In a formerly rare move that’s a sign of unusual times at the Justice Department, a panel of federal judges in Chicago has approved Andrew Boutros’ appointment by the Trump administration as U.S. attorney in Chicago.
Boutros, 47, a former federal prosecutor, was selected by the Trump administration to serve in the powerful law enforcement post after a search process run by Republican U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood of Peoria. He was appointed as an interim U.S. attorney — which means he was not confirmed by the U.S. Senate — for a 120-day term that began April 7.
The order to approve the appointment beyond the 120-day term, which would have ended Aug. 5, was entered on Thursday by U.S. District Chief Judge Virginia Kendall after the full court met in executive session Monday.
Boutros is the latest U.S. attorney nationally to go through a form of court-approval process as opposed to being nominated by the White House and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, which is by far the more traditional path.
Many of Trump’s interim U.S. attorney appointments have been controversial, such as Alina Habba, the president’s former defense lawyer, in New Jersey. Judges there recently declined to extend her 120-day term, prompting a political battle that is still ongoing.
Judges in Chicago, however, are much more familiar with Boutros, a former assistant U.S. attorney and prominent lawyer in Chicago who is well-known in the city’s legal circles.
No time frame for Boutros’ term was mentioned in Kendall’s order and his appointment is believed to be open-ended.
In a statement released Friday, Boutros called the vote of confidence “the honor of a lifetime.”
“I am deeply grateful that two branches of our government have agreed upon my appointment,” Boutros said in a statement released Friday. “I am thankful to Chief Judge Kendall and the U.S. District Court judges of the Northern District of Illinois for their confidence in me.”
Boutros, the 42nd U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, leads an office of about 130 criminal and civil attorneys and dozens more support employees that has long been recognized as one of the busiest and most prominent in the country.
He’s a first-generation American whose parents emigrated from Egypt. He attended Virginia Tech University and earned a law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law in 2001.
Boutros spent eight years as a federal prosecutor under then-U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, bringing a number of high-profile and complex prosecutions involving everything from international trade to dark web narcotics conspiracy.
He’d most recently served as co-chair of the government investigations and white-collar group at Shook Hardy & Bacon LLP in Chicago.
“I didn’t take this job because I thought it would be easy,” Boutros told a group of reporters who cover the federal courthouse shortly after taking over. “I took this job knowing full well that there are tremendous pressures and expectations put on being U.S. attorney … But I believe and continue to believe that I am the right person for this job, and I will work tirelessly to carry out the mandate to the best of my ability.”
jmeisner@chicagotribune.com
Originally Published: July 25, 2025 at 2:09 PM CDT