Taft, one of the nation’s fastest-growing law firms, announced today that former Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice and former Chicago Bears kicker Robert R. Thomas has joined the firm’s Appellate and Critical Motions practice. Justice Thomas served more than 32 years across Illinois’ circuit, appellate, and supreme courts before returning to private practice in 2020. He served as Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court from 2005 – 2008.

“Robert is a true pillar of the legal community, having served at the pinnacle of the justice system in Illinois, and we’re honored to have him join Taft,” said Timothy Eaton, co-chair of Taft’s Appellate and Critical Motions practice. “As a former elected official and judge, his longstanding dedication and service to the people of Illinois will be a tremendous asset to our clients navigating the complexities of the state’s top courts.”

Jonathan Amarilio, who co-chairs the practice with Tim, agrees: “It’s rare to have an opportunity to learn from, and directly work with, a jurist of Justice Thomas’ caliber and experience. And from the work we’ve already done together, I know he’s bringing a lot of insight to the table for our clients.”

“The combination of Taft’s growth trajectory as a firm and the opportunity to work with Tim, who is one of the finest advocates to ever appear before me on the bench, made this a unique and compelling place for me,” said Justice Thomas. “It’s a great fit, and I’ve already hit the ground running, where I’m engaged on a number of matters which is an exciting start.”

Justice Thomas is the latest to join Taft in Chicago, where the office has grown into one of the city’s largest with more than 190 attorneys. By combining strategic lateral hires with targeted geographic mergers, Taft is one of the fastest-growing law firms in the country today with more than 1,250 attorneys across 25 offices and revenues exceeding $1 billion.

After working as an attorney in private practice handing civil litigation matters, Justice Thomas was first elected in 1988 as a DuPage County circuit court judge, where he presided over civil jury trials. He was the acting Chief Judge until he became a justice of the Illinois Appellate Court for the Second District from 1994 – 2000. He was then elected to the Illinois Supreme Court for the Second District in November of 2000, where he served for 20 years.

Before Justice Thomas’s legal career, he played 12 seasons in the National Football League as a kicker, including 10 with the Chicago Bears, where he remains the franchise’s fifth-leading scorer all-time. While with the Bears, his legal studies began when he enrolled at Loyola University Chicago School of Law, taking night classes to accommodate his NFL schedule. Justice Thomas entered the NFL after graduating from the University of Notre Dame in 1974, where he was an Academic All-American. At Notre Dame, he set a variety of kicking records and kicked the game-winning field goal in the 1973 National Championship to defeat top-ranked Alabama, helping the Fighting Irish finish the season 11-0.

Throughout his career on the field and in the courtroom, Justice Thomas has earned a variety of awards that recognize his athletic and legal achievements. In April 1996, Justice Thomas was inducted into the Academic All-American Hall of Fame. In January 1999, he was awarded the prestigious NCAA Silver Anniversary Award, and he was inducted into the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame in 2012. In 2001, he was named the DuPage County Bar Association Lawyer of the Year, and he was honored with the Illinois Judges Association Recognition for Professionalism and Civility in 2005. Justice Thomas was named a Distinguished Jurist at Loyola University in 2006 and was named the Judge of the Year in 2008 by the Illinois Chapter of American Board of Trial Advocates. Most recently, Justice Thomas was named a 2022 Lincoln Laureate and recipient of the Order of Lincoln bestowed by the governor of Illinois, the state’s highest honor for professional achievement and public service.