Craig Futterman

Since 2000, Craig Futterman has led the Mandel Legal Aid Clinic’s Civil Rights Police Accountability, one of the nation’s leading law civil rights clinics focusing on issues of criminal justice. As director, Futterman has racked up an impressive list of courtroom victories in exposing police injustice, but none greater than his recent yearlong fight to help make public the video of a Chicago police officer shooting 17-year-old Laquan McDonald.

Before joining the Law School faculty, Craig Futterman was director of public interest programs and a lecturer at Stanford University Law School. Prior to that, he was a practicing civil rights attorney in the firm of Futterman & Howard, where he specialized in police misconduct and anti-discrimination litigation, including cases challenging system-wide school discrimination and segregation, and earlier was a trial attorney in the juvenile division at the Cook County Public Defender’s Office. He has participated in a number of landmark civil rights cases, including Jaffee v. Redmond before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Futterman Stories

Police charges show challenge of confronting code of silence

Clinical Prof. Craig Futterman discusses CPD response to Laquan McDonald shooting


Associated Press

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel plans to embrace DOJ report

Clinical Prof. Craig Futterman emphasizes importance of federal oversight in police reform


ABC 7 Chicago

Chicago Proposal to Revamp Police Misconduct Probes Advances

Clinical Prof. Craig Futterman discusses funding of police review board


Associated Press

Emanuel’s police accountability plan called ‘recipe for failure’

Prof. Craig Futterman criticizes Mayor Emanuel’s plan to replace Independent Police Review Authority


A Closer Look at Push to Fire Officers in Laquan McDonald Shooting

Clinical Prof. Craig Futterman examines CPD accountability in Laquan McDonald shooting


7 Chicago Officers Face Firing Over Laquan McDonald Cover-Up

Clinical Prof. Craig Futterman calls move to fire CPD officers ‘an important and necessary step’


Chicago Police Union Reacts to IPRA Release of Videos, Audio

In Q&A, Clinical Prof. Craig Futterman discusses release of Chicago Police Department videos