William M. Daley Selected as Commencement Speaker for the Fall Class of 2025
William "Bill" Daley named UIC Law commencement speaker
Law School alumnus and maven in business and politics, William M. Daley (JD ‘75), has been selected to deliver the commencement address to the fall Class of 2025 at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC).
As the son of former Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley, brother of former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, previously appointed U.S. Secretary of Commerce and counsel to the White House under former President Bill Clinton, and White House Chief of Staff to former President Barack Obama, Daley has had a successful career managing the intersection between business, government, politics, and the law.
Daley credits the foundation of his legal skills for his success in public service.
“There is a certain disciplined way around how you look at issues and problems on behalf of a client,” he said. “You are looking at actions to determine whether they follow the law or if the law can be interpreted differently, so it gives you a certain focus for solving complex problems that is very helpful whether you stay in law or other related fields.”
Daley has been active in the legal field and public service since graduating from the Law School in 1975. After utilizing the flexibility of the Law School’s evening program, which allowed him to work in the court system during the day and attend class at night, Daley furthered his legal experience post-commencement learning labor and general business law as a part-time employee at a firm where his father served as Partner.
Daley’s career took a pivot into politics when he became a political advisor for his brother, Richard. He assisted with Richard’s first successful campaign for State’s Attorney and two campaigns for Chicago Mayor, one of which was successful and led to 22 years in the position. Simultaneously, Daley’s career flourished as he was accepted as Partner at a prestigious Chicago law firm previously known as Mayer, Brown, and Plat from 1985-1997. During his tenure, he spent a lot of time going back and forth to Washington, D.C. as he helped to establish lobbying and corporate interest.
Daley eventually left the field of law and went into business. He served several prominent positions with the Amalgamated Bank of Chicago, including vice chairman and president. In 1992, Daley helped Bill Clinton carry Illinois to become President of the United States. He was then appointed to serve as special counsel to the White House where he was tasked with assisting with the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), eventually convincing senators to ratify the treaty.
After assisting with President Clinton’s re-election in 1996, Daley was appointed to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce in 1997. He went on to chair the presidential campaign for Al Gore against George W. Bush in one of the most contested elections in American voter history. His career in politics concluded after serving as White House Chief of Staff to former President Barack Obama.
Daley has since retired, but looks to put on his advising hat one more time as the commencement speaker for UIC.
His advice to students: “When you graduate, you must realize that it is not just a business. You are representing people who have real issues and problems and not only are they coming to you as a source of knowledge, but for guidance. You cannot become immune to the pain and suffering of the people you are trying to help.”