John F. Kennedy

John F. Kennedy is a partner and trial lawyer at Taft Law and a 30-year member of the Federal Trial Bar.  He also serves as outside general counsel and vice president of the board of directors of NAMI Chicago, which connects people suffering from mental illness and their loved ones to care.  

Mr. Kennedy has tried cases before bench and juries in state and federal courts and has substantial experience pursuing and defending against emergency equitable relief. He has also argued before the Illinois Appellate Court and Illinois Supreme Court. 

Mr. Kennedy has served as a guest lecturer and adjunct professor at several institutions, including the Honorable Society of Kings’ Inns in Dublin, Ireland in 2017 and 2018 (in conjunction with the Chicago-Kent College of Law), the visiting Irish Barristers in Chicago in 2016, and for 10 years at the John Marshall Law School in Chicago (now UIC Law).  

He received an AV®️ Preeminent Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, its highest rating for ethical standards and legal ability, and was named a Top Commercial Litigator by the Leading Lawyers Network, which consists of the top 5% of Illinois lawyers, as selected by his peers.  

Mr. Kennedy was recognized as one of Chicago’s Top Lawyers for 2018 as published in the Chicago Tribune and one of the 2022 Best Lawyers in America for Environmental Law. 

Mr. Kennedy received a J.D. with honors from DePaul University College of Law and a B.A. from Niles College of Loyola University of Chicago. 

He has served on the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism since 2022.