What we do, and who does it.
Six practices, each led by a partner who answers the phone. Below: what each one handles, how it is billed and results it has delivered.
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
Led by
Representative results
- $18.4MJury verdict for a regional freight carrierBreach of a five-year logistics agreement by a cold-storage operator. Nine-day trial.N.D. Ill. · 2025
- AffirmedDefense verdict upheld on appealWarranty 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
$3,5005 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
- $212MSale of a third-generation food manufacturerSale to a private-equity-backed platform, with a rollover stake for the family.Private sale · 2025
- $86MSale of a Midwest HVAC services companySale 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
$1,8003 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
- 36hrsRestraining order for a chemicals distributorDeparting sales team took customer files. TRO, then a preliminary injunction.Cook County · 2024
- $0awardedExecutive severance arbitrationDefended 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$25,000retainer
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
- DoCall us before anyone replies to the agency.
- DoSuspend routine deletion of email, chat and phone data.
- Don’tDiscuss it with the employees it may concern.
- Don’tProduce documents before the scope is negotiated.
Led by
Representative results
- NochargesDOJ inquiry into a device distributor closedRepresented two executives through a fourteen-month grand jury investigation.DOJ · 2024
- ClosedSEC inquiry into revenue recognitionCounsel 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
$4,5005 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
- $47MHeadquarters acquisition in Fulton MarketPurchase, financing and a 140,000 sq ft build-to-suit lease for a software company.Acquisition · 2024
- $120MWarehouse portfolio in the I-55 corridorAcquisition 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
$2,4001 week
SaaS customer agreement template
Master agreement and order form · Data processing addendum · Plain-English playbook for your sales team
$6,0002 weeks
Biometric privacy (BIPA) compliance review
Written policy and retention schedule · Employee consent forms · Vendor contract review
Led by
Representative results
- DismissedBiometric privacy class actionBIPA claims against a 60-location fitness chain dismissed with prejudice.Cook County · 2023
- $18MSeries B for a Chicago health-data companyCompany counsel on the round, including a data-licensing review before the investors’ diligence.Venture round · 2025
Which practice? Ask us first.
Tell us who is on the other side. We run the conflict check the same business day, and the partner who would lead your matter calls you back.
Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Central. After hours, for restraining orders: (312) 555-0163