Sergio Acosta Quoted in Article Addressing DOJ Report on Chicago Police Department

January 13, 2017

Sergio E. Acosta — the Chicago-based leader of the Government Practice Group at Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP — spoke with Injustice Watch about how the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) under incoming President Donald Trump might act on a DOJ report issued on January 13, 2017, that documents a pattern of constitutional violations by the Chicago Police Department (CPD). A similar report issued in 2016 that focused on the city of Baltimore's police department led that city to enter a consent decree with the Justice Department.

As noted in the article — titled "Feds, Chicago Mayor Vow Reform After Report Documents Police Abuse Pattern" — "whether the department’s report on Chicago leads similarly to a consent decree is uncertain" in light of the nearing change in presidential administrations and statements by President-Elect Donald Trump’s U.S. Attorney General nominee, Senator Jeff Sessions. Mr. Sessions said during his confirmation hearing that “he is hesitant to support the use of consent decrees." Acosta — who served as co-chair of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel's Task Force on Police Accountability — said in the article “that whoever becomes the next assistant attorney general for civil rights will help chart the path for the department. That person will bring his or her own approach to enforcing the civil rights laws."

Read the story "Feds, Chicago Mayor Vow Reform After Report Documents Police Abuse Pattern" on the Injustice Watch website.

Sergio Acosta is an experienced criminal litigator and investigator. He has represented companies, government entities and individuals in matters involving the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, complex financial fraud, criminal tax violations, export regulations and criminal forfeiture. His practice also encompasses corporate governance, corporate internal investigations, regulatory enforcement, commercial litigation and gaming law. Before joining Hinshaw, Mr. Acosta held leading roles in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois; served as Administrator of the Illinois Gaming Board; and was a prosecutor in the Miami-Dade County State Attorney's Office.

Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP is a U.S.-based law firm with offices nationwide. The firm's national reputation spans the insurance industry, the financial services sector, professional services, and other highly regulated industries. Hinshaw provides holistic legal solutions—from litigation and dispute resolution, and business advisory and transactional services, to regulatory compliance—for clients of all sizes. Visit www.hinshawlaw.com for more information and follow @Hinshaw on LinkedIn and X.