Lisa M. Madigan
Lisa Madigan is a litigation partner in the Chicago office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Her practice focuses on state and federal level investigations and regulatory work, internal investigations, crisis management and litigatio
Lisa Madigan is a litigation partner in the Chicago office, with a broad practice focused on state and federal level investigations and regulatory work, internal investigations, crisis management and litigation. She has more than 25 years of experience handling a range of issues including consumer protection, data security and privacy, health care, the environment, and sexual assault and harassment.
Lisa joined Kirkland in 2019 after a distinguished career in public service. She was the first female Attorney General in Illinois and held the post for 16 years, becoming the longest serving Attorney General in the state’s history.
Recognized for her integrity, Lisa established a national reputation as an influential advocate and reformer during her tenure as Attorney General. She professionalized the office, increased enforcement, and generated more than $14 billion for the state, including nearly $4 billion for Illinois homeowners, communities, and pension funds to recover from financial fraud and discriminatory lending at the heart of the mortgage crisis.
Lisa had more than 150 bills signed into law while Attorney General. Under her leadership, the Consumer Protection Division established a national reputation for safeguarding consumers from financial fraud and discrimination. She also served as a lead negotiator in the National Mortgage Settlement with some of the nation’s largest banks.
She has made protecting children and women from violence a priority, and reformed the Illinois criminal justice system to prevent and respond to sexual assault and domestic violence including requiring response standards on college campuses and hospital emergency rooms. She also worked to effect important systemic reform of the Chicago Police Department. Lisa was the first Illinois Attorney General in over 25 years to personally argue a case before the U.S. Supreme Court, Illinois v. Caballes, in which the Supreme Court upheld the ability of law enforcement to detect the presence of illegal drugs during traffic stops.
On the national level, Lisa has frequently testified before Congress and federal commissions and served in appointed roles with the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Department of Transportation and the U.S. Department of State.
Prior to her election as Illinois Attorney General, Lisa served as an Illinois State Senator, a litigator, an assistant dean, and volunteer teacher in South Africa during apartheid.
