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2016 Roz Kaplan Government Service Award recipient Allen J. Spellberg
Roz Kaplan devoted her life to public service. She worked in the Attorney General’s Office and the Attorney Registration and Discipline Commission. A long-time member of the ISBA’s Committee on Government Lawyers, this award, posthumously named in her honor, recognizes government attorneys whose dedication and service made a difference in their communities. The award recognizes attorneys who, like Roz Kaplan, have dedicated their careers to government service.
The 2016 recipient of the ISBA Roz Kaplan Government Service Award, Allen J. Spellberg, truly exemplifies the spirit of the award. His legal career has been dedicated to government service in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office Criminal Appeals Division where he has successfully defended hundreds of convictions and sentences.
After graduating from Loyola University Chicago School of Law in 1992, Allen clerked for the Honorable Gino L. DiVito in the Illinois Appellate Court for two years. Although he at first considered a career in health care law, a position opened up in the Appellate Division of the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office after his clerkship. He decided to apply because he had enjoyed his experience at the appellate level. Allen there found his calling.
Allen estimates that he has written over 1,000 appellate briefs and has appeared at least 40 times before the Illinois Supreme Court. Certain cases stand out to him because of the victims involved. One case in particular is that of Donald Armstrong who was convicted of brutally murdering an elderly woman with her own cane. Allen successfully defended Armstrong’s death penalty conviction at the appellate level. Assuring this conviction was upheld was particularly important to him because of the viciousness of the crime.
Allen serves as the Cook County State’s Attorney’s designate on the Illinois Sentencing and Policy Commission. He has also served on the Illinois Supreme Court Committee on Character and Fitness and the Illinois Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes. For nearly 10 years, he taught as a senior lecturer at Loyola University Chicago School of Law.
Allen is currently a member of the ISBA and is a former Chair of the Criminal Justice Section Council. In addition, he is a member of the Chicago Bar Association, Appellate Lawyers Association, Prosecutors Bar Association and the Lake County Bar Association. Married for 25 years with four children ranging from a senior in college to a seventh grader, Allen keeps busy with family matters and with walking his dog, Daisy. He is also very active with the North Suburban Synagogue Beth-el in Highland Park.
When asked why he decided on this particular career path, Allen stated that he appreciates being able to stand up for the people of the State of Illinois who deserve a society that is good, safe and just. He believes that a career in government service is a good place to begin or end a legal career because there are so many different areas in which to get involved. Moreover there is the satisfaction of working not only for one’s self-interest but also for the common good.
We congratulate Allen on his exemplary service and receipt of the Roz Kaplan Government Service Award.