Litigation

Our litigation group provides aggressive and efficient representation with an unmatched record of superb results.

Our litigation attorneys represent all forms of local governmental bodies, businesses and individuals as general and special counsel in a wide variety of litigation matters. For governments we have been retained all over the state to defend civil rights cases alleging police excessive force and false arrest, malicious prosecution and wrongful conviction, First Amendment violations, and many other constitutional claims. We represent municipalities, townships, school districts and other public entities in tort and wrongful death cases, employment disputes, and other types of claims. Our private sector litigation includes insurance companies, corporate executives, nursing homes, construction contractors, small businesses, real estate developers, and individuals. We also have litigators concentrating in unique areas such as land use, zoning, eminent domain, construction and election law.

We stress fresh and creative approaches to litigation. We are cutting-edge in effectively disposing of cases prior to trial or efficiently narrowing issues for trial. Our litigators are experienced and successful trial lawyers, which allows us to balance the risks and benefits of trial against other options. Our successful trial results get us better settlements.

Our litigation team also handles appeals, administrative hearings, critical incident crisis management, loss control training and seminars, file audits, and special consultation.

Ancel Glink attorneys regularly publish and speak on litigation topics. Ancel Glink publishes the Illinois Governmental Tort Immunity Handbook, which is available for download in the Resource Center of the firm’s website. We also publish an on-line newsletter, Ancel Glink Defense E-News, which advises clients on relevant cases and legislation.

Civil Rights Defense

Our attorneys successfully defend public entities and officials against claims of:

Police misconduct

Wrongful conviction

Unlawful policy and practice

Malicious prosecution

Employment discrimination and retaliation

Sex discrimination in education

Sexual abuse

Hate crimes

Sexual harassment

First Amendment violations

Ancel Glink’s litigators are attorneys of records in hundreds of published opinions and verdict reports involving civil rights cases. Our litigation team regularly obtains favorable defense verdicts, summary judgment, and dismissals in favor of our clients. The following are just a few examples of our successes in complex and difficult lawsuits:

Prevailed before a federal jury in a class action case involving illegal recording of telephone conversations at a police dispatch center. Amati v. City of Woodstock

Successfully defended the City of Chicago and police officer defendants before federal juries in Section 1983 police misconduct litigation. Acuna v. City of Chicago; Lopez v. City of Chicago

Obtained success before federal juries in favor of municipalities and their officers in excessive force and false arrest cases involving police shooting, tasing and other uses of force. Adams v. City of Des Plaines; Berryhill v. Village of Streamwood; Clarett v. Lansing; Foley v. Village of Gurnee; Oh v. City of Des Plaines; Uwumarogie v. Village of Glen Ellyn, Howell v. City of Zion, and many others.

Obtained summary judgment in favor of a city involving a municipal policy claim following the alleged sexual assault of the plaintiff. Swinney v. Waukegan

Prevailed before federal jury in Title IX discrimination litigation against school district and school administrators involving sexual abuse claims. Doe v. Smith and Champaign School District

Prevailed on appeal in sexual abuse claim on ruling that attorney investigations are protected from disclosure in discovery by virtue of the attorney-client privilege following the Supreme Court’s Upjohn decision. Sandra TE v South Berwyn School District

Defeated at trial the claims of a billboard company involving a city’s denial of the company’s application for twelve billboards which the company claimed violated its First Amendment rights. Covenant Media v. City of Des Plaines; Obtained summary judgment for police officers accused of allegedly withholding evidence leading to a wrongful murder conviction. Beaman v. Town of Normal

Business/Commercial Practice

Our experienced litigators resolve disputes through arbitration, mediation, settlement, and trial. We represent clients seeking damages or non-monetary relief, such as restraining orders, injunctions, and declaratory judgments. We also advise our business clients on litigation avoidance and risk management.

Ancel Glink’s litigators work on complex issues on behalf of insureds and insurers, including:

additional insured endorsements

indemnity agreements

environmental and pollution exclusions

coverage triggers

personal injury and advertising injury provisions

arson

rescission

other insurance clauses

Our business practice also includes construction cases. We represent owners, contractors, architects and engineers in cases involving construction site accidents, construction manager liability, liens, delays, extras, faulty workmanship and bonds. The firm also litigates indemnity and insurance rights on behalf of our construction clients.

Tort Litigation

We represent governmental entities, private and public corporations, closely-held entities, railroads and utilities, property owners and individuals. We litigate personal injury, wrongful death, property damage, and other types of general negligence actions. These tort claims may arise out of police and fire department services, city operations, employment decisions, environmental issues, premises and automobile accidents, professional liability and land use changes.

We work on incident and catastrophic response procedures to lessen potential liability for public and private sector clients. This proactive approach reduces the number of lawsuits filed, the cost of defense, and ultimate liability.

The following are a few of our recent successes in tort litigation:

Obtained defense verdict after state court jury trial in personal injury case involving plaintiff’s fall on city property, Podraza v. City of Woodstock, and obtained summary judgment in favor of a village in a state personal injury claim involving a homeowners’ injury caused by a raised water valve. Chargo v. Gurnee

Obtained a defense verdict on behalf of a theater company after a state court jury trial involving a personal injury claim by a theater patron. Spector v. Signal Ensemble Theatre

Obtained summary judgment in favor of a school district on a claim that it failed to protect a student murdered by a fellow student. Hernandez v. South Berwyn School District.

Defended and counterclaimed against a sewer contractor’s claims for equitable adjustment under the Public Construction Contract Act. Tires “N” Tracks v. Village of Lisle

Defeated motion for class certification in seven count class action case against city for negligent maintenance involving flooding and sanitary sewer backups into residents’ homes, resulting in voluntary dismissal of the claims. Perkins v. City of Woodstock

Successfully defended the plaintiffs’ claims for property damage on summary judgment, and upheld city’s automobile towing and wrecking ordinance as constitutional. Kosyla v. Des Plaines

Obtained summary judgment on claim that school district failed to protect student from bullying by other students. Lovergine v. Medinah School District

Won a jury verdict for catastrophic injuries from an ambulance/pedestrian accident. Andre Perez v. City of Zion

Employment Litigation

We handle employment cases based on race, sex, national origin, age, and disability discrimination, as well as harassment, retaliation, and hate crimes.

We are highly successful in defending claims involving:

wage classifications

wage payment practices

leaves of absence

union-management relationships

wrongful discharge

breach of employment contracts

defamation

sexual harassment

discrimination

disability

whistle blowers

employment contracts

pension and benefits

Our litigators practice before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and other administrative bodies. We regularly assist our clients with employee discipline and grievance procedures, as well as collective bargaining agreements.

Some of our recent successes in employment litigation include:

Prevailed on appeal before the Seventh Circuit in an employment discrimination claim brought by an independent contractor alleging race discrimination. Nash v. Dolton-Riverdale SD 148

Successfully represented a female employee before a federal jury in Title VII employment discrimination litigation. Soleau v. Illinois Department of Transportation

Obtained summary judgment in employment discrimination claims alleging ADA and ADEA violations. Butler v. Round Lake; Crawford v. Wilmette School District

Obtained summary judgment in employment case alleging violation of due process, conspiracy, and tortious interference with prospective economic advantage. Bock v. Round Lake

Prevailed on a motion for summary decision before the Illinois Human Rights Commission on a Title VII gender discrimination claim brought by a male principal. Chapman v. Dolton-Riverdale School District 148

Prevailed after jury trial in Title VII sexual harassment case. Divine v. Outback Steakhouse

Obtained summary judgment in case with claims of Title VII gender discrimination, disability discrimination and retaliation brought by a female streets and sanitation employee. Wyrick v. City of Chicago

Obtained summary judgment in case alleging racial discrimination claim brought by job applicant. Hall v. Thornton Fractional School District 215

Successfully dismissed age discrimination and retaliation claim brought by a teacher. Dineff v. Granite City School District

Obtained ruling in employer’s favor by administrative law judge after a public hearing before the Illinois Human Rights Commission. Buckner v. DCFS

Land Use Litigation

As counsel to numerous local governments and zoning boards, our attorneys have developed a unique and valuable perspective on the zoning process which guides our legal strategy. For both public bodies and private companies, Ancel Glink provides a distinct advantage in any land use dispute. Ancel Glink attorneys also have extensive experience in sometimes difficult eminent domain litigation for municipalities, counties, park districts and other governmental entities, including service as Special Assistant States Attorneys for counties negotiating road project condemnations.

The following are just a few examples of our litigation experience:

Eminent domain litigation for major downtown redevelopment project.

Successful defense against a takings claim challenging a municipal zoning decision.

Successful prosecution and defense of municipal and private foreclosure actions.

Prosecute demolition cases involving blighted commercial and residential properties.

Successful defense of municipality in an action by developer seeking to overturn denial of special use permit application.

Successful defense of impact fee agreements for park districts.

Represent a school district in complex litigation arising from a TIF redevelopment agreement, resulting in a $20 million settlement for the school district.

Negotiate economic development agreements for TIF projects throughout the state.
Represent industrial land owner in multi-million dollar eminent domain action by IDOT for expansion of interstate highway.

Our Recent Case Studies

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua