Our Civil Rights Practice Team has extensive experience and expertise advising governmental entity clients with respect to local, state, and federal civil rights law as well as litigating claims brought under state and federal constitutions and other civil rights statutes such as 42 U.S.C. Section 1983, Title VII Civil Rights Act 1965, Age Discrimination Employment Act, as well as the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Local governmental entities and police officers face many different legal issues which can affect the image of the local governmental entity, the individual officers, and the community. Our practice group works with our clients beyond just the immediate legal issues and provides the best overall guidance which is critical to these governmental clients
We represent local governmental entities and their officials in a variety of matters concerning civil rights law and employment law.
Our group is well-experienced in representing local governmental entities in state and federal courts. Our practice team is committed to defending the integrity of the individuals and the local governmental entities in the courtroom, and this is where our practice team's trial experience becomes invaluable.
Representative Clients
Admiral Insurance Company
AIG Claim Services
CCMSI
Chubb Group of Insurance
Cincinnati Insurance Group
City of Pekin
City of Springfield
Health Professionals
Illinois Municipal League
Markel Shand
Medical Protective
State of Illinois
University of Illinois
Woodland Heights Estates
Numerous townships, counties, and local governmental entities.
Significant Cases
- Estate of Beavers v. Champaign County v. Evercom Systems
- City of East St. Louis v. Circuit Court for the 20th Judicial Circuit, St. Clair County, IL 986 F. 2d 1142 (7th Cir. 1998) The Federal District Court properly entered Rule 11 sanctions against Plaintiff's counsel for bringing suit against a judicial circuit.
- Tomic v. Catholic Diocese of Peoria 442 F.3d 1036 (7th Cir. 2006) Former music director and organist of religious diocese and church brought action against diocese alleging he was terminated in violation of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). The Court of Appeals held that director's position fell within ministerial exception to the ADEA.
- Johnson v. Doughty 433 F.3d 1001 (7th Cir. 2006) Denials of prisoner's requested hernia surgery did not constitute deliberate indifference to a serious medical condition.
- Copeland v. County of Macon, Ill. 403 F.3d 929 (7th Cir. 2005) Corrections officer was not acting within scope of his employment within meaning of tort immunity statute when he recruited and encouraged inmates to commit beating of pretrial detainee accused of child abuse.
- Merriweather v. Snyder, et al. Jury verdict for defendants on claims of deliberate indifference to serious medical and mental health needs.
- Collins Bey v. Snyder, et al. Jury verdict for defendants on claims of violation of equal protection rights.
- Fields v. Maue, et al. Jury verdict for defendants on claims of excessive force.
- Fillmore v. Page, et al. Court verdict for defendants on claims of excessive force.
Publications
- "Your Qualified Immunity Defense Was Denied at Summary Judgment. Will the Court of Appeals Have Jurisdiction Over Your Interlocutory Appeal?" Illinois Defense Counsel Quarterly (2010)
- Co-author, "Civil Rights Update: Student Speech Can Be Restricted," Illinois Defense Counsel Quarterly (2007)
- "U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Police PIT Stops in 8-1 Decision," Illinois Defense Counsel Quarterly (2007)
- Co-author, "Civil Rights Update: Student Speech Can Be Restricted," Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel Quarterly (2007)
- Co-author, "Civil Rights Update: Supreme Court Adds Absence of Probable Cause to Prima Facie Case for Bivens Retaliatory-Prosecution Action in Hartman v. Moore, Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel Quarterly (2006)
- Co-author, "Civil Rights Update: Seventh Circuit Rejects Claim for Loss of Society and Companionship for Adult Child," Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel Quarterly (2005)
- "Civil Rights Update: Qualified Immunity for Violating a "Class of One" Equal Protection Rights," Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel Quarterly (2005)
- "Civil Rights Update: John Doe v. City of Lafayette: The Seventh Circuit Weighs-in on a Municipality's Right to Protect Children from Pedophiles," Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel Quarterly (2005)
- "The Age Discrimination in Employment Act: A Seventh Circuit Perspective," Illinois Defense Counsel Quarterly (1998)
- "The Impact of Federal Legislation on the Employer/Employee Relationship in Illinois," Illinois Defense Counsel Quarterly (1996)
- Co-author, "Don't Forget About the Law Enforcement Investigatory Privilege," Illinois Defense Counsel Quarterly (2008)
- Co-author, "Rule 41(a) Voluntary Dismissal in Federal Court Takes Effect Immediately Upon Filing, Not When Docketed," Illinois Defense Counsel Quarterly (2008)
- "Qualified Immunity Bars Claim Despite Lack of Probable Cause for Arrest," Illinois Defense Counsel Quarterly (2008)
- Co-author, "The Supreme Court Abandons an Inflexible Application of the Saucier Two-Step," Illinois Defense Counsel Quarterly (2009)
- "Civil Rights Update: Reaffirmation That Officers Have No Duty to Complete a Full Investigation Before Arrest," Illinois Association of Defense Counsel Quarterly, 2009
