Lecturer Bio
Chaka Patterson, Esq.
Chaka Patterson has over two decades of experience in corporate settings, government, and private practice. He most recently served as senior vice president, general counsel, and corporate secretary at a global education corporation. In addition to overseeing day-to-day departmental operations, Chaka guided the business development and M&A transactions, corporate governance, risk and compliance, and litigation functions. Previously, Chaka served as Vice President, Treasury & Investor Relations at a Fortune 100 company, where he managed the company’s balance sheet, cash, bond offerings, and relationships with external stakeholders.
Chaka also has significant government experience. He was the chief of the Civil Actions Bureau for Cook County’s State’s Attorney in Illinois where, he managed a team of 100 lawyers in defending the county and its officeholders and employees in civil suits. Chaka also served as an assistant attorney general and chief of the Illinois Attorney General’s Office Special Litigation Bureau, where he prosecuted civil and criminal fraud cases, including health care fraud, securities fraud, complex consumer fraud, charitable trust fraud, and False Claims Act cases.
Chaka’s private practice experience as a partner in two AmLaw 100 law firms includes representing clients in business and commercial litigation and white-collar criminal defense involving state attorneys general investigations, FCA actions, and internal investigations and compliance reviews.
