CHICAGO, March 31, 2025―John D. Cooke has joined Duane Morris LLP as a partner in the firm’s Trial Practice Group in its Chicago office. Prior to joining Duane Morris, Cooke was an Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, where he was a deputy chief in its Criminal Division and a regional director of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces. Admitted to practice in California, Cooke’s admission to Illinois is pending.
“Our high-performance firm continues to attract marquee talent, illustrating that Duane Morris is a destination for attorneys capable of forging any career path,” said Duane Morris Chairman and CEO Matthew A. Taylor. “We have tremendous momentum, and John Cooke adds timely and highly relevant federal and private practice experience to our strong white-collar team at a time of increased regulatory and investigative activity.”
“With the fast pace of changing national- and state-level priorities, our white-collar and investigations practice is seeing intensifying demand, and John adds valuable insights and experience as clients manage an increasing amount of interactions with the government,” said Sharon L. Caffrey, co-chair of Duane Morris’ Trial Practice Group. “In 2025, we have added three senior former United States attorneys to our team on the East and West Coasts—and now in the middle of the country,” said Stephen H. Sutro, co-chair of Duane Morris’ Trial Practice Group.
“We are thrilled to expand our litigation and investigations capability in Chicago. John is a terrific addition to our growing Chicago office, which continues to thrive and service clients locally as well as across the country and around the world,” said Neville M. Bilimoria, managing partner of Duane Morris’ Chicago office.
Cooke was an Assistant U.S. Attorney for 14 years and represented the United States in both criminal and civil investigations and cases. As deputy chief in Chicago, he led and supervised significant prosecutions and trials dealing with a variety of federal offenses, including fraud, cybercrime, public corruption, money laundering, and racketeering. As a regional director of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, Cooke managed the nation’s largest anti-crime task force and the cornerstone of the Justice Department’s counter-transnational organized crime strategy across 13 federal judicial districts in the Midwest. He is a seasoned litigator with two decades of experience as a criminal and civil trial lawyer in government and private practice, having tried more than a dozen cases to verdict and briefed and argued numerous appeals.
“I have worked with Duane Morris attorneys throughout my career and am thrilled to be part of a nationally prominent and collegial team. I am excited to use the dynamic Duane Morris platform to build my practice,” said Cooke.
Cooke is a graduate of New York University School of Law and Boston University.
About Duane Morris
Duane Morris LLP provides innovative solutions to today’s multifaceted legal and business challenges through the collegial and collaborative culture of its more than 900 attorneys in offices across the United States and internationally. The firm represents a broad array of clients, spanning all major practices and industries. Duane Morris has been recognized by BTI Consulting as both a client service leader and a highly recommended law firm.
