Steve serves the general practice needs of our clients. He has 27 years of experience in representing families and individuals in a variety of areas. He has handled dozens of probate estates. Steve has helped many families gain peace of mind by assisting them with drafting their estate planning documents. He also represents clients in residential real estate sales and purchases. Through his expertise in consumer bankruptcy, Steve has helped clients save their homes and get out from underneath crushing debt by filing Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcies. Steve takes pride in serving our clients in a professional and efficient manner while always keeping an eye on achieving practical results.
In addition to heading our general practice department, Steve helps employees in several employment law areas. Steve represents employees who have been unlawfully discriminated against, harassed, or retaliated against because of their race, sex, religion, disability, age or other protected class. For employees who are leaving their jobs, Steve can advise them on their rights and the fairness of severance agreements. His practice also includes cases against employers who have violated the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) or have terminated workers in retaliation for exercising their rights under federal or state law. Steve is particularly keen to protect workers who have been fired for filing a Worker’s Compensation claim. Steve takes great satisfaction in helping David battle Goliath.
In addition to heading our general practice department, Steve helps employees in several employment law areas. Steve represents employees who have been unlawfully discriminated against, harassed, or retaliated against because of their race, sex, religion, disability, age or other protected class. For employees who are leaving their jobs, Steve can advise them on their rights and the fairness of severance agreements. His practice also includes cases against employers who have violated the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) or have terminated workers in retaliation for exercising their rights under federal or state law. Steve is particularly keen to protect workers who have been fired for filing a Worker’s Compensation claim. Steve takes great satisfaction in helping David battle Goliath.
Primary Areas of Practice:
- Probate including decedent’s estate administration and guardianships
- Estate planning
- Residential real estate
- Bankruptcy
- Employment discrimination and retaliatory discharge
- Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
Bar Admissions:
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Ohio
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
- United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana
- United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana
Education
- Indiana University School of Law, Bloomington, Indiana, 1994, J.D.
- Wabash College, Crawfordsville, Indiana, 1989, B.A., summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa
- Union Membership
- Member of AFSCME while a staff attorney at UAW Legal Services Plan, 1997-2003
Professional Association and Memberships:
- American Bar Association
- Illinois State Bar Association
- Chicago Bar Association
- National Employment Lawyers Association
- National Employment Lawyers Association/Illinois
- American Association for Justice
- Illinois Trial Lawyers Association
- American Bankruptcy Institute
Publications
Settling Wrongful Death and Survival Claims In (and Out of) Probate Court, Newsletter of the Illinois State Bar Association’s Trust & Estates Section, Vol. 67, No. 7 (January 2021).
Settlements:
- $193,750 in a sexual harassment and retaliatory discharge case where an employee at a Harley Davidson dealership was subjected to harassment by other employees and terminated when she complained about it.
- $122,500 in an FMLA case where an employee was told he had leave available and then was fired while on leave because the employer had made a mistake in calculating the amount of leave he had left.
- $96,000 in a disability discrimination case where employer refused to accommodate the worker’s injury.
- $75,000 in a racial discrimination case where a supervisor called an employee racist names to his face.
- $68,250.00 in a retaliatory discharge case where the employer fired a worker who had filed a Worker’s Compensation claim against the employer’s predecessor company.
- $62,500.00 in a discrimination and retaliation case where an employee at a big-box store was subjected to harassment based on his ethnicity and disability and fired when he complained about it.
Education
- Bachelor of Arts, Summa Cum Laude & Phi Beta Kappa
Wabash College
Crawfordsville, IN
1989 - Juris Doctorate
Indiana University School of Law
Bloomington, IN
1994
Settlements
- $193,750 in a sexual harassment and retaliatory discharge case where an employee at a Harley Davidson dealership was subjected to harassment by other employees and terminated when she complained about it.
- $122,500 in an FMLA case where an employee was told he had leave available and then was fired while on leave because the employer had made a mistake in calculating the amount of leave he had left.
- $96,000 in a disability discrimination case where employer refused to accommodate the worker’s injury.
- $75,000 in a racial discrimination case where a supervisor called an employee racist names to his face.
- $68,250.00 in a retaliatory discharge case where the employer fired a worker who had filed a Worker’s Compensation claim against the employer’s predecessor company.
- $62,500.00 in a discrimination and retaliation case where an employee at a bix-box store was subjected to harassment based on his ethnicity and disability and fired when he complained about it.
Awarded in the Industry
