Employment and Labor Law

The Illinois employment and labor attorneys at Chicago law firm Burke Burns & Pinelli, Ltd. assist public and private clients on the full range of employment law issues. We have significant experience counseling and representing clients in administrative and litigation employment-related matters. The combination of our deep transactional experience and our exceptional courtroom skills benefits BBP clients regardless of the context or venue in which a labor issue or matter arises.

Our practice covers employment basics as well as sophisticated and complex labor issues. BBP attorneys handle matters including:

  • Negotiating and drafting employment contracts and settlement agreements
  • Preparing employee handbooks and assisting with establishment of policies and procedures
  • Negotiating collective bargaining agreements, including structuring compensation and benefit packages that preserve the fiscal integrity of our clients
  • Representing clients in employment litigation in federal and state courts at both the trial and appellate levels
  • Representing clients in administrative matters and hearings before the Illinois Human Rights Commission and the U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
  • Handling wrongful termination and discrimination claims, including actions under Title VII of the federal Civil Rights Act

Representative Matters

BBP notable employment and labor law clients and matters include:

  • We recently assisted a private Chicago charter school operator on a complete review of its employee policies, including the redrafting of its employee handbook.
  • For the same client, we handled all aspects of the negotiation of its collective bargaining agreements with teachers represented by Chicago ACTS Local 4343, IFT-AFT, AFL-CIO.
  • We counseled and advised the Metropolitan Pier & Exposition Authority for a number of years specifically on employment matters, including the drafting of handbooks and policies, the hiring and firing of staff, and the successful resolution of charges filed by employees alleging discrimination under Title VII, Section 1983 of the Civil Rights Act, violations of the ADA and the ADEA, and Equal Pay Act.
  • We successfully defended the Board of Trustees, President, Chancellors, and other officers of University of Illinois at Chicago in an action brought by a former professor under the Civil Rights Act, Title VII, Section 1983, and also have counseled the University on other employment and labor matters.
  • We represented the County of Cook in negotiations with five employee unions, including the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local #714 and the Newspaper Guild, in respect to successor collective bargaining agreements.
  • We assisted the Board of Trustees of a public pension fund client in the successful settlement of a dispute involving a high-level executive who attempted to claim discrimination in his termination.
  • We represented the Village of Broadview in collective bargaining negotiations with several unions representing the Village’s fire, police, telecommunication, and public works employees.
  • We recently assisted our private film studio client in collective bargaining negotiations for new labor agreements with Teamsters Local 727.

Illinois Employment and Labor Law Inquiries

Agencies and individuals wishing to meet with our BBP employment law attorneys may schedule a consultation by calling our Chicago office at 312-541-8600 or completing our online contact form. We serve clients throughout Illinois.