Joseph T. Monahan (Joe) is founder of the Chicago law firm, Monahan Law Group, LLC. Trained as a social worker before going to law school, Joe has been an active member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) for decades.
He first joined NASW in 1976, served as a Trustee of the Legal Defense Fund, the National Board and is Past President of the Board of Directors of the Risk Retention Group.
He joined NASW in 1976; served on the Legal Defense Fund (2003–2007); served on the National Board of NASW (2009–2012); Executive Committee (2009–2012); and Founding President of the Board of Directors of the Risk Retention Group. He is also currently a presenter for the NASW Assurance Services Risk Management Program.
Over the past three decades as an attorney, Joe and the firm has been involved in groundbreaking legal issues impacting social workers and their clients. Joe successfully argued a case in the Illinois Supreme Court concerning the confidentiality of records in domestic relations proceedings, was lead trial counsel on the first same-sex adoption case in Illinois and also was the plaintiff (then later appointed co-chair of the Rule 706 expert panel) in the largest lawsuit ever brought against DCFS. Joe and the firm represent approximately 80 hospitals in the Chicago metropolitan area and provide legal representation and advocacy to numerous outpatient mental health clinics, child welfare agencies, and social workers throughout the state.
Joe received his MSW from the University of Illinois in Champaign, and his JD from DePaul University College of Law. He has taught Mental Health Law at Loyola University Chicago Law School for the past 27 years.