Trials & Disputes,
prepared for trial.
Commercial litigation and arbitration for companies on either side of the v. We build every case as if it will be tried, which is usually why it settles on better terms.
Fees from
$650
/hr
Phase budgets · hybrid contingency
Hourly with a budget for each phase. Hybrid contingency for plaintiff claims over $2M.
What we handle
Breach of contract and supply-agreement disputes
Partnership, shareholder and LLC member disputes
Earn-out and purchase-price claims after a sale
Fraud, business torts and tortious interference
Temporary restraining orders and injunctions
Commercial arbitration before AAA and JAMS
Appeals in the Seventh Circuit and Illinois Appellate Court
Insurance coverage disputes for policyholders
When clients call us
A customer stopped paying on a seven-figure contract.
Your co-founder has locked you out of the books.
You’ve been served and the clock is running.
Where we argue
N.D. Ill.
Cook County Circuit Court
Seventh Circuit
Illinois Appellate Court
Delaware Chancery
AAA and JAMS
Led by
Representative results
$18.4
M
Jury verdict for a regional freight carrier
Breach of a five-year logistics agreement by a cold-storage operator. Nine-day trial.
N.D. Ill. ·
2025
Affirmed
Defense verdict upheld on appeal
Warranty and fraud claims against an industrial controls maker. Verdict for our client, affirmed by the Seventh Circuit.
7th Cir. ·
2024
Corporate & M&A,
built to close.
Sales, acquisitions and investments for founder-owned and family businesses, usually across the table from private equity. Between deals we handle governance, shareholder agreements and succession.
Fees from
$3,500
Fixed fees · capped deal estimates
Fixed fees for formations and standard agreements. Capped estimates on deals.
What we handle
Sales of founder- and family-owned companies
Add-on acquisitions for PE-backed platforms
Minority and growth equity investments
Rollover equity and management incentive plans
Shareholder, operating and buy-sell agreements
Board governance and outside general counsel work
Family business succession planning
Formations, reorganisations and restructurings
When clients call us
A private equity firm has sent a letter of intent.
Your family business is ready for the next generation.
Investors want a seat on the board.
Fixed fee
$3,500
5 business days
Company formation and operating agreement
· Illinois LLC or corporation filing
· Operating agreement or bylaws
· Founder equity and vesting
· One revision round
Led by
Representative results
$212
M
Sale of a third-generation food manufacturer
Sale to a private-equity-backed platform, with a rollover stake for the family.
Private sale ·
2025
$86
M
Sale of a Midwest HVAC services company
Sale to a strategic acquirer with a two-year earn-out and a retention plan for 40 technicians.
Private sale ·
2026
Employment,
before it’s a lawsuit.
Advice for employers and senior executives, from the offer letter to the exit. When it turns into a dispute, the same lawyers take it to court.
Fees from
$1,800
Flat-fee reviews · hourly disputes
Flat-fee agreement and handbook reviews. Hourly when it becomes a dispute.
What we handle
Executive employment and separation agreements
Non-competes under the Illinois Freedom to Work Act
Trade secret claims against departing employees
Workplace investigations of misconduct complaints
Wage and hour audits under federal and Illinois law
Handbooks and policies for multi-state employers
Reductions in force and WARN Act notices
Discrimination charges before the EEOC and IDHR
When clients call us
Your head of sales resigned on Friday. Her clients followed on Monday.
You need non-competes that hold up under Illinois law.
Fixed fee
$1,800
3 business days
Executive employment agreement review
· Line-by-line markup
· Restrictive covenant review under Illinois law
· 30-minute call with a partner
Led by
Representative results
36
hrs
Restraining order for a chemicals distributor
Departing sales team took customer files. TRO, then a preliminary injunction.
Cook County ·
2024
$0
awarded
Executive severance arbitration
Defended a manufacturer against a former CEO’s $6.2M claim. Award for our client on every count.
AAA ·
2023
Investigations,
handled quietly.
Companies, boards and executives call us when the government is asking questions, or when a board needs answers of its own. Marcus Leland spent eleven years as a federal prosecutor in Chicago.
Fees from
$25,000
retainer
Hourly against retainer
Hourly against a retainer. Separate counsel arranged for individuals when needed.
What we handle
Grand jury subpoenas and target letters
DOJ and U.S. Attorney inquiries
SEC investigations and Wells submissions
Independent reviews for boards and audit committees
Healthcare fraud and False Claims Act matters
Whistleblower and hotline complaints
Search warrants executed at company premises
Separate counsel for employees and executives
When clients call us
A grand jury subpoena arrived at reception.
The board needs an independent look at an allegation.
If a subpoena arrives today
Do
Call us before anyone replies to the agency.
Do
Suspend routine deletion of email, chat and phone data.
Don’t
Discuss it with the employees it may concern.
Don’t
Produce documents before the scope is negotiated.
Led by
Representative results
No
charges
DOJ inquiry into a device distributor closed
Represented two executives through a fourteen-month grand jury investigation.
DOJ ·
2024
Closed
SEC inquiry into revenue recognition
Counsel to the audit committee of a Nasdaq-listed industrial supplier. Closed without enforcement.
SEC ·
2025
Real Estate,
across Chicagoland.
Leasing, acquisitions, financing and development for owners, tenants and lenders, from Fulton Market lofts to distribution centers along I-55 and I-80.
Fees from
$4,500
Fixed-fee leases · hourly deals
Fixed fees for most leases. Hourly for acquisitions and development.
What we handle
Office, retail and industrial leases
Headquarters relocations and build-to-suit leases
Purchases and sales of commercial property
Acquisition and construction financing
Zoning and planned-development approvals in Chicago
Property tax appeals in Cook County
Ground leases and sale-leasebacks
Construction contracts and contractor disputes
When clients call us
You’re signing a ten-year headquarters lease.
A Fulton Market site needs zoning before it pencils out.
Fixed fee
$4,500
5 business days
Commercial lease review, up to 10,000 sq ft
· Redline of landlord draft
· Summary of rent, options and exits
· Negotiation call with the broker
Led by
Representative results
$47
M
Headquarters acquisition in Fulton Market
Purchase, financing and a 140,000 sq ft build-to-suit lease for a software company.
Acquisition ·
2024
$120
M
Warehouse portfolio in the I-55 corridor
Acquisition and financing of three Class A distribution centers for a regional logistics owner.
Acquisition ·
2025
IP & Technology,
in plain contracts.
Software, data and licensing work for companies that build technology and the companies that buy it. We also defend biometric privacy (BIPA) claims, which Illinois businesses face more than anyone.
Fees from
$2,400
Fixed-fee templates · hourly disputes
Fixed fees for license and SaaS templates. Hourly for disputes.
What we handle
SaaS, license and enterprise software agreements
Technology procurement for buyers
Data processing and privacy agreements
BIPA compliance and class action defense
Trade secret protection and litigation
Trademark clearance, registration and enforcement
Open-source review in acquisitions
Website terms and privacy policies
When clients call us
Your software contract was written for someone else’s product.
Your timeclocks scan fingerprints and nobody has asked about BIPA.
Fixed fees
$2,400
1 week
SaaS customer agreement template
· Master agreement and order form
· Data processing addendum
· Plain-English playbook for your sales team
$6,000
2 weeks
Biometric privacy (BIPA) compliance review
· Written policy and retention schedule
· Employee consent forms
· Vendor contract review
Led by
Representative results
Dismissed
Biometric privacy class action
BIPA claims against a 60-location fitness chain dismissed with prejudice.
Cook County ·
2023
$18
M
Series B for a Chicago health-data company
Company counsel on the round, including a data-licensing review before the investors’ diligence.
Venture round ·
2025
