Litigation & Dispute Resolution

The lawyers comprising the Firm’s Litigation Group provide guidance from a practical business standpoint as well as aggressive, creative and effective counsel in a fast paced commercial market. By utilizing a comprehensive approach, while focusing on case specific details which can often be case deerminative, the Group seeks to advance overall client objectives by establishing with the client a case strategy and agenda for accomplishing those objectives in a timely and cost effective manner. The Firm’s Litigation Group is staffed with attorneys who have extensive experience with a wide range of cases in state and federal trial courts, appellate courts, administrative agencies, and all manner of alternative dispute resolution forums.

With the Firm’s other practice groups being concentrated in corporate transactional, commercial real estate and estate and tax planning, the Litigation Group regularly collaborates with the Firm’s other practice groups in matters concerning contract, business-tort, partnership, shareholder, securities and real estate disputes, injunctions resulting from restrictive covenants and business interference claims, state and federal R.I.C.O. claims, bankruptcy, and mortgage and mechanic’s lien foreclosures. The Group’s focus is upon taking its cases to trial in a style that is best described as aggressive and proactive, all the while applying the highest standards of ethics to each matter, and bringing common sense and a business eye to every case. With a well established track record of trying cases, we are often able to achieve sensible settlements as the reality of a firm trial date approaches. When asked to participate in pre-litigation consulting, we have developed an extremely successful approach to maximizing our clients’ ability to strengthen their case or settle their disputes long before litigation becomes necessary.

Case Illustrations

The following are illustrative of the types of matters the firm has litigated during the past several years and/or is currently litigating:

• Obtained $900,000 verdict in favor of limited partner in a derivative action against a general partner who had breached its fiduciary duty.
• Aggressively represented a sole proprietor in multi-million dollar partnership dispute.
• Several cases enforcing non-competition/non-solicitation agreements against ex-employees and principles who attempt to establish a new enterprise and solicit their former employer’s clients.
• Serving as litigation counsel and assistant village attorney to a local municipality in a variety of land use/zoning, administrative review and related chancery-matters.
• Defended franchise action against former hotel operator and reduced a multi-million dollar damage claim to a minimal settlement amount.
• Acting as independent counsel to local community college in various matters as pre-litigation consultant(s).
• Represented a former employee of large manufacturing company in an age discrimination claim and obtained a favorable jury verdict.
• Represented a large variety of businesses ranging from closely held entities to Fortune 500 companies in a variety of litigation and pre-litigation matters.
• Defended RICO action against a business owner and obtained summary judgment in favor of owner which decision was upheld by the 7th Circuit.
• Represented financial institutions in a variety of complex commercial litigation matters, including loan workouts, foreclosures, and sale of assets under the Uniform Commercial Code.

Disclaimer

All descriptions of the types of cases set forth herein are in compliance with the applicable Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct.