Credentials

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Circuit Court of Cook County, Chicago, Illinois

Judge, Countywide Vacancy of Debra Walker, 5/2023 - Present 

Effective May 12, 2023, by unanimous appointment of the Illinois Supreme Court. 

Fletcher & Sippel, LLC, Chicago, Illinois

Partner, 12/2019 - 5/2023

Associate, 3/2014 -11/2019

• Leading the labor and employment practice group through representation of individuals and employers in a full range of labor and employment matters before regulatory agencies, and in state and federal court litigation involving claims of wrongful discharge, harassment and discrimination under Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act, National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), Railway Labor Act (RLA), Federal Railroad Safety Act (FRSA) including Whistleblower regulations, and other statutes.
• Serves on multiple Public Law Boards adjudicating organization disputes and employee grievances on behalf of rail carriers. 
• Defends interests of railroads and other transportation industry clients on issues involving the Federal Employer’s Liability Act (FELA), personal injury, and commercial disputes. 
• Represents clients in collective bargaining negotiations and related arbitration proceedings. 
• Counsels and trains clients on labor and employment issues, including employee retention, discipline and separation, performance management, benefits (administration and coverage), statutory compliance, workplace investigations, policy development and enforcement, employment agreements, ADA and other workplace accommodations, FMLA, FLSA and wage and hour issues. 
• Successfully represents and defends clients in complex litigation through motion and trial practice in both state and federal jurisdictions across the country. 

Cook County Recorder of Deeds, Chicago, Illinois

Chief Legal & Labor Counsel, 12/2012-3/2014

• As the advisor to the Recorder, supervised the Recorder’s Legal Department, and developed and advised on the enforcement of office policy and public relations platforms, and assisted the Recorder with executive functions. 
• Provided oversight to the Recorder’s Human Resources Division. Advised management regarding FMLA, ADA, and applicable collective bargaining agreements. Coordinated and assisted with collective bargaining agreement negotiations. 
• Supervised investigations of employee misconduct, monitored employment performance management functions including disciplinary actions and grievance proceedings, and represented the Recorder in third step employee grievances and arbitrations. Counseled on employee on-boarding, retention and separation.
• Assisted in legal representation of the Recorder, rendered legal advice and supported the legal affairs of the Recorder in conjunction with the Cook County State’s Attorney and outside counsel. 
• Drafted and analyzed legislative issues involving local and statewide initiatives. Assisted in the drafting of Illinois’ groundbreaking legislation: Recording Fraud Review & Referral Process. 
• Delivered legal advice, including statutory interpretation and enforcement, on issues involving commercial and real estate transactions.  

Office of the Illinois Attorney General, Chicago, Illinois

Assistant Attorney General, 1/2010-12/2012

• As an Assistant Attorney General in the Illinois Attorney General's Government Representation Division-General Law Bureau provided legal representation for the State of Illinois, Illinois’ officers, boards, commissions, agencies and employees in civil litigation. 
• Focused on civil rights matters stemming from alleged violations of the United States Constitution. 
• Defended cases premised upon violations of FMLA, ADA, 42 USC §1981, 42 USC §1983 and Title VII, including allegations of employment discrimination, equal protection, due process, excessive force, failure to protect, search and seizure, and freedom of speech.
• Defended employment termination actions involving labor disputes, grievances and collective bargaining agreements. 
• Successfully defended complex litigation through motion and trial practice in both state and federal jurisdictions within the State of Illinois. 
• Independently managed and litigated an average active caseload of 40. 

Illinois House of Representatives, Springfield, Illinois

Assistant General Counsel to Speaker of the House of Representatives 96th General Assembly, 1/2009-7/2009

• Drafted and provided strategic analysis of legislation in a variety of areas including education, mass transit, environment, municipal, insurance, professional liability and corrections; participated in the defense of proposed legislation debated on the Illinois House of Representatives’ Floor. 
• Served as the House of Representatives’ Parliamentarian; assisted the Speaker in ensuring constitutionality of all actions; advised the Speaker on matters concerning parliamentary procedure.

Querrey & Harrow, Ltd., Chicago, Illinois

Associate Attorney, 8/2007-1/2010

• Defended several local municipal corporations in lawsuits premised upon alleged violations of the United States Constitution involving 42 USC § 1983.
• Litigated a variety of cases, including premise liability, personal injury, commercial issues (including contract disputes involving breach of contract claims), insurance defense and coverage, construction, and real estate including sales, purchases and redevelopments. Also gained experience conducting real estate transactions, in professional negligence liability, and general corporate transactions.
• Practice included second chairing jury trials, substantive legal drafting, extensive motion practice, coordinating and managing voluminous written discovery, and conducting oral discovery.  

EDUCATION

DePaul University College of Law, Chicago, Illinois

Juris Doctor

Honors/Activities: Dean’s List; Member of Phi Alpha Delta Legal Fraternity-Story Chapter

DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois

Bachelor of Science in Commerce (Marketing Major, Finance Minor)

Honors/Activities: Dean’s List, Four Year Member-Two Year Captain of the Blue Demon Dance Team

TRIAL & CASE SUCCESSES, AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

• Not guilty verdict in employment breach of contract jury trial.
• Successfully defended matters before the 7th Cir. Court of Appeals and before the 8th Cir. Court of Appeals.
• Dismissals by motion for summary judgment of various Title VII race discrimination claims, a 42 USC § 1983 class action claiming equal protection violations, a 42 USC §1983 matter involving violations of due process rights, a 42 USC § 1983 matter alleging First Amendment violations, and numerous actions under FMLA and the FELA. 
• Dismissals by motion of over 30 actions seeking recovery under 42 USC §§1981, 1983.
• Dismissals by motion of over 40 actions seeking mandamus and/or constitutional relief in Cook, Will and Lee Counties. 
• Dismissals of over 30 labor board appeals
• Advocate for Diversity Award Recipient – Diversity Scholarship Foundation – October, 10, 2013
• Service & Most Valuable Member Award – Women’s Bar Association of Illinois – June 8, 2016
• 2015-2022 - Rising Star by Illinois SuperLawyers Magazine

JURISDICTIONAL ADMISSIONS 

• United States Supreme Court
• Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals
• Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals 
• United States District Court, Northern District & Southern District of Illinois
• United States District Court, Northern District & Southern District of Indiana
• United States District Court, Eastern District & Western District of Wisconsin
• United States District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
• State of Illinois 
• State of Wisconsin 
• State of Michigan 

ILLINOIS STATE BAR ASSOCIATION

• Board of Governors (present) 
• Assembly Representative (2017-present)
• Standing Committee on Women in the Law
• Steering Committee on Racial Inequality – Co-chair of Legislation Subcommittee
• Standing Committee on Legislation
• Health Care Section Council Liaison
• Employee Benefits Section Council Liaison
• Business Advice & Financial Planning Section Council Liaison
• Association Member 

AMERICAN SHORT LINE & REGIONAL RAILROAD ASSOC. 

• Human Resources Committee – Vice Chair (2016-2022)

WOMEN'S BAR ASSOCIATION OF ILLINOIS

• Board of Directors (2012-2016)
• Co-Chair (2015-2016) and Member (2010-2016) of Judicial Evaluation Committee 
• Chair, Program Administrator, and Mentor for WBAI's Lawyer to Lawyer Mentoring Program (2013-2016)
• Co-Editor WBAI Newsletter (2012-2016)
• Co-Chair of various major fundraising events including but not limited to multiple Annual Dinners and Judicial Receptions (2010-2016)
• Association Member

ILLINOIS SUPREME COURT COMMISSION ON PROFESSIONALISM

• Former Mentor Expansion Committee Member

BLACK WOMEN LAWYERS’ ASSOCIATION OF GREATER CHICAGO

• 2017 National Summit Fundraising Co-Chair
• Association Member

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF RAILROAD TRIAL COUNSEL

• Association Member

CHICAGO BAR ASSOCIATION

• Association Member

COOK COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION

• Association Member

DEFENSE RESEARCH INSTITUTE – VOICE OF DEFENSE BAR (DRI)

• Former Association Member

CHICAGO LINCOLN INN OF COURTS

• Former Association Member

CHICAGO SPIRIT BRIGADE (2010-2012)

• Treasurer
• Dance Team Member

PROVISO TOWNSHIP MENTAL HEALTH COMMISSION

• Commissioner (2016-2018) 

RIVERSIDE COMMUNITY CAUCUS

• Member

PROVISO TOWNSHIP DEMOCRATIC ORGANIZATION

• Chair & Member of Judicial Review and Selection Committee
• Association Member

ILLINOIS HIGH SCHOOL ASSOCIATION (IHSA) COMPETITIVE DANCE OFFICIALS AD HOC COMMITTEE 

• Former Member

VOLUNTEER VOTER PROTECTION ATTORNEY 

• Recording Fraud Review, Presenter, Chicago Bar Association - Local Government Committee Meeting, January 14, 2014
• Employment Law Update: Protecting Against Workplace Bullying and Violence, Fletcher & Sippel Newsletter, Issue No. 18 – April 2014
• Discrimination in the Workplace: The Tightrope of Liability, Fletcher & Sippel Newsletter, Issue No. 19 – Fall 2014
• OSHA Update: Medical Interference and Off-Duty Injuries: Another Look, Fletcher & Sippel Newsletter, Issue No. 19 – Fall 2014
• OSHA Update: There May Be Hope for Carriers After All: BNSF Victory in 8th Circuit, Fletcher & Sippel Newsletter, Issue No. 19 – Fall 2014
• OSHA Update: Congress Mandated Two Bites at the Apple — So … Is It Ever Too Late for Removal?, Fletcher & Sippel Newsletter, Issue No. 19 – Fall 2014
• Minimizing FMLA Abuse—Use of “Intermittent Leave,” Fletcher & Sippel Newsletter, Issue No. 21 – Fall 2015
• OSHA Update: Complainant’s 2nd Bite May Have a Shelf Life: A Review of Mullen v. Norfolk Southern Ry. Co. 2015 WL 3457493, Fletcher & Sippel Newsletter, Issue No. 21 – Fall 2015
• FMLA: To Be Or Not To Be, Fletcher & Sippel Newsletter, Issue No. 20 – Spring 2015 (reprinted with permission by the Women’s Bar Association – Fall 2015)
• OSHA Update: Affirmative Defense: Plaintiff would have been disciplined regardless of the injury, Fletcher & Sippel Newsletter, Issue No. 20 – Spring 2015
• What’s keeping you up at night? Top Legal Employment Issues in 2015 and Beyond, Panelist, 2015 ASLRRA General Counsel Symposium, Kansas City Missouri, November 2015
• EEOC Federal Equal Pay Update, Fletcher & Sippel Newsletter, Issue No. 22 – Spring 2016
• OSHA Update: When is a Claim Not So “Discreet,” Fletcher & Sippel Newsletter, Issue No. 22 – Spring 2016
• Hiring & Managing Independent Contractors – Does Today’s Uberized Workforce Affect The Way You Use And Retain Contractors?, Panelist, 2016 ASLRRA Connections Conference, National Harbor, MD, April 2016
• The A to Z of Recruitment, Hiring & Onboarding, Presenter, 2016 ASLRRA Connections Conference, National Harbor MD, April 2016
• WBAI Presents Women Leaders: Discussion on Labor, Employment & Inclusion, Panelist, Women’s Bar Association of Illinois CLE, Chicago, Illinois, May 4, 2016
• Employee Accommodations Rights & Responsibilities of Employees & Employers, Panelist, Chicago Bar Association, May 12, 2016
•  Managing Accommodations and Leave Requests Under the ADA & FMLA, Presenter, 2016 Liability Seminar, Des Moines, IA, July 19, 2016 
• 2016 Employment Law Update, Presenter, Joint Committee Meeting, Denver, CO, August 23, 2016
• Conducting a Proper Internal Investigation, Panelist, 2016 ASLRRA Finance & Administration Seminar, Oklahoma City, OK November 16-17, 2016
• Case Studies in Wellness and Safety Incentive Programs, Panelist, 2016 ASLRRA General Counsel Symposium, Oklahoma City, OK November 17-18, 2016
• Employment Law Update: The Tale of an Excessive Successive Leave: A Review of Whitacker v. Wisc. Dept. of Health Services, Fletcher & Sippel Newsletter, Issue No. 24 – Spring 2017
• OSHA Update, Fletcher & Sippel Newsletter, Issue No. 24 – Spring 2017 
• Managing FMLA Including Suspected FMLA Abuse, Panelist, 2017 ASLRRA Connections Conference, Grapevine TX, April 2017
• It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a DRONE???, Panelist, 2017 ASLRRA Connections Conference, Grapevine TX, April 2017
•  FRSA & FELA: Case Review of Same Suit or Stand-Alone Complaints, Panelist, 2017 Liability Seminar, Fort Worth, TX, July 27, 2017 
•  How to Make Employment Physicals a Blessing Not a Curse!, Panelist, 2018 Liability Seminar, Chicago, IL, July 20, 2018 
• What’s Keeping Your HR Professional Up at Night?, Panelist, 2018 ASLRRA Finance & Administration Seminar and General Counsel Symposium, San Diego, CA, November 2018
• Hot! Hot! Hot! Employment Litigation Topics, Panelist, 2018 ASLRRA Finance & Administration Seminar and General Counsel Symposium, San Diego, CA, November 2018
• Employer’s Guide for General Counsels 2019, Presenter, 2019 ASLRRA Connections Conference, Orlando, FL, April 7, 2019
• 2019 Human Resources Legal Hot Topics, Panelist, 2019 ASLRRA Connections Conference, Orlando, FL, April 7, 2019
• EEOC’s Response to #MeToo, Fletcher-Sippel.com (Web blog post) 9 July 2019. fletcher-sippel.com/fs-alerts-analysis/eeocs-response-to-metoo
•  EEOC – New Guidelines in the MeToo Era, Presenter, 2019 Liability Seminar, Essex Junction, VT, July 11, 2019 
• BLET Creates New Short Line Department, Fletcher-Sippel.com (Web blog post) 18 September 2019. fletcher-sippel.com/fs-alerts-analysis/blet-creates-new-short-line-department
• Amendments to Illinois Equal Pay Act, Fletcher-Sippel.com (Web blog post) 2 October 2019. fletcher-sippel.com/fs-alerts-analysis/amendments-to-illinois-equal-pay-act
• Performance Management Styles and Techniques, Presenter, 2019 ASLRRA Finance & Administration Seminar and General Counsel Symposium, Columbus, OH, October 9, 2019
• Managing Health Risks in the Workplace, Panelist, 2020 ASLRRA Connection Conference, Virtual, October 7, 2020 
• Building Confidence in the Legal System: Session 2 (Civil), Panelist, IJA/Commission on Professionalism collaboration, March 11, 2021
• OSHA’s Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) related to the Executive Order 14042 COVID‐19 Vaccination Mandate, Presenter, ASLRRA Webinar, November 11, 2021
• The $250,000 Difference: What Does Gender Have To Do With It, Moderator, ISBA CLE/Webinar, November 12, 2021
• Recruitment and Retention Strategies in 2021 and Beyond, Panelist, 2021 ASLRRA Annual Conference, Phoenix AZ, November 19, 2021
• Microaggressions: Tales from the Trenches and Strategies for Allies, Panelist, ISBA CLE/Webinar, January 28, 2022