public and Health & Education Finance Department, was named the Texas Association of Local Housing Finance Agencies 2020 Member of the Year in recognition of his work on behalf of housing issuers in the State of Texas.

Chapman attorney Rebecca Wallenfelsz discusses investment strategies and the current state of the market with StrategIQ Financial Group's Chief Investment Officer Bradley J. Rathe.

Chapman will be honored with the 2020 Standing Up for Justice award for the firm's support and Paul Carman's work on behalf of the HANA Center at the virtual HANA Center Gala.

Chapman’s innovations team creates app to help Legal Aid Chicago expand access to criminal record expungement services.

Chapman attorneys and management team members joined a remote meeting with middle school students participating in a Spark-Chicago lab to share their role at the firm, what a "typical day" looks like for them, and answer students' questions.

Chapman was named one of the top law firms for women attorneys in Law360’s 2020 Glass Ceiling Report.

Chapman attorneys partnered with volunteer attorneys from one of the firm’s financial institution clients to draft renewal paperwork for individuals whose Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals is up for renewal.

Chapman congratulates Associate and Pro Bono Counsel Sara Ghadiri, who received Illinois Wesleyan University’s 2020 Robert M. Montgomery Outstanding Young Alumni Award.

Chapman is proud to join over 1,000 companies in more than 100 countries in support of the United Nations and inclusive multilateralism by signing the Statement from Business Leaders for Renewed Global Cooperation.

Chapman’s innovations team automates the generation of essential estate planning documents to help CDEL expand access to estate planning services for underserved people in Illinois.

Receiving a “Hall of Fame” distinction, the 2020 list marks the 12th time Chapman has been recognized by Working Mother for programs, policies, and best practices.

In a new article, Chapman’s Chief Talent Officer Stacey Kielbasa and Professional Development, Diversity and Pro Bono Manager Shannon Burke write about law firm policies relating to remote work and distance learning during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Charles Calloway, an associate in Chapman's Corporate Finance Department, is a long-time mentor, advocate, and Chicago chapter board member for Spark Program, Inc. Charles was recently appointed to the Spark National Board of Directors.

On July 22, Online Lending Policy Institute hosted a conversation covering the new FDIC rule issued on June 25 which adopts the common law doctrine of “valid when made” as well as other topics related to fintech.

Chapman has committed $75,000 to Spark Program Inc., a national nonprofit that develops programming that correlates professional mentorship, educational engagement, and future achievement with middle school students from diverse backgrounds.

Chapman’s Pro Bono Counsel Sara Ghadiri is a passionate advocate for people who cannot use their voice in the American legal system.

Chapman is proud to join the Diversity Lab’s Mansfield Rule initiative to increase the representation of historically underrepresented lawyers in law firm leadership and governance roles.

We are proud to announce that Chapman has joined the new Law Firm Antiracism Alliance (LFAA) formed to work on pro bono projects and regulatory advocacy initiatives that seek to correct injustices in our legal system and to promote racial equality in the law and government institutions.

On June 11, the Online Lending Policy Institute hosted a conversation covering the expansive advance notice of proposed rulemaking in the fintech space.

Chapman was named to the 2020 Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) Pro Bono Recognition Roster, recognizing law firms and corporate legal departments for inspiring and life-changing pro bono work performed by attorneys and legal professionals in Illinois.

Chapman has joined the Chicago Bar Association’s Wills for Heroes: COVID-19 Essential Healthcare Workers program to provide estate planning services to individuals serving on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic.

Rebecca Wallenfelsz, a partner in Chapman's Trusts and Estates Department, participated in an interview on the Divorce and Beyond Podcast. 

Representing a detained client during a pandemic is extraordinarily challenging, but Chapman attorneys Sara Ghadiri, Melanie Haywood, and Eric Silvestri with assistance from Finance Law Development Analyst Rachel Waddey and support from the detained team at National Immigrant Justice Center helped a survivor of severe domestic violence from Egypt obtain asylum.

Thomson Reuters recently published a case study examining Chapman's utilization of Contract Express to automate document drafting and streamline transactions. 

Today, Chapman Partner Hillary Phelps was named a member of the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board's Market Transparency Advisory Group. 

Chapman Associate and Pro Bono Counsel Sara Ghadiri discussed her work with the Illinois Free Legal Answers program and assisting pro se litigants during the COVID-19 pandemic in an interview with the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin. 

For the second consecutive year, Chapman is proud to be recognized as an American Bar Association Free Legal Answers Pro Bono Leader for the work of our attorneys in 2019 on behalf of the ABA Free Legal Answers program. Associate and Pro Bono Counsel Sara Ghadiri was individually recognized for her work on behalf of the program. 

Chapman and Cutler LLP mourns the loss of retired partner, colleague and friend James E. Spiotto, who passed away in Chicago on February 27, 2020. He was 73.