Miguel C. Keberlein

Director Ejecutivo, Legal Aid Society
General Counsel, Metropolitan Family Services

Miguel C. Keberlein Gutiérrez is Executive Director of the Legal Aid Society (LAS) of Metropolitan Family Services (MFS). Since joining LAS in 2018, Miguel has doubled the agency’s size. Miguel also serves as General Counsel of MFS, an agency of 1,600 employees.

In his role as LAS’ Executive Director Miguel leads and oversees all aspects of LAS’ advocacy, litigation and operations. That includes working with the LAS Board of Directors to set the agency’s vision, guiding the expansion of comprehensive services to provide a “wrap-around” approach of legal and social services to clients throughout metropolitan Chicago, spearheading efforts to increase public and private revenue, and leveraging resources by creating meaningful pro bono opportunities for the private bar and extending LAS’ reach into communities. Under Miguel’s leadership, LAS has more than tripled in size, expanded services in all areas of practice, and launched an impact litigation initiative.

Prior to joining LAS Miguel was a Practice Group Director at the Legal Assistance Foundation (LAF), where he litigated federal and state cases and supervised a team of attorneys. In addition, he also served as LAF’s Director of Client Support Services.

A former adjunct professor at Northern Illinois University College of Law, Keberlein has served as the Chair of the Illinois Statewide Task Force on Human Trafficking. He also is a member of the National Employment Lawyers Association, the Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois, and the Chicago Bar Association. He has been admitted to the State Bars of Illinois and Wisconsin and has been admitted to practice in the 5th and 7th Federal Courts of Appeals.

Keberlein’s honors include being named a Kimbal and Karen Anderson Public Interest Law Fellow, a Chicago Community Trust Fellow, one of the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin’s “40 Under 40,” a recipient of the Paul Wellston Anti-Human Trafficking Award, a Northwestern Kellogg School of Management Greater Good Fellow, a recipient of the Cook Country State’s Attorney Office’s El Humanitario Award, and a Leadership Greater Chicago Fellow since 2020.

Keberlein earned his Juris Doctor degree in 2002 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Law School. He also holds a M.A. in Third World Development Support from the University of Iowa, and a B.A. in International Relations from St. Norbert College.