John Gallo Email & Phone Number

Chicago, Illinois, United States

John Gallo became one of the founding partners of Gair Gallo Eberhard LLP on November 1, 2023, focusing his practice on white-collar criminal defense and complex civil litigation.

South Bend, Indiana

Greater Chicago Area

From October 2017 through October 203, John was the CEO and Executive Director of Legal Aid Chicago, the largest civil legal-aid organization in the Midwest. Legal Aid Chicago —through litigation and administrative advocacy— fights for people who are living in poverty or otherwise vulnerable, securing their rights to economic stability, affordable housing, personal safety, fair working conditions, and basic healthcare.

Greater Chicago Area

John was a partner in Sidley's Chicago office from 1996 to 2017. He was Co-Chair of Sidley's White Collar Practice from 2010 to 2017, and Head of Litigation in Sidley's Chicago Office from 2014 to 2017. While at Sidley, he represented institutional clients in circumstances where the client discovered actual or alleged internal wrongdoing, and led and conducted confidential internal investigations for clients in the insurance brokerage, airline, university, health care, environmental, accounting, regulated industry, law, luxury hotel, and high-technology areas. In addition, he represented individual clients in grand jury investigations and/or pending criminal matters. Such clients included Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert.

Greater Chicago Area

Beginning in September 2000, John served as Trial Counsel to the Illinois Judicial Inquiry Board (JIB). The JIB is the sole disciplinary entity to inquire into allegations of misconduct or physical or mental incapacity of Illinois judicial officers. In his capacity as Trial Counsel, Mr. Gallo was responsible for investigating misconduct complaints against jurists and prosecuting cases on behalf of the JIB before the Illinois Courts Commission.

From 1989 to 1996, John served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Northern District of Illinois. In 1994, the United States Attorney promoted him to Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division. In 1993 and 1995, he received the Special Achievement Award from the United States Department of Justice. He also received formal commendations from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the United States Customs Service in connection with successful prosecutions he conducted with the assistance of those agencies. From 1994 until his departure from the office in 1996, John was the lead prosecutor in the public-corruption investigation commonly known as “Operation Silver Shovel.” That investigation has resulted in the criminal conviction of six aldermen from the Chicago City Council and multiple other public officials for offenses relating to official misconduct. Moreover, he also was responsible for the criminal conviction of six police officers of the Chicago Heights Police Department. Specifically, he was the lead prosecutor in the ten-week trial of former Chicago Heights Deputy Chief Sam Mangialardi, whom a jury found guilty of racketeering, extortion, drug conspiracy, and other offenses.

Greater Chicago Area

Doctor Of Law (J.D.)

Bachelor Of Arts (B.A.), Program Of Liberal Studies