Practice Area: Commercial Litigation

Robert Chemers and Dave Larson won a summary judgment in federal district court that their insurer client had no duty to defend the insured homeowners for an underlying suit seeking damages by a disgruntled neighbor, a senior partner in a Chicago Big Law firm, for their alleged maintenance of a nuisance, public and private, creation …

Robert Chemers and Dave Larson obtained a judgment for their insurer client in their federal court declaratory judgment action that the insurer had no duty to defend its insureds who were sued in Cook County in a 44 page multi-count complaint for defamation and other claims based on no bodily injury and no property damage, …

Aubrey Sudomier and Tom Draths recently defeated a claim involving a road rage incident. Through their factual development and aggressive advocacy, Aubrey and Tom established that their opponent’s apparent agency theory did not have a legal basis to proceed beyond its earliest stages.  Aubrey and Tom’s client was dismissed from the case.  

A $9,539,768.54 award obtained by Pretzel & Stouffer attorneys Edward Ruff and Michael Turiello was reaffirmed by the US Bankruptcy Court in Chicago. The sanction award, one of the largest in US history, was entered after a bench trial before Judge Timothy A. Barnes in 2018. Fidelity and Deposit Company of Maryland (“F&D”) was held in contempt in the …

John Scheid and Ryan Shupe recently assisted two corporate clients navigate personnel changes, including the negotiation of employee severance agreements, both peaceably and with a special effort to minimize any potential liability under applicable state and federal employment laws.  These results were obtained in close consultation with their clients regarding both liability exposure and fairness …

Pretzel & Stouffer trial lawyers Edward Ruff and Suzanne Crowley obtained summary judgment for their client, and firm appellate lawyer Scott Howie obtained affirmance of that judgment on appeal, in a recent case finding that the plaintiff, who had a traumatic amputation of his arm below the elbow while operating a lathe, had an exclusive …

  Jim Sipchen and Quinn Donnelly, recently secured affirmation of dismissal of a regional big box retailer from a lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. The plaintiff alleged that the retailer, along with a developer and a local municipality, had interfered with a neighboring landowner’s ability to …