Drawing upon five decades of professional experience in the field of law, Charles B. Bernstein excelled in a private law practice in Chicago from 1981 until retiring from the legal industry in 2016. Prior to entering solo practice, he served as an associate at a variety of law firms, including Axelrod, Goodman & Steiner from 1966 to 1967, Max & Herman Chill from 1967 to 1974, Joel Bellows & Associates from 1974 to 1981, and Marvin Sacks Ltd. in 1981. Throughout his lengthy career, Mr. Bernstein handled several legal matters and appeared before the Supreme Court of Arkansas, the United States Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of the United States.
To prepare for his career, Mr. Bernstein pursued a formal education at the University of Chicago, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in 1962 and serving as a sports editor for the Chicago Maroon for nearly three years. Subsequently, he received a Doctor of Jurisprudence from the DePaul University College of Law in 1965 and was admitted to practice by the State of Illinois. Many years later, Mr. Bernstein was admitted before the Supreme Court of the United States in 1972. During his studies at DePaul University, he served as a member of the board of editors of the DePaul Law Review and earned the American Jurisprudence Award for Excellence in Legal Philosophy in 1963.
Outside of his primary vocation, Mr. Bernstein is heavily committed to his community and Jewish faith. A founding member of the Jewish Genealogical Society in New York in 1977, he was a founding member of the National Museum of American Jewish History in 2010 and served the Chicago Jewish Historical Society in many roles, such as director, vice president and treasurer. He was also involved in the Congregation Rodfei Zedek as an officer from 1979 to 1993, having served on the board of directors from 1978 to 1993 and again from 2000 to 2011.
Likewise, Mr. Bernstein has lent his expertise to written works, having co-authored and authored five books on Jewish genealogy. He published “The Descendants of Moritz Loeb: A History of Community Service” and “Torah and Technology: The History and Genealogy of the Anixter Family” in 1986 and “The Rothschilds of Nordstetten: Their History and Genealogy” and “From King David to Baron David: The Genealogical Connections Between Baron Guy de Rothschild and Baroness Alix de Rothschild” in 1989. He also authored “Chaya Ralbe Hovsha and Rabbi Yechiel Michel Hovsha and Their Descendants” and has contributed to various newspaper articles during his career.
To attest to his success, Mr. Bernstein was honored with the Second Century Award from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in 1999 and the Kovod Award from the Congregation Rodfei Zedek Men’s Club in 1998. He also received the My Brother’s Keeper Award from the American Jewish Congress in 1977.
