Press Releases

Benesch Partner Johanes Maliza Selected to Chicago Urban League’s 2026 IMPACT Leadership Development Program

September 4, 2025

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Benesch is pleased to announce that Partner Johanes Maliza has been selected to join the Chicago Urban League’s 2026 IMPACT Leadership Development Program.

Johanes is one of 47 professionals chosen for the 2026 cohort through a rigorous nomination and application process. Now in its 12th year, the nine-month program invests in the next generation of business and civic leaders by bringing together mid-to-senior-level professionals from a wide range of industries. Each fellow is paired with a senior Chicago-area business or civic leader who serves as a mentor, providing one-on-one guidance on leadership and professional development. Through classroom sessions, mentorship and leadership assessments, fellows build the skills and networks needed to excel within their organizations and contribute to the greater Chicago community.

“For more than a decade, we have been inspired by the depth of talent from the individuals who apply for IMPACT – and especially by those who are ultimately selected,” said Karen Freeman-Wilson, President and CEO of the Chicago Urban League. “As we welcome this new class, we are excited to continue cultivating the leadership and vision of fellows who are committed to making meaningful contributions to the Chicago community as imagined by IMPACT’s Founder Andy Zopp.”

Johanes focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation, white-collar defense and internal corporate investigations. He has extensive courtroom experience in both state and federal courts and regularly advises C-suite executives and boards of directors of public and private companies on compliance and litigation strategy. He also conducts internal investigations in response to whistleblower complaints, civil investigative demands, subpoenas and law enforcement inquiries, and has represented clients in matters involving fraud, money laundering, healthcare-related issues and other Class A felonies.

In addition to his practice, Johanes is a member of the Criminal Justice Act Panel for the Northern District of Ohio and serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Law. In 2022, the Governor of Illinois appointed him to the Illinois Torture Inquiry and Relief Commission.

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