Wade A. Thomson is a Co-Chair of the firm’s Business Litigation Practice and an elected member of the firm’s executive committee. He is Chambers ranked and has significant experience in high-stakes commercial disputes and government investigations around the world, practicing out of both the Chicago and London offices.
Wade has substantial experience in complex commercial disputes across industries and fora, including international arbitrations and domestic courts. In addition to serving as an advocate in arbitrations, he also serves as an arbitrator.
Much of Wade’s work involves cross-border disputes. In 2024, he led a team that secured an exceedingly rare vacatur of an international arbitration award against Meleveetil Damodaran, the former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), which is akin to the US Securities and Exchange Commission. The team’s work on the case earned them a shout out in The American Lawyer’s Litigator of the Week.
Another example of his international practice came in 2020 when he co-led a team in a three-week federal trial involving trade secret, Lanham Act, and contract claims involving companies from several European countries which resulted in a jury verdict of approximately $114 million on behalf of his radio remote control manufacturer client (Click here for Reuters coverage). The American Lawyer named Wade a “Litigator of the Week” runner-up for the victory.
A skilled courtroom lawyer, in March 2026 Wade co-led a Jenner team that secured a trial victory for the Grammy-winning artist known as Chance the Rapper in his five-year legal battle with his former manager. In a decision with both symbolic and precedent-setting impact on the music industry, a jury in Chicago delivered a verdict in favor of Chance on all claims. The team’s work on the case earned them a shout out in The American Lawyer’s Litigator of the Week.
Wade also works closely with the firm’s Investigation, Compliance, and Defense Practice and has significant experience with white collar and workplace investigations and compliance, including preparing submissions, presentations and witnesses for the DOJ, EPA, IRS, Department of State, grand juries and gaming commissions. He has counseled many companies in Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Bank Secrecy Act matters and is a certified anti-money laundering specialist.
Wade recently served as one of the team leaders that conducted a significant internal review and produced a public report for the Chicago Blackhawks, investigating allegations that in 2010 a player was sexually assaulted by an assistant coach. As detailed in the report’s executive summary, over the course of four months, the Jenner & Block team investigated the conduct of the former coach as well as the Blackhawks internal response after learning, during the team’s 2010 Stanley Cup playoff run, of certain allegations raised by the former player. The investigation involved interviews with 139 people, including current and former team members. The investigation and report were widely covered by news outlets, including The New York Times, The Guardian, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, and others, with widespread praise for the report’s independence, objectivity, and thorough fact-finding.
Highly active in the civic community, Wade serves on several prominent boards, including World Business Chicago, the Chicago Public Library Foundation, and the National Immigrant Justice Center, among others. He is a recent Fellow of Leadership Greater Chicago, and was named a “Notable Nonprofit Board Leader” by Crain’s Chicago Business.
Wade is a member of several firm committees, including the Policy Committee and Pro Bono Committee. He has dedicated thousands of hours to pro bono representation in a wide variety of matters and received several awards for his work.
Areas of Focus
Credentials
Service / Recognition
Overview
Wade A. Thomson is a Co-Chair of the firm’s Business Litigation Practice and an elected member of the firm’s executive committee. He is Chambers ranked and has significant experience in high-stakes commercial disputes and government investigations around the world, practicing out of both the Chicago and London offices.
Wade has substantial experience in complex commercial disputes across industries and fora, including international arbitrations and domestic courts. In addition to serving as an advocate in arbitrations, he also serves as an arbitrator.
Much of Wade’s work involves cross-border disputes. In 2024, he led a team that secured an exceedingly rare vacatur of an international arbitration award against Meleveetil Damodaran, the former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), which is akin to the US Securities and Exchange Commission. The team’s work on the case earned them a shout out in The American Lawyer’s Litigator of the Week.
Another example of his international practice came in 2020 when he co-led a team in a three-week federal trial involving trade secret, Lanham Act, and contract claims involving companies from several European countries which resulted in a jury verdict of approximately $114 million on behalf of his radio remote control manufacturer client (Click here for Reuters coverage). The American Lawyer named Wade a “Litigator of the Week” runner-up for the victory.
A skilled courtroom lawyer, in March 2026 Wade co-led a Jenner team that secured a trial victory for the Grammy-winning artist known as Chance the Rapper in his five-year legal battle with his former manager. In a decision with both symbolic and precedent-setting impact on the music industry, a jury in Chicago delivered a verdict in favor of Chance on all claims. The team’s work on the case earned them a shout out in The American Lawyer’s Litigator of the Week.
Wade also works closely with the firm’s Investigation, Compliance, and Defense Practice and has significant experience with white collar and workplace investigations and compliance, including preparing submissions, presentations and witnesses for the DOJ, EPA, IRS, Department of State, grand juries and gaming commissions. He has counseled many companies in Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Bank Secrecy Act matters and is a certified anti-money laundering specialist.
Wade recently served as one of the team leaders that conducted a significant internal review and produced a public report for the Chicago Blackhawks, investigating allegations that in 2010 a player was sexually assaulted by an assistant coach. As detailed in the report’s executive summary, over the course of four months, the Jenner & Block team investigated the conduct of the former coach as well as the Blackhawks internal response after learning, during the team’s 2010 Stanley Cup playoff run, of certain allegations raised by the former player. The investigation involved interviews with 139 people, including current and former team members. The investigation and report were widely covered by news outlets, including The New York Times, The Guardian, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, and others, with widespread praise for the report’s independence, objectivity, and thorough fact-finding.
Highly active in the civic community, Wade serves on several prominent boards, including World Business Chicago, the Chicago Public Library Foundation, and the National Immigrant Justice Center, among others. He is a recent Fellow of Leadership Greater Chicago, and was named a “Notable Nonprofit Board Leader” by Crain’s Chicago Business.
Wade is a member of several firm committees, including the Policy Committee and Pro Bono Committee. He has dedicated thousands of hours to pro bono representation in a wide variety of matters and received several awards for his work.
Areas of Focus
Credentials
Admissions
- Illinois, 2004
- England and Wales, Registered Foreign Lawyer, 2021
Education
- University of Illinois College of Law, JD, magna cum laude; Harno Scholar, 2003
- Universidad de Belgrano, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholar, 2002
- Kalamazoo College, BA, cum laude
Court Admissions
- US District Court, Northern District of Illinois, 2004
Service / Recognition
Awards
- Lawdragon 500 Global Leaders in Crisis Management, 2026
- Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America, 2026
- Crain's Chicago Business, Notable Litigators & Trial Attorneys, 2025
- Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Entertainment, Sports, & Media Lawyers, 2025-2026
- Chambers USA, Litigation: General Commercial (Illinois), 2024-2026
- National Law Journal, Immigration Law Trailblazer, 2023
- National Immigrant Justice Center, Human Rights Practitioner Award, 2023
- The American Lawyer, Litigator of the Week finalist, March 6, 2020; Litigator of the Week finalist, April 24, 2020; Litigator of the Week finalist, August 27, 2021; Shout Out for Litigator of the Week, October 2024, Shout Out for Litigator of the Week, March 27, 2026
- Pro Bono Institute, Corporate Pro Bono Partner Award, 2021
- Burton Award for Distinguished Legal Writing, New Horizons and High Stakes: Money Laundering through Skill-Based Gaming, 2018
- "40 Under Forty" Illinois Attorneys to Watch, Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, 2015
- Leadership Greater Chicago, Fellow, 2017
- Illinois Super Lawyers, Rising Star, Business Litigation, 2012-2014
- Illinois Legal Aid On-line, Illinois Pro Bono Attorney of the Month, January 2009
- Jenner & Block LLP, Albert E. Jenner, Jr. Pro Bono Award, 2006; Mentor Award, 2020
- Korean American Bar Association of Chicago, Distinguished Service Award, 2014
- Law Bulletin Publishing Company - Leading Lawyers Network, Emerging Lawyer, Commercial Litigation, 2015
Community
- Board of Trustees of Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Chicago
- American Arbitration Association (AAA), Member, National Roster of Arbitrators, 2023-present
- World Business Chicago, Member, Board of Directors, 2023-present
- Better Government Association, Member, Board of Directors
- Chicago Public Library Foundation, Member, Board of Directors
- Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights, Former Member, Board of Directors
- Hague Court of Aviation Arbitration, Advisory Board Member
- National Immigrant Justice Center – A Heartland Alliance Program, Member and Former Co-Chair, Leadership Board
- Art Institute of Chicago, Alumni Member of Evening Associates Board of Directors
- International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution (CPR), Arbitration Committee
Service to the Bar
- US District Court, Northern District of Illinois – Trial Bar, Member
- American Bar Association – Forum On Communication Law, Member
- Media Law Resource Center – Internet Law Committee, Member
- Illinois Bar Association, Member
- Chicago Bar Association, Co-Chair, Gaming Law Committee