Employment Litigation

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The Employment Litigation Division of the Department of Law defends the City of Chicago and its past and present officers and employees in lawsuits arising from the employment of past, present, or prospective employees of the City of Chicago. Most of these lawsuits are filed in Federal court; the remaining cases are filed in State court. The practice is sophisticated and complex and involves extensive motion practice, intensive discovery, and challenging trial work.

A majority of the cases handled by the Division allege at least several different causes of action, and most of these are premised upon one or more Federal, anti-discrimination statutes. These statutes include Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans With Disabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the Family Medical Leave Act. These cases involve allegations that the City discriminated against the plaintiffs based upon their race, color, national origin, gender, religion, and/or disability. Often, these claims are coupled with allegations of harassment, including sexual harassment, and/or retaliation.