Atty. Mark E. Schneider
Mark Schneider is a partner whose practice focuses on representing businesses, their boards and executives in complex criminal, civil, and administrative investigations, government enforcement proceedings, and related litigation, often in highly regulated industries and international contexts. Recognized by Chambers as a leading lawyer, Mark's clients include notable multinational companies in the financial services, life sciences, healthcare, and manufacturing industries, as well as private equity sponsors and a diverse array of portfolio companies.
Criminal Defense: White-Collar Attorney · Serving Chicago, IL
Profile Summary
About Mark E. Schneider at a Glance
Mark E. Schneider is a criminal defense and white collar attorney based in Chicago, Illinois, practicing at Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Educated at Harvard University (J.D., 2011). Recognitions include Best Lawyers in America — Criminal Defense: White-Collar (2026), Best Lawyers in America — Additional Areas of Practice: (2026), and Best Lawyers in America — Commercial Litigation (2026). Serves clients in Chicago, IL and the surrounding metropolitan area.
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About Mark E. Schneider
- Mark Schneider is a partner whose practice focuses on representing businesses, their boards and executives in complex criminal, civil, and administrative investigations, government enforcement proceedings, and related litigation, often in highly regulated industries and international contexts
- Recognized by Chambers as a leading lawyer, Mark's clients include notable multinational companies in the financial services, life sciences, healthcare, and manufacturing industries, as well as private equity sponsors and a diverse array of portfolio companies
- Mark has substantial experience representing clients in matters related to environmental law, securities and commodities regulation, the False Claims Act, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, FDA cGMP regulations, sanctions and export controls, antitrust, trade secret theft, and other complex regulatory issues
- Mark also advises clients in evaluating and mitigating compliance risks, including in international markets
- Prior to joining Kirkland, Mark served for a decade at the U.S
- Department of Justice
- In profiling his work, The National Law Journal cited descriptions of Mark as “exceedingly smart in an understated way” and emphasized his “legal talent and lack of pretension.” An accomplished trial and appellate lawyer, Mark served in senior leadership and supervisory roles at the U.S
- Attorney's Office in Chicago, including as Chief of Appeals, Deputy Chief of Financial Crimes and Special Prosecutions, head of the Medicare Fraud Task Force, Criminal Health Care Fraud Coordinator, Food and Drug Administration Coordinator, and Child Exploitation Crimes Coordinator
- He tried numerous complex fraud and other cases before juries, and briefed or edited more than 100 appeals before the U.S
- Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
- Mark’s international and national security experience included deploying to Baghdad for a year to help to lead civilian Rule of Law efforts throughout Iraq
- Later, as Special Attorney to the Attorney General, he prosecuted a former CIA officer for willfully disclosing the identity of a covert officer in violation of the Intelligence Identities Protection Act, the second such case in U.S. history and one described by the then-CIA Director as “an important victory for our Agency, for our Intelligence Community, and for our country.” Mark has also taught for five years as adjunct faculty at the University of Chicago Law School
- After law school, he clerked for the Honorable Diarmuid F. O’Scannlain at the U.S
- Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- Prior to studying law, Mark worked as a management consultant at The Boston Consulting Group, Inc., and on the staff of the late U.S
- Senator Richard G. Lugar
- Mark graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School, where he was an editor of the Harvard Law Review
- Oxford University, where he was a Marshall Scholar
- and Indiana University, as a Wells Scholar
Practice Areas Explained
Mark E. Schneider's Areas of Legal Practice
Each practice area below reflects the types of cases Mark E. Schneider handles, with a practical overview of what that area of law involves and how it may apply to your situation in Chicago.
Criminal Defense in Chicago
A criminal defense attorney protects your rights from arrest through trial. Find experienced lawyers handling DUI, drug, federal, theft, and violent-crime charges.
Mark E. Schneider is one of 212,605 criminal defense attorneys indexed nationally. Browse criminal defense attorneys in Illinois →
White Collar Crimes in Chicago
Mark E. Schneider is one of 19,824 white collar attorneys indexed nationally. Browse white collar attorneys in Illinois →
Jurisdictional Context
Why Local Counsel Matters in Chicago
Practicing law in Illinois. Legal matters in Illinois are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in Chicago are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate Illinois state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in Illinois brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this venue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in Illinois courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.
Chicago Courts and Legal Process
Choosing a Chicago-based attorney means your counsel already knows the local docketing timelines, preferred filing formats, and how individual judges typically rule on procedural motions — details that only come from practicing in this jurisdiction day after day. That local familiarity can translate to better strategy, faster filings, and fewer costly surprises.
Looking for additional Illinois attorneys? Browse all attorneys in Chicago or all attorneys in Illinois.
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Professional Profile
Why Clients in Chicago Choose Mark E. Schneider
Selecting an attorney is one of the most consequential decisions you can make when a legal matter arises. Below are the core qualities that distinguish Mark E. Schneider's practice in the field of criminal defense and white collar.
Broad Practice Area Coverage
Covering criminal defense and white collar, Mark E. Schneider can address the full spectrum of a client's legal needs without requiring referrals to separate specialists for each issue.
Local Presence in Chicago
A Chicago-based practice means Mark E. Schneider attends hearings in the same courthouses, knows the local clerks, and understands the unwritten scheduling norms that affect every case filed here.
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Mark E. Schneider's Practice Areas & Specializations
Education & Law School Background
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