I work hand in hand with clients to cost-effectively solve problems.

Tim frequently handles trust and banking disputes in addition to a wide variety of business and commercial litigation.  He also regularly advises on restrictive covenants, post-employment obligations, non-compete/non-solicitation issues, and the protection of proprietary business information.  To that end, he routinely assists a large, multinational financial services firm with departing brokers in a pre-suit capacity as well as in arbitration proceedings before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).

He has also assisted clients with shareholder disputes, commercial leases, construction related claims, and the exercise of creditors rights through workout scenarios, foreclosures, and replevin proceedings.  Beyond that, he has worked with employers to defend allegations regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Title VII, federal wage and hour litigation, interpretation of employment contracts, civil rights administrative proceedings, unemployment claims, and investigations of alleged workplace misconduct.  He has also assisted municipal entities, represented employers with respect to copyright/trademark/trade secrets litigation, and he completed 40 hours of mediator training through Northwestern University. Finally, Tim has also assisted in a local counsel/co-counsel capacity for colleagues from firms like Jenner & Block, LLP, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, Reed Smith LLP, Jackson Walker LLP, Jackson Lewis P.C., and Littler Mendelson P.C.

Services

Business Litigation

In courtrooms, agencies, and tribunals across the country, we pursue our clients’ interests–both cost-effectively and with positive results.

Credentials

Education

  • Washington University in St. Louis, School of Law, 2008
    • J.D.
  • Washington University in St. Louis, Olin School of Business, 2003
    • B.S.

Memberships

  • Peoria County Bar Association
  • Illinois State Bar Association
    • ILSBA Section Council, 2023-2024.
    • Labor and Employment Law Section Council, Secretary, 2022
  • The Abraham Lincoln American Inns of Court

Admissions

  • Illinois, 2008
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, 2014
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Illinois, 2014
  • U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois, 2009

Professional Achievements

  • Illinois Leading Lawyers: "Leading Commercial Litigation Lawyers," 2023
  • Illinois Super Lawyers, "Rising Stars," 2015-2021
  • Illinois Leading Lawyers, "Emerging Lawyers," 2015-2021
  • Peoria Magazine, "40 Leaders Under Forty," 2014

Experience

Representative Matters

  • Successfully mediated on behalf of a bank and its trust department with respect to all aspects of complex litigation in different forums (probate, guardianship, civil-state, civil-federal, and two interlocutory appeals).  The case involved multiple trusts and stocks in closely held companies and complicated questions regarding various tax implications, company valuations, arms-length transactions, and many foundational tenants of trust law.  Plaintiffs claimed damages in excess of $54 MM for purported breaches of fiduciary duties, civil conspiracy, fraud, and a host of other allegations.

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  • Represented a trustee in its individual and trustee capacity in federal court trust litigation for issues involving potential conflicts between Illinois and New Mexico law, a demand for an accounting, and declaratory judgment over certain estate planning documents.  The case resolved amicably at a federal settlement conference before the Central District Federal Magistrate Judge.

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  • Defended an institutional corporate trust department against a demand for an accounting and a claim for breach of fiduciary duty.  After over six years of litigation, not only did the bank pay nothing to Plaintiff, but the bank even secured reimbursement for approximately 50% of its own attorneys’ fees incurred in the defense from the filing party.

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  • Represented the two beneficiaries of a GST Trust and the residuary beneficiary trustee in litigation filed by the successor trustee and another residuary beneficiary over claims for an accounting and with respect to certain fiduciary duties. The matter resolved through a negotiated non-judicial settlement agreement.

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  • Represented a local bank against charges of pregnancy discrimination under Title VII.  The case resolved amicably at a pre-discovery federal settlement conference with the Central District Federal Magistrate Judge

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  • Represented a financial services firm in multiple arbitrations before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) against former employees, successfully obtaining awards on loans provided to the employees by the firm.

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  • Represented a lending institution in a Qui Tam Whistleblower Action and obtained a Rule 12(b) dismissal of a Qui Tam action against seventeen banks sued in a federal district court in the Northern District of Texas. Over 60 attorneys appeared in the case and all defendants entered into a Joint Defense Agreement. Our representing attorney was one of five attorneys selected to speak at the full-day dismissal hearing. The matter was dismissed with prejudice in its entirety.

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  • Represented a business and real estate purchaser in an action seeking specific performance. While summary judgment for specific performance is rarely granted, we obtained such relief on behalf of our client and successfully defended the judgment on appeal.

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  • Successfully foreclosed on a $20MM housing development of a multi-building apartment complex for a New York-based lender, preserving deficiency and obtaining full recovery of legal fees.

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  • Successfully represented a financial institution and obtained dismissal with prejudice and award of attorneys' fees against customer who alleged negligence and fraud by allowing a rogue employee to cash checks and convert over $1MM of the customer's funds.

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  • Successfully defended the non-filing spouse of a business owner who was sued for the recovery of approximately $1.8MM in assets under equitable theories and state and federal fraudulent transfer law involving property she owned pursuant to long-standing estate plan. The matter settled for 10% of the face amount of the claims.

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Presentations

  • Morton Chamber of Commerce, "New Marijuana Laws and Their Impact on the Workplace," November, 13, 2019, Morton, IL.
  • Peoria Symphony Orchestra, “Preventing Sexual and Other Unlawful Harassment,” October 28, 2019, Peoria, IL.
  • Community Bankers Association of Illinois, HR Update'Hot Topics' & Recent Employment Trends/Developments, "Politics or Policy" and "DocumentationWhat, When, How & Why," June 2, 2015, Springfield, IL.
  • Peoria County Bar Association, Employment Law and Workers Compensation Seminar, "Discrimination/Retaliation Law Update," January 24, 2015, Peoria, IL.
  • National Business Institute, "Human Resources Law: What You Need to Know Now," September 17, 2014, East Peoria, IL.
  • Sterling Education Services, Inc., "Employment Law Beyond the Basics," June 5, 2014, Champaign, IL.
  • Chicago Bar Association, Provisional Remedies Seminar, "Preliminary Injunctions," October 30, 2013, Chicago, IL.

Community

Community

Tim is extremely active in the community. He serves on the Allocation Committee of the Howard & Howard Community Reinvestment Fund, an employee-funded, donor-advised trust that has donated over $5 million to local charitable organizations since its inception in 1986. In 2023 he was elected to the board of directors for Easterseals Central Illinois and he is currently serving a two year term as Board Chair for the Central Illinois Region of the American Red Cross which covers seventeen counties that are home to nearly a million people.

Tim served two terms (six years total) as a trustee for the Morton Community Foundation in his hometown of Morton, Illinois.  He also served for several years as a co-chair of the Legal Services Division for the Campaign Cabinet of the Heart of Illinois United Way and, in 2020, was selected to serve as a Real Men Wear Pink Ambassador for the American Cancer Society.  He also previously served terms on the board of directors for Family Core and the Community Workshop & Training Center (CWTC), has been a committee member for the Easterseals Black and Blue Ball, a member of the Morton Rotary, was the chairperson for the Morton Business District Development and Redevelopment Commission, served on the Morton Micro Grant Review Committee, was a member of the Young Leaders Board at Illinois Cancer Care, was a mock trial judge for Bradley University, co-chaired the Peoria County Bar Association’s Project Santa program, donated employment law training time to the Peoria Symphony Orchestra, served as a mentor through the Illinois Supreme Court’s Mentoring Program, and he continues to coach a variety of youth sports.