Chicago – May 29, 2026 – Cooley today announced that Tom Peabody has joined the firm’s global litigation department in Chicago. He is the third former federal prosecutor, alongside Matt Kutcher and Tiana Demas, to join that office since its founding in 2021. Like Kutcher and Demas, Peabody brings considerable trial experience to Cooley’s commercial litigation and white collar defense and investigations practices.

“Since coming to Chicago in 2021, Cooley has sought to recruit only the best of the next generation to its litigation practice there, with an emphasis on former federal prosecutors who have substantial trial experience,” said Ian Shapiro, partner and chair of Cooley’s global litigation department. “We are confident that Tom also represents the best of Chicago’s next generation of trial lawyers, and we are looking forward to his emerging as one of the cornerstones of an elite Chicago litigation practice.”

Peabody clerked for Judge Amy J. St. Eve, first on the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and then the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. In September 2020, he joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, and since July 2025, he has been its Deputy Chief for National Security and Cybercrime, leading and supervising grand jury investigations and trying cases to verdict relating to computer hacking, crypto-related offenses, sanctions evasion, export violations, terrorism, interstate threats, and state-sponsored and economic espionage. 

“Cooley was the best place for me to return to private practice. It has national, top-tier talent, especially in its trial, white collar and national security groups,” said Peabody. “And equally importantly, Cooley has an unmatched platform of clients and business colleagues. I am excited and thankful for the opportunity to join the team.”

Cooley’s global litigation department includes more than 500 lawyers in the US and Europe and is the leading litigation department for the representation of technology, life sciences and other innovative companies.

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