Heyl Royster

Keith Hill

Partner
Edwardsville, IL

Joined Firm in 2013

Keith believes that empathy is equally important to the practice of law as intellect, legal knowledge, and work ethic.

  • Confident, compassionate, and resilient
  • Extensive experience advising governmental entity clients
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Keith Hill

Attorney in Edwardsville, IL

In his over 20 years of practice, Keith has defended clients in product liability, premises liability, professional liability, automobile accidents, employment and labor law, civil rights, and toxic tort litigation. Having handled cases in more than 20 counties in Illinois state and federal courts, Keith has tried numerous cases to verdict and handled appeals before the Fourth and Fifth District Appellate Courts and the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

Keith has extensive experience advising governmental entity clients with respect to state and federal civil rights law, as well as litigating claims brought under state and federal constitutions and other civil rights statutes. He has defended employers in state and federal court and before administrative agencies concerning Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, The Civil Rights Act of 1991, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, and other employment laws. He has also advised employers on areas affecting employment, such as disciplinary actions, terminations, wage and hour issues, restrictive covenants, employment agreements, and various leave issues, prepared and reviewed employment policies and procedures, and provided training to supervisory staff in employment-related matters.

Keith believes that empathy is equally important to the practice of law as intellect, legal knowledge, and work ethic. As Atticus Finch explained to his daughter, Scout, in Harper Lee's classic novel To Kill a Mockingbird, "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." Understanding what a client wants requires the lawyer to think and feel like the client. An attorney must empathize with opposing counsel to relate effectively with them, and the judge or jury must know their concerns and address them.

By 13, Keith had lived in four states and attended as many schools as grades - eight. Moving so frequently wasn't easy, but the experience instilled in Keith confidence, compassion, optimism, adaptability, and resilience, which form the foundation of who he is personally and professionally. Through living in different parts of the country and having a diverse group of friends and classmates, Keith acquired the skill of embracing the differences of others and finding similarities to create solid relationships. This skill has proven invaluable as Keith corroborates with others professionally.

Keith also acquired his taste for Cajun cooking, his appreciation for the beauty of the Pacific Northwest, and his fandom for University of Alabama football and Atlanta Braves baseball. Although years of living in the Midwest have swept away his accent – except an errant "y'all" now and again - Keith hopes his southern courtesy, politeness, kindness, and charm remain.

Keith is a proud husband and father to four children. Outside the office, he enjoys spending time with his family, being outdoors, and listening to and playing music.

Credentials

Education

J.D., University of Illinois College of Law

B.A., University of Alabama, Political Science, manga cum laude

Licensure(s) and Admission(s)

State Courts of Illinois

United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit

United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois

United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois

Professional Affiliations

American Bar Association

Defense Research Institute

Jackson County Bar Association

Illinois Defense Counsel

Illinois State Bar Association

Results

  • Successfully obtained summary judgment for a municipality in litigation brought by a former employee alleging wrongful discharge, violation of his rights under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act and the Illinois Service Men's Employment Tenure Act, and asserting claims under Section 1983 for deprivation of his property and liberty interests.
  • Successfully obtained summary judgment for an Assistant  State's Attorney in litigation brought by the accused in a state criminal proceeding alleging violation of First Amendment rights.
  • Successfully obtained summary judgment for the University of Illinois in litigation brought by an unsuccessful tenure applicant, including vacating a default judgment against defendants for failure to comply with discovery while represented by prior counsel.
  • Successfully obtained summary judgment for a municipality and a police officer in litigation brought by an employee of an independent contractor who was struck by a vehicle while painting a crosswalk; included the successful defense of an appeal to the Fifth District Appellate Court.
  • Successfully defended a municipality in a jury trial in Franklin County, Illinois. The plaintiff brought suit against the defendant for damages alleged to have been caused by the plaintiff's fall into a water meter pit owned and maintained by the defendant. The jury found for the defendant.

Presentations/Publications

Publications

"Defenses to Products Liability," chapter in Products Liability Practice, Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education (2023)

"Police Committed “Seizure” Under Fourth Amendment by Shooting Fleeing Woman," Illinois Defense Counsel Quarterly (2021)

A Police Officer Does Not Have a Protected Property Interest in Promotion Examination Free From Cheating or Rigging,” Illinois Defense Counsel Quarterly (2020)

Objectively Subjective: Miranda v. County of Lake and the New Pre-Trial Detainee Medical Standard,” Illinois Defense Counsel Quarterly (2019)

Grievances: Turn Lemons Into Lemonade and Reduce Legal Risk,” CorrectCare Journal (2016)

"Hindsight is Bittersweet: Quality Improvements Studies as Evidence in Inmate Litigation," CorrectCare Journal (2015)

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