Sheppard Mullin Partner Tom Panoff Named President of The Chicago Bar Foundation
Sheppard Mullin partner Tom Panoff has been selected to serve as president of The Chicago Bar Foundation (CBF). His one-year term began October 1, 2025.
As president of the nearly 80-year-old charitable foundation, Panoff will play a key role in advancing the CBF’s nonpartisan mission to improve access to the legal system for people in need. Each year, the CBF provides more than $7 million in grants to over 30 pro bono and legal aid organizations throughout the Chicago area. Panoff aims to grow the number of law firms and in-house legal departments participating in CBF initiatives, continue to work with the judiciary to implement innovative programs to make the legal system more accessible and to grow the number of grantee organizations who receive funding from CBF.
“Courts are seeing larger-than-ever numbers of pro se litigants, and I am hopeful that the CBF can help continue to grow its network of support for legal aid providers around the city,” Panoff said. “It is estimated that one of every four Chicago-area residents qualifies for legal aid. Providing representation for those in need is not only a core part of our professional responsibility as lawyers, but also helps to ensure an efficient and properly functioning court system. It’s truly an honor to be entrusted with this mission.”
Panoff has been an actively involved with the CBF since 2011 and served on its Board of Directors since 2017.
A partner in Sheppard Mullin’s Business Trial Practice Group, Panoff focuses on complex commercial litigation and investigations across a variety of industries and areas, including financial services, antitrust, fintech and private equity.