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Non-Legal Research: News, Businesses & People: Lawyers

A guide to help with non-legal research that covers news as well as information on companies and individuals

ARDC Lawyer Search

The Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (ARDC) provides a lawyer search for all attorneys licensed in Illinois. 

Lawyer Directories

Martindale.com: Online edition of the venerable Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory; search by individual attorney name, firm name, location, or area of practice.

Directory of Corporate Counsel.  Contains information on the corporate law departments and practitioners of the companies of the United States and Canada. Current year available at 6th Floor (Reference) - KF195.C6 D57.
American Bar Association Leadership Directory. Directory of individuals in active leadership positions within the Association and related organizations. Available at 6th Floor (Reference) - KF190.A54 and available at americanbar.org.
Federal Yellow Book. A directory of federal employees, plus hierarchy and composition of over 85 federal government organizations. Current year available at 6th Floor (Reference) - JK6.F45.

Sullivan’s Law Directory for the State of Illinois. The most comprehensive list of attorneys practicing in Illinois. Current year available at 6th Floor (Reference) - KF192.IL6 S56.

Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County

Legal Directory via Findlaw:  Intended for use by clients; use to locate lawyers by name, address, location, or practice area.  May contain lawyers not found in Martindale-Hubbell.

Illinois Lawyer Finder: Illinois State Bar Association’s lawyer directory; attorneys must qualify to be listed. Find a lawyer by practice area, county, or zip code.

Avvo Find a Lawyer: Search for attorneys nationwide.  Includes reviews and disciplinary history.

Judicial Directories

Judges of the United States Courts: A historical database of federal judges sponsored by the Federal Judicial Center.

Sullivan’s Judicial Profiles. Current year available at 6th Floor (Reference) - KFI1708.A19 I44.

BNA’s Directory of State and Federal Courts, Judges, and Clerks. Current year available at 6th Floor (Reference) - KF8700.A19 .K56.
Directory of State Court Clerks & County Courthouses. Current year available at 6th Floor (Reference) - KF8700.A19 D574.
The Directory of Minority Judges of the United States. American Bar Association (2008). Available at 6th Floor (Reference) - KF8700.A19 D57 2008.
Directory of State Judges in Chicago: Biographical Information and the Judicial Evaluations Conducted Between 1986 and 2004 Chicago Council of Lawyers. Available at 6th Floor (Reference) - KF8700.A17 C44 2007.