MARA KLEBANER’s practice spans a wide range of complex commercial litigation matters in state and federal courts. She has experience in all phases of litigation, including developing case strategy, drafting pleadings, managing discovery, preparing witnesses, drafting dispositive motions, and pursuing appeals, including at U.S. courts of appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court. Mara has successfully represented clients from a variety of industries, including accounting/consulting, private equity, and healthcare.
In 2023, Mara received Sidley’s “Thomas H. Morsch Award for Pro Bono Achievement” for her work representing men incarcerated on Alabama’s death row. In 2021, the National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) honored Mara as a “Rising Star” for her outstanding pro bono service in protection of immigrant rights.
Prior to joining Sidley, Mara worked as a litigation associate at a large law firm in Chicago; clerked for the Honorable Harry D. Leinenweber of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois; and worked as a staff attorney at BPI, a Chicago non-profit that advocates for racial justice, police reform, and housing equity.Mara earned her law degree from the University of Chicago Law School. While in law school, she served as a staff editor for the University of Chicago Law Review and was a member of the Public Interest Law Society. She received her B.A. in Law, Letters, and Society from the University of Chicago, where she graduated with honors.