David G. Sigale

At your service.

Over the course of two decades of practice, I have worn many hats and walked in a lot of other people’s shoes, which is crucial to properly representing my clients. After a double major in psychology and criminal justice at Indiana University-Bloomington, I went to Georgetown Law to help people who have been wronged. I have been fortunate to be co-counsel in the successful Second Amendment case McDonald v, Chicago, where my clients prevailed in the United States Supreme Court, and I obtained the first Illinois federal opinion declaring the tattoo business to be protected by the First Amendment. I have also successfully protected the Second Amendment rights of lawful resident aliens, foster parents, those in public housing, and those in U.S. Territories. This is because I believe in protecting Americans from any improper attempts by the government to infringe upon their constitutional rights.

In addition to prosecuting constitutional claims, I have also helped many clients in criminal and civil matters. I have protected businesses against claims that would have closed them, obtained compensation for injury victims, and defended clients against wrongful criminal charges. Whoever my client, and whatever the situation, I always give my full effort. I appreciate that my clients put their trust in me and I strive to never let them down.

I reside in the western suburbs with my wife and three sons. I enjoy reading, the theatre, the guitar, the White Sox and Blackhawks, and watching my sons play baseball, basketball, wrestling, and Ultimate Frisbee. Besides serving my clients, I believe it is important to serve the legal community. As a member and former Programming Chairman of the American Inns of Court, DuPage Chapter, I have a demonstrated commitment to further legal education. I have also appeared in multiple productions of the annual DuPage County Bar Association’s Judge’s Night, an original musical production that raises money for Legal Aid.


Legal Education:

Georgetown University Law Center, 1996

  • Publications Editor – Georgetown Immigration Law Journal

Undergraduate Education:

Indiana University – Bloomington, 1992

  • Golden Key National Honor Society
  • Psi Chi (Psychology National Honor Society)
  • Alpha Chi Sigma (Criminal Justice National Honor Society)


Awards:

Second Amendment Foundation: Defender of the Constitution (2018)

America’s Top 100 Attorneys: Lifetime Achievement (2017)

National Association of Distinguished Counsel: Nation’s Top One Percent (2015-2018)

National Trial Lawyers: Top 100 (2013–2018)

Illinois Super Lawyer (2012-2016, 2019-2022)

CCRKBA Gun Rights Defender of the Year (2014)

CCRKBA Gun Rights Defender of the Month (February, 2012)

Second Amendment Foundation Bill of Rights Award (2011, 2016)


Admitted:

Illinois, 1996;

United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois, (General Bar, 1996) (Trial Bar, 2007);

Wisconsin, 1997;

United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, 2001;

United States Supreme Court, 2009;

United States District Court, Central District of Illinois, 2011;

United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, 2013;

United States District Court, Western District of Arkansas, 2013;

United States District Court, Eastern District of Arkansas, 2013;

United States District Court, Western District of Oklahoma, 2015;

United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, 2016;

United States District Court, Western District of Michigan, 2017;

United States District Court, Southern District of Illinois, 2018.


Pro Hac Vice Admissions:

United States District Court, District of the District of Columbia

United States District Court, Eastern District of Missouri

United States District Court, Western District of Missouri

United States District Court, District of Montana

United States District Court, District of Nebraska

United States District Court, District of New Mexico

United States District Court, Eastern District of North Carolina

United States District Court, Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands

United States District Court, Western District of Wisconsin

Court of Appeals of Tennessee

County Court, Lancaster County, Nebraska


Memberships:

Illinois State Bar Association,

DuPage County Bar Association

First Amendment Lawyers Association

American Inns of Court – Robert E. Jones DuPage Chapter

  • MCLE/Continuing Education Chair 2021-2022
  • Programming Chair 2016-2017
  • Vice Chair-Programming 2015-2016

Speaking Engagements

Getting (and Getting Back) Your Firearm Rights After Dealing With The Criminal Justice System (DuPage County Bar Association – Criminal Justice Committee) – 2021

First Amendment Issues in Second Amendment Cases (First Amendment Lawyers Association) – 2019

No Ordinary Lawsuit – Juliana v. United States (Panel) (DuPage American Inns of Court) – 2018

Freedom of Speech In The Workplace (Panel) (DuPage American Inns of Court) – 2018

What To Do About Gun Violence (Panel) (Seventh Circuit Bar Association Foundation) – 2017

Money Talks . . . Bail Law in Illinois (Panel Presentation) (DuPage American Inns of Court) – 2017

Gun Laws in Illinois (National Business Institute) – 2016

Guns In America (Panel) (JCLC Symposium – Northwestern Univ. Law School Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology) – 2014

Body Cameras on Police Officers – Pros and Cons (Panel) (DuPage American Inns of Court) – 2014

Copyright and Patent Trolls (Panel Presentation) (DuPage American Inns of Court) – 2014

History of Second Amendment – Debate with Author Michael Waldman (Chicago Union League Club) – 2014

What You Need To Know: Illinois Concealed Firearms Carry Act (Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education) – 2013

The Erosion of Privacy In the 21st Century – Forced DNA Samples from Arrestees (Panel) (DuPage American Inns of Court) – 2013

Second Amendment Law After McDonald v. City of Chicago (Chicago Bar Association, Municipal Department Committee) – 2013

Gun Violence and the Second Amendment: McDonald v. City of Chicago and Subsequent Second Amendment Litigation (Chicago Bar Association, Human Rights Committee) – 2013

Justice Antonin Scalia and the Constitution – One Justice’s Views of the Jeffersonian Principle of the Separation of Church and State (Americans United for the Separation of Church and State) – 2012

Does Freedom of Religion Require Freedom From Religion (Panel) (Americans United for Separation of Church and State) – 2011

A Look at The Second Amendment (Panel) (Chicago Bar Association, Civil Rights and Constitutional Law Committee) – 2010

McDonald v. City of Chicago – Implications of the Pending U.S. Supreme Court Decision (Chicago Bar Association, Municipal Department Committee) – 2010