Hon. Abner J. Mikva (Ret.)

T: 312-655-0555
F:312-655-0644

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Available to hear cases nationwide.
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Hon. Abner J. Mikva (Ret.) is one of the few people who have served in high positions in all three branches of the federal government. Judge Mikva retired as Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in 1994 to accept the appointment as White House Counsel to President William Clinton. He left the White House at the end of 1995.

ADR Experience and Qualifications

  • Successfully mediates and arbitrates a wide variety of matters, including commercial contract, securities, employment and toxic tort disputes
  • Extensive experience conducting real estate evaluations and arbitrations under international agreements
  • Presided over the creation and substantial success of an appellate mediation service in the Court during his tenure as Judge and Chief Judge of the D.C. Circuit. The program was successful in mediating to conclusion many important appeals, including cases where the government was a party, and where there were substantial public questions involved. Consequently, Judge Mikva has extensive experience in reviewing disputes involving every facet of government control, from Medicare and Medicaid to licensing disputes, labor relations and intellectual property disputes.
  • Authored landmark opinions in toxic waste cases, regulatory agency disputes, statutory interpretation cases and intellectual property matters while on the bench

Representative Matters

  • Facilitated settlement of the largest Title VII employment dispute
  • Mediated a toxic tort dispute between an insurer and its corporate insured
  • Handled real estate evaluations, arbitrations under international agreements, securities disputes, and commercial contract disputes

Honors, Memberships, and Professional Activities

  • Recognized as one of the “500 Leading Judges in America,” by Lawdragon Magazine, 2006
  • Received numerous honorary degrees
  • Visiting Professor and the Walter Schaefer Fellow in Public Policy, University of Chicago Law School
  • Taught on numerous occasions at Georgetown Law School, University of Pennsylvania Law School, American University, Duke Law School, Northwestern University Law School and the University of Chicago

Background and Education

  • White House Counsel to President William Clinton, 1994-1995
  • Chief Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, 1991-1994
  • Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, 1979-1991
  • Legislator, U.S. Congress, 1968-1979
  • Legislator, State Legislature of Illinois, 1956-1966
  • Goldberg Devoe Shadur & Mikva, 1952-1969
  • Law Clerk, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sherman Minton , 1951-1952
  • J.D., cum laude, University of Chicago, 1951 (Member of the Order of the Coif and of Phi Beta Kappa and served as editor-in-chief of the Law Review)