Kathleen C. Chavez, Esq. is a founding partner of Foote, Mielke, Chavez & O’Neil, LLC. Kathleen C. Chavez is a founding partner of Foote Chavez Law LLC. A nationally recognized civil litigator, Ms. Chavez has spent over two decades representing plaintiffs in complex civil litigation, including employment discrimination and retaliation, wrongful termination, FMLA, wage-and-hour, class action, and multi-district litigation matters. She earned her Juris Doctor from Northwestern University School of Law in 1998 and her Bachelor of Science in Finance from Northern Illinois University in 1995. She is licensed to practice law in Illinois, California, and the District of Columbia, as well as before numerous federal courts, the Federal Trial Bar, and the United States Federal Court of Claims.
Ms. Chavez earned her Juris Doctor degree in 1998 from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law and a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Northern Illinois University in 1995. She was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1998 and is admitted in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, the Federal Trial Bar, Federal Court of Claims and has been admitted pro hac vice in cases nationwide.
Ms. Chavez is known for her ability to frame complex issues strategically and to secure exceptional results for her clients, with case recoveries she has been involved in exceeding $7 billion in verdicts, judgments, and settlements. In addition to her trial practice, she is a certified arbitrator and mediator and has served on the American Arbitration Association’s Employment Panel. A frequent lecturer at continuing legal education programs nationwide, Ms. Chavez is a sought-after speaker on employment law topics for both plaintiffs’ and defense-side audiences.
Ms. Chavez is an accomplished trial attorney who has extensive complex civil litigation experience (including class, multi-plaintiff, mass tort and individual), including multi-district litigation (“MDL”), federal and state civil litigation, administrative proceedings and arbitration. She frequently serves in leadership roles, on committees and as a team member in some of the most challenging and transformative complex civil litigation nationwide. Her practice areas include a range of complex matters, involving competition law, consumer fraud and unfair trade practices law, environmental law, technology law, intellectual property and trademark law, qui tam law, civil rights law, contract law, Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (“RICO”) law, labor and employment law and hour, insurance and other state and federal statutory and common law claims.
Ms. Chavez has utilized her diverse experience and unique background to consistently provide invaluable contributions in cases that require the cooperation and collaboration of multiple plaintiffs’ counsel. Whether as a leader or a team member, Ms. Chavez consistently offers an unparalleled level of advocacy, energy, enthusiasm and commitment to her clients. Recoveries from the cases in which she has been involved (including verdicts, judgments and settlements) exceed $7 billion dollars and involve a diverse range of complex civil claims.
Ms. Chavez is a member of the American Bar Association (“ABA”), the Chicago Bar Association (“CBA”), the Federal Bar Association (“FBA”), the National Employment Lawyers Association (“NELA”) and the Kane County Bar Association (“KCBA”) and the Womens Bar Association of Illinois (“WBAI”). She is a frequent speaker at conferences and seminars, and has received numerous recognitions and distinctions, including certification as an American Arbitration Association (“AAA”) Employment Panel Arbitrator; Leading Women Lawyers; and Top Employment Lawyers for Employees, Chicago Lawyer Magazine; Top Women Lawyers, Top 10 % of Lawyers in the USA, Lawyers of Distinction; Chicago Lawyer Magazine; and inclusion in selective and peer-reviewed organizations such as: Leading Lawyers, Esteemed Lawyers of America® and Lawyers of Distinction.
Paralegals: Should a paralegal need CLE credit, the paralegal should notify LawPracticeCLE of their paralegal status, so the Accreditation Administration team can seek accreditation with the NALA for approval in their state via reciprocity.
LawPracticeCLE partners with judges, attorneys, and paralegals to produce hundreds of hours each year of the most unique and beneficial continuing legal education on the market!
