(October 15, 2025 – Chicago) Attorney John Mauck, founder and partner at Chicago-based Mauck & Baker, LLC, has been honored as the 2025 recipient of the prestigious William Bentley Ball Life and Religious Liberty Defense Award by the Christian Legal Society. Mauck was presented with the honor on October 10, 2025, at the

Christian Legal Society National Conference in New Orleans. The award was bestowed upon Mauck for his significant contribution to the cause of “the sanctity of human life and religious liberty” over his 40+ years as an attorney.

The award is named after the late William Bentley Ball, a constitutional lawyer nationally known for his defense of religious doctrine and practice against secular encroachment. Ball argued nine cases before the United States Supreme Court and devoted his time and talent to legal controversies, large and small.

According to Christian Legal Society President & CEO David Nammo, Mauck exemplifies the mission and vision of the national organization, whose thousands of attorneys and law students seek to defend religious freedom and integrate their personal faith into the practice of law.

“John Mauck’s passion, conviction, and legal expertise, along with his stellar achievements in law have led to his outstanding contributions to religious freedom,” stated Nammo. “This is no accident, as John is very intentional about proclaiming his faith and practicing Biblical principles in his accomplished defense of religious freedom and the sanctity of life.”

More than 25 years ago, Mauck founded the law firm of Mauck & Baker, LLC, where he has brought his faith-based practice to the defense of the religious rights of churches and ministries in Chicago and across the nation. A key contributor to the drafting and passage of the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, Mauck has helped congregations of several religions, not only Christianity, across the country to freely worship and overcome illegal restrictions on land use.

Richard Baker, working alongside Mauck as a partner at Mauck & Baker, LLC, applauded his friend and colleague.

“I can think of no one more deserving than John Mauck to receive this award,” Baker shared. “John works tirelessly, helping to advance the law with respect to religious liberty so that people have more freedom to worship.”

“For me, being a lawyer is about serving God,” Mauck related. “When you do something for a long time, it becomes part of who you are—part of your identity.”

And also, in Mauck’s case, part of your side vocation. In the moments that he is not working to help clients with legal matters, Mauck has authored several books. The first, Paul on Trial: The Book of Acts as a Defense of Christianity (Thomas Nelson), is a presentation of the biblical Book of Acts as a legal brief defending the Apostle Paul on trial before the Roman Emperor Nero.

Mauck’s more recent book, Jesus in the Courtroom: How to Engage the Legal System for the Good of His World (Moody Publishers), shows Jesus as not only a teacher, but as a teacher of the law and advocate for His followers. In this work, Mauck encourages Christian lawyers to partner with legal professionals who share their Christ-centered worldview.

Additionally, he authored The Healing of Jabez (Credo House) and has contributed to the Wall Street Journal and several legal publications.

“I like helping to advance the law so that people have more freedom to worship,” Mauck explained. In addition to religious zoning work, he also practices civil liberties litigation, church law, not-for-profit law, corporate law, and Constitutional law.

Mauck previously served as a National Board Member for the Christian Legal Society and is an allied attorney with Alliance Defending Freedom. Recognized among Chicago Magazine’s Top Attorneys in Illinois for several years, he also bears the peer designation of Super Lawyer in multiple consecutive years. Mauck has previously received the Family PAC Defender of the Faith Award and the Grace Church Difference Makers – Appreciation of Excellence Award.

A graduate of Yale University, Mauck received his Juris Doctorate from University of Chicago Law School. He has been admitted to the bar in the United States Supreme Court, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Mauck has been married to his wife Rosemary for more than forty years. They have four adult children and four grandchildren. John and his wife live in Evanston, Illinois and attend First Presbyterian Church where John has been an adult education teacher for many years.