Judge George N. Leighton
Judge Leighton concentrates his practice in the areas of federal litigation and appellate cases. Judge Leighton became of counsel to Neal & Leroy in 1987, after retiring from 23 combined years of service as judge on the state and federal benches.
Representative Matters
- Represented parents in a proceeding which desegregated the public schools of Harrisburg, Illinois, 1950.
- Overturned the convictions of men whose constitutional rights were infringed.
- Represented plaintiffs and defendants in civil cases of every kind.
- Defended more than 200 charges in bench and jury trials.
- Handled more than 175 appeals, reviews, civil and criminal charges in state and federal courts.
Professional Activities
- Judge, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, 1976 - 1987
- Justice, Illinois Appellate Court, 1969-1976
- Judge, Circuit Court of Cook County, 1964-1969
- National Association of Defense Lawyers in Criminal Cases
- Council of the National Harvard Law School Associations
- Howard University Alumni Association
- Legal Redress Committee
- NAACP
- Legal Education Committee of the Chicago Bar
- Chicago Bar Association
- Cook County Bar Association
- Illinois State Bar Association
- Massachusetts Bar Association
- American Bar Associations
- National Bar Association
- Inter-American Bar Association
Education
- Harvard Law School, L.L.B., 1946
- Howard University, B.A., 1940
Honors
May 13, 2009
The Honorable Judge George N. Leighton Recipient of The Harold Washington History Maker Award
February 20, 2009
The Honorable Judge George N. Leighton Recipient of the Southern Trial Lawyers Association War Horse Award
November 14, 2008
The Honorable Judge George N. Leighton Recipient of the 2008
Jenner & Block Award
