Adam J. Sheppard - a Chicago, Illinois (IL) Criminal Defense Lawyer

Chicago Criminal Defense Lawyer

Updated: 04/29/2026

Areas of Practice

Criminal Defense
Criminal Law - Federal
Criminal Law - State
Homicides
Frauds (criminal and civil fraud)
Internet-related Offenses
Child Pornography
Sex Offenses
Drug Offenses
Date Rapes
DNA Forensic Science
Internet Sex Solicitation Cases
Drug Trafficking

Attorney Information

Overview

Adam Sheppard was repeatedly recognized as a "Super Lawyer" in the areas of White Collar Criminal Defense & Criminal Defense in Super Lawyers magazine and in Chicago Magazine, (only 2.5 percent of lawyers in Illinois receive this honor and the selection process is based on peer review, see http://www.superlawyers.com/illinois/lawyer/Adam-J-Sheppard/fad6e910-e2d2-4c8d-8a8e-ea887ca3997f.html.) He has also been honored by Leading Lawyer Magazine to be named as an "Emerging Lawyer" in the area of While Collar Criminal Defense and Criminal Defense, a recognition bestowed to 2% of those lawyers in the state who are 40 or younger. Here is a link to his selection: http://leadinglawyers.com/search/adv_results.cfm. Adam served multiple terms as co-editor-in-chief of the Young Lawyers Journal/CBA Record Magazine and continues to serve on the editorial board of the Chicago Bar Association. Adam has been selected as a "panel" attorney in federal court, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois — a private attorney deemed qualified for appointment to represent criminal defendants in federal cases pursuant to Criminal Justice Act. Adam is a former officer and director of the Young Lawyers Section of the Chicago Bar Association; he recently served of the director of the criminal law committee for the YLS/CBA. Adam has authored over 18 legal articles which have been published in respected legal periodicals. See Publications Below. Adam has taught continuing legal education seminars for the CBA and Decalogue Society on state and federal criminal law issues (such as the seminar he led on combatting mandatory minimum sentences); he has been a guest lecturer at John Marshall Law School on search and seizure issues in the school setting. He has lectured at cyber-bullying seminars. He has been interviewed by several of the major news outlets regarding important criminal cases such as the Dennis Hastert sentencing or the Dante Servin/Rekia Boyd Fatal Police Shooting. Several of the firm’s cases have also received national media attention. See “Press” section of this website.

Prior to joining Sheppard Law Firm, P.C., Mr. Sheppard gained extensive trial experience with the Cook County Public Defender's Office where he was honored to be the recipient of the Jack Carey Merit Award Scholarship.

Awards and Honors

Super Lawyers® Selectees

Adam J. Sheppard included in a Super Lawyers® list

Honors

Rising Star by Super Lawyer Magazine
Super Lawyer

Other Sources of Feedback About Adam J. Sheppard

Included on the 2026 Illinois Super Lawyers list

Past Lists

2025 Illinois Super Lawyers list
2024 Illinois Super Lawyers list
2023 Illinois Super Lawyers list
2022 Illinois Super Lawyers list
2021 Illinois Super Lawyers list
2020 Illinois Super Lawyers list
2019 Illinois Super Lawyers list
2018 Illinois Super Lawyers list
2017 Illinois Super Lawyers list
2016 Illinois Super Lawyers list
2015 Illinois Super Lawyers list
2014 Illinois Super Lawyers list
2013 Illinois Super Lawyers list
2012 Illinois Super Lawyers list

Education

Legal Education
- Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, Illinois, 2005
  Honors: Merit-Award Scholarship / Dean's List honoree
  Honors: The CALI Award for excellence in the area of Futures-Commodities Regulations
  Honors: Finalist in the Charles Evans Hughes Oral Advocacy Competition
Non Legal Education
- University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, 2002
  Honors: Dean's List Honoree

Past Positions

Cook County Circuit Court, Clerk
Cook County Recorder of Deeds Office

Classes and Seminars

Guest Lecturer, Search and Seizure Issues, John Marshall Law School
Lecturer, YLS Criminal Law Committee
Featured Speaker, Cyber Bullying Law Seminar, 2013

Published Works

Articles

Co-Editor-in-Chief, Young Lawyers Journal
Easing up on Eavesdropping Challenges to Illinois Eavesdropping Act, Decalogue Tablets, January, 2013
Court discusses Fourth Amendment in the digital age, Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, January, 2012
What do you wish you had learned in law school, CBA Record, December, 2011
Working in a Family Run Law Practice, CBA Record, November, 2011
A Trail-Blazing Opinion (Federal Sentencing and Apprendi), CBA Record, September, 2010
Hey Teachers Leave Them Kids Alone, CBA Record, July, 2010
10 Tips for Young Lawyers (A review of Judge Holderman's Lecture), CBA Record
Constitutionality of Police Roadblocks Decalogue, Summer, 2009
Criminal Investigations of Students, Decalogue Newsletter, Fall, 2009

Bar Admissions

Illinois
U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois Trial Bar
U.S. District Court Central District of Illinois
U.S. District Court Eastern District of Wisconsin
U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit
U.S. Supreme Court

Other Affiliations

Young Lawyers Section/Chicago Bar Association (Executive Council Member)
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Illinois Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Illinois State Bar Association
American Bar Association
Decalogue Society of Lawyer
Constitutional Rights Foundation (Lawyer in the Classroom)
Young Lawyers Division of Jewish United Fund
NORML Legal Committee
Families Against Mandatory Minimums
Chicago Bar Association (Editorial Board of CBA Record Magazine)
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois (Panel Attorney)

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Contact

Chicago, IL

218 N. Jefferson St.
Suite 300
Chicago, IL 60661

Directions

Phone: 312-443-1233

Fax: 312-609-0578

Email: Send a message

Website: https://www.thesheppardlawfirm.com

Free Consultations

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Adam J. Sheppard - Chicago, IL