Al Hofeld, Jr.
Attorney and Principal
The firm’s principal attorney, Al Hofeld, Jr., has a long and distinguished history of pursuing – and winning - justice for vulnerable citizens. Prior to becoming a lawyer, Al worked with non-profit organizations as an advocate for the homeless.
Al thrives on fighting for people’s civil and constitutional rights in all of the firm’s practice areas - police misconduct, employment discrimination, fair lending, fair housing, predatory mortgage lending, mortgage foreclosure defense. Al has prosecuted cases both as class actions and on behalf of individual clients. He has conducted bench and jury trials and appeals. Numerous published and unpublished case decisions attest to his skills as a lawyer.
In 2007, Al was awarded the Young Alumni Public Interest Award from Northwestern University School of Law for legal work that has had a “measurable impact on the community.” During and after law school, Al was the recipient of several public interest fellowships, including the U. S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens Public Interest Fellowship, and spent two years working on the cases of innocent men who were tortured by police under former Area Two Police Commander Jon Burge.
Immediately following law school, Al’s legal and community organizing work resulted in the establishment of the South Side Community Federal Credit Union, a not-for-profit, community development financial institution serving low- and moderate-income people on Chicago’s south side with affordable financial services and loans.
Education
- Northwestern University School of Law, J.D. 2000
- University of Chicago Divinity School, M.Div. 1994
- Reed College, B.A. in Economics 1990.
Bar Admissions
- Illinois
- U. S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Northern and Central Districts of Illinois
- U.S. District Courts in Indiana and Michigan
- Trial Bar, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
Bar Memberships
Chicago Bar Association
Illinois State Bar Association
Community Service
Democratic Party of Evanston, Issues Committee
Board of Directors, South Side Community Federal Credit Union (past)
Publications
Co-author, “From Redlining to Reverse Redlining: A History of Obstacles for Minority Homeownership in America,” Clearinghouse Review, Jan./Feb. 2001.
Amanda O'Leary
Paralegal
The firm’s paralegal, Amanda O'Leary, is a Certified Paralegal. She’s a 2016 graduate of Northwestern College (ABA-Approved Paralegal Certificate) and a 2002 graduate of Columbia College Chicago (B.A. in Liberal Arts).
Amanda is passionate about helping people seek justice.