THOMAS BRANDSTRADER, Chicago Criminal Defense Attorney, specializes in the defense and appeals of serious criminal matters in Illinois Courts. He is one of a select group of highly qualified lawyers certified by the Illinois Supreme Court as lead counsel in  Death Penalty cases.  With 38 years exclusively in the practice of Criminal Law he has exceptional appellate court and trial work experience.   He has authored over five hundred briefs and appeared in every appellate district in Illinois as well as the Seventh and Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Mr. Brandstrader’s expertise includes all areas of criminal defense, appellate and post conviction practice. He has been awarded an  AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell, their highest attorney rating, every year since 2003  and is recognized as a preeminent attorney in the area of Criminal Appellate Law by Leading Lawyers.

Overview ~

The office of Thomas C. Brandstrader concentrates in Appeals and Post Convictions of serious felonies.

Admitted ~

• 1979, California State Bar
• 1981, Illinois State Bar
• 1983, U.S. District Court, Northern, Central and Southern Districts of Illinois
• U.S. District Court, Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh and Ninth Circuits

Biography ~

• Recipient: American Jurisprudence Award in Criminal Procedure.
• Assistant Public Defender, Cook County Public Defender’s Office;
• Public Defender’s Union Negotiating Committee, 1987.
• Treasurer, Public Defender’s Union, 1987.
• Qualified Lead Counsel, Illinois Capital Litigation Bar, Appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court, 2002.
• Appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court as Lead Counsel for Capital Litigation Cases
• Illinois Supreme Court Pro-Bono Panel
• Office of the State Appellate Defender Panel Attorney
• Awarded Martindale-Hubbell Lawyer’s Rating of AV, their highest Attorney Rating.
• Recognized as Preeminent Attorney in the area of Criminal Appellate Law by Leading Lawyers.

Bar/Professional Association Involvement ~

• Illinois State Bar Association
• Illinois Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
• National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
• Illinois Attorneys for Criminal Justice
• Office of State Appellate Defender Panel Attorney
• Federal Defenders Association

1. Peer and Industry Rankings

• Martindale.com   Martindale-Hubbell (AV Preeminent Rating): He holds an “AV Preeminent” rating, which is the highest possible peer-review ranking awarded by Martindale-Hubbell. It indicates that other lawyers and members of the judiciary rate him at the highest level of professional excellence and ethical standards. He has maintained this status consistently for over two decades.
• Leading Lawyers “Preeminent Attorney”: He is formally recognized as a “Preeminent Attorney” in Criminal Appellate Law by Leading Lawyers, a distinction given only to the top tier of practitioners based on extensive statewide peer surveys.

2. High-Stakes Qualifications & Track Record

• Capital Litigation Certification: Historically, he was appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court to a select group of highly qualified lawyers certified as lead counsel for capital litigation (death penalty) cases.
• Extensive Appellate Footprint: He has authored over 500 appellate briefs and has argued cases across every single appellate district in Illinois, as well as before the Illinois Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh and Ninth Circuits.
• Institutional Trust: He serves on the panel of attorneys trusted to take appointments from the Office of the State Appellate Defender (OSAD) and the Federal Defenders Association, signaling strong respect from institutional public defense groups.

Summary

If you are looking for a deeply experienced, battle-tested scholar to handle a serious criminal appeal or post-conviction challenge in Illinois state or federal courts, his rankings and peer evaluations position him at the top tier of solo practitioners in the Chicago area – call Thomas C. Brandstrader 847-650-4070

Chicago Criminal Defense and Appeals and Post Convictions: Thomas C. Brandstrader