Background
Benjamin A. Berkman is a Senior Attorney at Romanucci & Blandin on the respected Civil Rights team, where he represents plaintiffs in cases involving police misconduct, wrongful convictions, abuse of rights in prison and other Constitutional violations.
Prior to his role at Romanucci & Blandin, Ben served as the Chief Assistant Inspector General for Legal Counsel in the City of Chicago Office of Inspector General (OIG). In that capacity, he led and managed a team of attorneys who conducted investigations and performed legal analyses related to government corruption, misconduct, waste, fraud, and abuse. Before joining OIG, Ben was an associate at a large international law firm where he worked on all aspects of complex civil litigation and performed pro bono work on asylum, prisoner rights, and election law matters.
Ben earned his Juris Doctor with honors from The University of Chicago Law School, where he was named to the Order of the Coif, served as a Senior Articles Editor for The University of Chicago Legal Forum, and participated in the Federal Criminal Justice Clinic. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Northwestern University. Ben served as law clerk to The Hon. Jill Pryor of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, The Hon. John Tharp of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, and The Hon. Beth W. Jantz of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
He is admitted to practice in Illinois and New York, and in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
A resident of Chicago, Ben is an avid fan of professional and college basketball, with interests in independent rock music, film and screenwriting.
Clerkships
- The Hon. Jill Pryor of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
- The Hon. John Tharp of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
- The Hon. Beth W. Jantz of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
Practice Areas
Education & Certifications
B.A., Political Science, Northwestern University
J.D., with honors, The University of Chicago Law School
Awards & Recognition
- Order of the Coif, The University of Chicago Law School
- Senior Articles Editor for The University of Chicago Legal Forum
Legal Activities & Leadership
- Federal Criminal Justice Clinic
Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
- Illinois
- New York
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois