Freedom Award Recipients
History of the Award
For decades, the Law School’s Alumni Association have bestowed its annual Freedom Award on honorees who, through their thought leadership, accomplishments, or profession, reflect and uphold the basic tenets of freedom. The Freedom Award recognizes each individual’s work, high ethical standards, efforts to help mankind, and initiatives to improve society and our nation.
The Freedom Award is presented with the Law School’s Distinguished Service Awards each year at the Annual Freedom & Distinguished Service Awards Ceremony.
Note: Unfortunately, despite our faithful records and research, we seem to have a gap of information from 1976-1979. If you or anyone you know has documentation that will help complete our list of recipients, please contact us at law-alumni@uic.edu.
Freedom Award Recipients
2022
Hon. Ruben Castillo
Judge, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
2019
Professor Ralph Ruebner
Associate Dean Emeritus, The John Marshall Law School
2018
Sen. Tammy L. Duckworth
Senator (IL), U.S. Senate
2017
Lanning Macfarland Jr.
Publisher, Chicago Daily Law Bulletin
2016
Hon. Evelyn R. Sanguinetti (JD 1998)
Lieutenant Governor, State of Illinois
2015
Neli Vazquez Rowland &
Brian M. Rowland (MS 2007)
Co-Founders, A Safe Haven
2014
Hon. Rita B. Garman
Justice, Illinois Supreme Court
2013
Urban Miyares
President & Founder, Disabled Businesspersons Association
2012
Hon. Paul P. Biebel
Judge, Circuit Court of Cook County
2011
Hon. Joseph Gordon
Justice, Illinois Appellate Court
2010
Morris Dees
Founder, Southern Poverty Law Center
2009
Anita Alvarez
Cook County State’s Attorney
2008
Hon. Thomas L. Kilbride
Justice, Illinois Supreme Court
2007
Lisa M. Madigan
Attorney General of Illinois
2006
Alfred E. Gallo (JD 1949)
President, Board of Trustees
2005
Hon. Anne M. Burke
Justice, Illinois Appellate Court
2004
Sen. Richard J. Durbin
Senator (IL), U.S. Senate
2003
William M. Daley (JD 1975)
Former U.S. Secretary of Commerce
2002
Hon. Timothy C. Evans (JD 1969)
Chief Judge, Circuit Court of Cook County
2001
Hon. Thomas R. Fitzgerald (JD 1968)
Justice, Illinois Supreme Court
2000
Hon. Mary Ann G. McMorrow
Justice, Illinois Supreme Court
1999
Hon. Charles E. Freeman (JD 1962)
Chief Justice, Illinois Supreme Court
1998
Philip H. Corboy
Founder, Corboy & Demetrio
1997
Mayor Richard M. Daley
City of Chicago
1996
Hon. Donald P. O’Connell
Chief Judge, Circuit Court of Cook County
1995
Hon. Harry G. Comerford
Former Chief Judge, Circuit Cook of Cook County
1994
Sen. Carol Moseley-Braun
Senator (IL), U.S. Senate
1993
Rev. Michael Pfleger
Priest, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago
1992
Hon. Lynn Martin
U.S. Secretary of Labor
1991
Hon. John Paul Stevens
Justice, U.S. Supreme Court
1990
Hon. Samuel K. Skinner
U.S. Secretary of Transportation
1989
Rep. Nancy Lee Johnson
Congresswoman (CT-05/06), U.S House of Representatives
1988
W. Clement Stone
American Philanthropist
Founder, Combined Insurance Company of America (later AON)
1987
Hon. Seymour Simon
Justice, Illinois Supreme Court
Former Justice, Illinois Appellate Court
1986
Thomas C. Hynes
Cook County Assessor
Former President, Illinois Senate
1984
Hon. Prentice H. Marshall
Judge, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
1983
John E. Swearingen
Chairman & CEO, Standard Oil Co.
1982
Sen. Alan J. Dixon
Senator (IL), U.S. Senate
1981
Hon. David L. Bazelon
Chief Judge, U.S. District Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
1980
Hon. Abner J. Mikva
Judge, U.S. District Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
Congressman (IL-02), U.S. House of Representatives
1975
Jack Anderson
American Newspaper Columnist; Pulitzer Prize (1972)
1974
Walter Cronkite
Anchor, CBS Evening News