Robert Arthur Sprecher was born in Chicago on May 30, 1917, the son of Adolph and Lillian (Senick) Sprecher. He received a B.S. degree, magna cum laude in 1938 and a J.D. degree, summa cum laude in 1941 from Northwestern University. His academic honors included membership in Phi Beta Kappa and the Order of the Coif. Northwestern awarded Sprecher its Alumni Merit award in 1977 and an honorary LL.D. degree in 1981.
Sprecher practiced law as an associate with the Chicago-based law firm of Sidley, Austin, Burgess and Smith from 1943 to 1945 and as a partner with Sprecher and McKee during the years 1945-1947, with Wham, Welch, Sprecher and McKee from 1947 through 1951, and with Crowley, Sprecher and Barrett from 1952 to 1971. Between 1957 and 1962 he served as a Special Assistant Attorney General of Illinois. He resumed private practice in 1963 as a partner in the firm of Crowley, Sprecher, Barrett and Karaba. He remained with this firm until his appointment on April 23, 1971, as a United States Circuit Judge for the Seventh Circuit. Sprecher held his judgeship until his death on May 15, 1982.
On August 22, 1942, Sprecher married Helen J. Szymczak; the couple had five children: Mark, Michael, Robert, Mary Beth, and Richard.
From the guide to the Robert A. Sprecher (1917-1982) Papers, 1971-1984, (Northwestern University Archives)
