Magistrate Judge Margaret J. Schneider took her oath of office on February 11, 2021. She serves the Northern District of Illinois Western Division, with her chambers in Rockford.
After law school, Judge Schneider clerked for Judge Paul V. Niemeyer of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. After her clerkship, she practiced federal civil litigation as an associate at Mayer Brown in Chicago. From 2006 through 2021, she served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of Illinois in both its Rockford and Chicago offices. During her time as a federal prosecutor, she was Deputy Chief in the Chicago office's narcotics and violent crimes sections and was the Chief of the Rockford Office. She serves as President of the P. Michael Mahoney (Rockford) chapter of the Federal Bar Association.
Education
- University of Michigan Law School, J.D.
- University of Illinois, undergraduate degree
Career
- Chief, Rockford Office, and Deputy Chief, Narcotics/Violent Crimes, U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Illinois (2006–2021)
- Associate, Mayer Brown, Chicago (federal civil litigation)
- Law Clerk, Hon. Paul V. Niemeyer, U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit