Allan A. Ackerman

Nationally recognized and respected, Allan Ackerman practices almost exclusively in the area of criminal defense, both at the trial and appellate levels. As a trial lawyer, he has successfully defended some of the country’s most problematic cases, including major racketeering (RICO), drug, and white-collar prosecutions.

As an appellate advocate, he has successfully briefed and argued over 225 appeals including cases before the United States Supreme Court, the Illinois Supreme Court, and several federal and Illinois appellate courts. In addition, Mr. Ackerman's work has been the subject of study in law schools throughout the nation.

Examples of recent appeals and post conviction cases: U.S. v. Peugh, 675 F.3d 736 (7th Cir. 2012), reversed, Peugh v. U.S., 133 S.Ct. 2072 (Ex Post Facto means USSG Guidelines on offense date controlling); U.S. v. Hargrove, 579 F.3d 752 (7th Cir. 2009)(Hargrove v. U.S., 130 S.Ct. 3543 (GVR 2010 –vacating mail/wire fraud "honest services" convictions); U.S. v. Lee, 558 F.3d 638 (7th Cir. 2009) (reversing money laundering/ custodial sentence vacated, probation on remand); People v. Hernandez, 231 Ill.2d 134 (2008)(murder solicitation reversed based on attorney-conflict of interest – on post conviction); U.S. v. Weller, 17  CR 643 (acquitted of triple money laundering charges in prosecution involving insider stock trading); People v. Barker, App. No. 1-19-2588 (pending appeal challenging State Grand Jury proceedings under Illinois Due Process grounds where defendant charged/convicted of attempted "grooming" of a 15-year old girl); People v. Sopron, 96 CR 26471 (lengthy Cook County postconviction proceedings where defendant "framed" concerning his double murder life sentence, on 12/18/18, defendant's charges were dismissed and his record expunged); Illinois v. Buschauer, (pending  habeas review; 2022 IL App (1st) 192472 and 2025 IL App (1st) 232365, challenging defendant's first degree murder conviction where police and prosecutors questioned defendant while intentionally deceiving him regarding a previously issued no bail/first degree murder arrest warrant concerning his wife's whirlpool drowning death 13-years earlier).