Chastidy Burns is a recent graduate of the DePaul University College of Law, where she received a Public Interest Law Certificate. While at DePaul, Burns maintained a very active role in student life. Burns served as the President of Depaul’s Student Bar Association, instituting sweeping changes in public service involvement, transparency, and efficiency. One of her proudest accomplishments was founding the 1st Annual Spring into Service Chicago Law Project, an event that brought together dozens of law students from all over the city to collaborate on various community service projects for organizations such as the Grace Place soup kitchen, H.O.M.E., and Pacific Mission. Burns was also a Student Coordinator for DePaul’s Pro Bono and Community Service Initiative, as well as the Community Service Chair for DePaul’s Black Law Student Association. Burns received her undergraduate degree in Political Science with a minor in English and Creative Writing from the University of Chicago, where she served as the Vice-President of Chapter Development for Alpha Omicron Pi, an international women’s fraternity, as well as a member of the University of Chicago Cheer Team.

Prior to joining Shiller*Preyar in 2013, Burns gained significant experience in litigation and criminal defense through her internships. As a 7ll Law Clerk in the Felony Trial Division of the Cook County Public Defender’s Office for nearly two years, Burns managed a sizeable caseload, representing clients in both felony bench jury trials ranging from Delivery of a Controlled Substance to Unlawful Use of a Weapon by a Felon. In addition, Burns wrote and argued countless Motions to Quash Arrest and Suppress Evidence, Motions to Reconsider Rulings, and Motions to Reveal Surveillance Location to name a few. While at the Public Defender’s Office, Burns even had the opportunity to perform extensive research on complex areas of law such as sentence extendability and the intersection of state and Federal law as they pertain to wiretapping. In addition, she assisted on a First Degree Murder case at 26th and California. Burns has also developed a passion for working with underserved youth, as exhibited by her tenure as a Law Clerk for the Cook County Public Guardian’s Office, her service as a Cook County Court Appointed Special Advocate, and her time spent teaching Juvenile Justice and Courtroom Etiquette to residents at the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center. Burns also remains committed to pro bono work, as she has been a regular volunteer with organizations such as DePaul’s Neighborhood Legal Assistance Program, the Center for Disability and Elder Law, the Just the Beginning Foundation, and many more.

Burns is currently a member of the Black Women Lawyers’ Association’s Community Service Committee, the Chicago Bar Association’s Young Lawyer Section Criminal Law Committee, the Illinois Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. In her free time, she enjoys participating in student recruitment as a member of the University of Chicago’s Chicagoland Alumni Schools Committee, reading John Grisham novels, writing fiction, cooking, and trying out different restaurants. Burns is a new resident of the East Lakeview neighborhood.