Ricardo Meza, Managing Partner

Ricardo represents clients in banking, construction and health care fields. He serves as outside general counsel to a federally qualified health center where he offers key business and strategic advice on a variety of businesses related matters.    

Ricardo has extensive litigation and trial experience having served as a federal prosecutor for over 10 years. Specifically, he served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Northern District of Illinois and the Western District of Texas and had tried over 34 federal trials, nearly all of which were to a jury. His experience and insight give him a deep context for his work, which includes handling sensitive business and litigation related issues. He has also managed and directed high-level investigations, which provide him a unique and strategic business perspective for corporations, healthcare entities, universities, non-profit organizations and public entities.  

In 2010, Ricardo was senate confirmed as Illinois’ executive inspector general (EIG) and served in that position until 2015. As EIG, General, Ricardo served as head of the independent Office of Executive Inspector General for the Agencies of the Illinois Governor (OEIG) where he ran all operations, including administrative and fiscal. At the OEIG, he oversaw and supervised a staff of over 75 employees, including all assistant inspectors general and investigators.      

Before his tenure as EIG, Ricardo spent five years as Midwest Regional Counsel for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, a leading Latino civil rights organization where he led the office’s litigation and public policy matters.   Ricardo has also served as an assistant attorney general II in Texas where he represented the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts in complex civil tax litigation matters, as well as in sales, use and franchise tax matters. Ricardo also served as a law clerk for the late Honorable Wendell C. Radford, US Magistrate Judge for the ED of Texas.

Education:

• The John Marshall Law School, 1990, JD

• Illinois State University, 1986, BA in Political Science

Bar Admissions:

• Illinois Supreme Court, May 10, 1990

• Texas Supreme Court, May 10, 1991

Court Admissions

• United States District Court, N.D. of Illinois, June 27, 1990

• United States District Court, E.D. of Texas, December 4, 1990

• Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, May 28, 1991

• Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, January 31, 1992

• United States District Court, W.D. of Texas, July 10, 1995

• United States District Court, W.D. of Michigan, May 11, 2010

• United States District Court, N.D. of Indiana, July 16, 2010

• United States District Court, District of Nebraska, July 28, 2010

Community Service:

• Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois, Hearing Board Member, March 2020 to Present

• Northwestern Memorial Foundation, Board Member, 2017 to Present

• Chicago Inn of Courts, Master of the Bench, 2017 to Present

• Leadership Greater Chicago, 2007 Fellow

• Illinois State University Attorney Advisory Council, 1998 to 2014

• Omni Youth Services, Board Member 2002-2010

• Chicago Health Connection, Board Member 2000-2008

• Volunteer Wrestling Coach, Hanks High School, El Paso, TX, 1996-1997

Honors and Awards

• Assoc. of Certified Fraud Examiners, Recognition Award, 2016

• John Marshall Law School, Distinguished Service Award, 2012

• Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus Service Award, 2011

• Chicago Bar Association, Vanguard Award, 2010

• Cook County State’s Attorney, El Humanitario Award, 2008

• Clerk of the Circuit Court, Hispanic Heritage Award, 2007

• Hispanic Illinois Law Enforcement Assoc., Merit Award, 2003

• Palatine High School, Distinguished Graduate Award for Community Service, 2002

• United States Department of Justice, Performance Award, 2001

• United States General Services Administration, Inspector General’s Honor Award, 2000

• United States Department of Justice, Employee Volunteer Service Award, 1997

Select Matters

• GC2, Inc v. International Game Technology, Inc., 16 CV 8794, United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, United States District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly. Copyright infringement matter involving a client whose intellectual rights were violated by an international gaming company. Two-week jury trial resulting in a multi-million dollar verdict in favor of client.

• United States v. Chicago Public Schools, 80 CV 5124, United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, United States District Judge Charles P. Kocoras. A 28-year school unity status hearing. Served as lead counsel on behalf of amici Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund.

• Nogales v. Santa Ana Unified School District, CV 04-7993, United State District Court for the Central District of California, United State District Judge Margaret M. Morrow (retired). First amendment retaliation suit. Two-week civil trial before a federal jury in Los Angeles.

• United States v. Jaffe, et al., 02 CR 576, United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, US District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly. Mortgage fraud involving numerous individuals charged with schemes to defraud. Criminal jury trial jury and served as the lead prosecutor.

• United States v. Hernandez, et al., 330 F.3d 964 (2003), United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, United States District Judge Elaine Bucklo. A multi-defendant gang (Latin Kings) case involving drug distribution. Served as third chair in this three-week federal criminal jury trial.

• United States v. Turcotte, 00 CR 737-2, United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, United States District Judge James B. Moran (deceased). This was an FDA/DEA investigation involving the sale and distribution of major quantities of GHB (the date-rape drug). Served as lead prosecutor in this one-week federal criminal trial.