IICLE Online

Heather A. Bailey
Heather A. Bailey
Heather A. Baileyis a Partner at Amundsen Davis, LLC, in Chicago, where she focuses her practice on employment and labor law. She is a member of the Advisory Committee (2017 – present) and Past President (2015 – 2016) of the Professional Women’s Club of Chicago. She has been recognized by Crain’s Chicago Business as a Notable Leader in Employment & Labor Law (2023) and a Notable Woman in Law (2026). Bailey earned her BA from Bowling Green State University and her JD from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law.
Tiffany L. Carpenter
Tiffany L. Carpenter
Tiffany L. Carpenteris a shareholder and equity partner of Howard & Howard PLLC in Chicago, where she concentrates her practice in matters related to litigation. She has been recognized by the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin as one of 40 Illinois Attorneys Under 40 To Watch (2021). She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Illinois Judges Foundation Lawyers Auxiliary Committee’s Lawyers Auxiliary Committee and the Annual Award Chair of DRI Women in Law. Carpenter earned her BA from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and her JD from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, where she was the recipient of the Marie Adornetto Monahan Endowed Judicial Extern Scholarship (spring 2006) and sat on the Trial Advocacy and Dispute Resolution Honors Board (2006 – 2007).
Marcia G. Cotler
Marcia G. Cotler
Marcia G. Cotler is Principal and Founder of Cotler Law LLC, in Northbrook, where she focuses her practice on employment law. She has been recognized as an Illinois Super Lawyer (2019 – 2022). She earned her B.A. with highest honors from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and her J.D. cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center.
Jacinta Epting
Jacinta Epting
Jacinta Epting is Vice Chancellor of City Colleges of Chicago. She has experience in employment law, real estate, litigation, procurement, public finance, eminent domain, insurance coverage, construction law, and consumer protection law. She earned her B.A. from Elmhurst College and her J.D. from the University of Illinois College of Law at Urbana-Champaign.
Lynn W. Esp
Lynn W. Esp
Lynn W. Esp is General Counsel for ZFS Solutions, LLC, in Zeeland, MI, where she practices corporate and employment law. She has represented management in employment issues before state and federal courts, drafted employee guidelines and handbooks, and delivered presentations on current issues in employment law and is a member of the Illinois and Michigan State Bar Associations. Esp earned her BA from Boston College and her JD from the Chicago-Kent College of Law.
Steven M. Hartmann
Steven M. Hartmann
Steven M. Hartmann is a Partner and General Counsel at Freeborn & Peters LLP, in Chicago, where he focuses his practice on employment law and commercial litigation. He has been peer selected for Illinois Leading Lawyers in Commercial Litigation, Creditors’ Rights, and Bankruptcy & Workout Law (2015 – 2021) and recognized by Illinois Super Lawyers in Business Litigation (2015 – 2021). He earned his B.A. with honors from Northwestern University and his J.D. magna cum laude from the University of Illinois College of Law.
Kathryn M. Hartrick
Kathryn M. Hartrick
Kathryn M. Hartrick is the Founder and Principal of Hartrick Employment Law, Ltd., in Chicago, where she focuses on employment law, workplace investigations, and executive coaching. She is a member of IICLE^®’s Board of Directors, Chair of the North Shore Labor Counsel, and a member and faculty member of the Association of Workplace Investigators. Hartrick received her BBA from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business and her JD from the Case Western Reserve University School of Law.
Dane M. Lepola
Dane M. Lepola
Dane M. Lepola is an attorney at Howard & Howard Attorneys PLLC in Royal Oak, MI, where he focuses his practice on commercial litigation. He is a member of the Federal Bar Association (Eastern District of Michigan Chapter) and the Oakland County Bar Association. He received his BA from Michigan State University, James Madison College, and his JD cum laude from the Wayne State University Law School.
Cynthia N. Pietrucha
Cynthia N. Pietrucha
Cynthia N. Pietrucha is Managing Attorney at Pietrucha Law Firm, LLC, in Naperville, where she focuses her practice on employment and labor law, medical leave laws, and contracts. She was recognized by The National Black Lawyers’ Top 40 Under 40 in Employment Law (2017), and she also received the Avvo Client’s Choice Award (2017) and the Avvo Top Attorney award (2022). She received her B.S. and B.A. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, her J.D., with Pro Bono Honors, from Northern Illinois University College of Law, and her Summer Certificate in Entertainment and Media Law from Southwestern Law School, Los Angeles.
L. Steven Platt
L. Steven Platt
L. Steven Platt is Of Counsel at Howard & Howard Attorneys PLLC in Chicago and has practiced labor and employment law for more than 48 years. He has been recognized as a Super Lawyer, is a Fellow of the American College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, and is rated Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell. He received his BA from Northwestern University and his JD from Loyola University of Chicago.
Christopher L. Schaeffer
Christopher L. Schaeffer
Christopher L. Schaeffer is a Partner at Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila LLP in Chicago, where he focuses his practice on labor and employment litigation, commercial disputes, complex litigation, and intellectual property. He has been recognized by Leading Lawyers as an Illinois Emerging Lawyer in Commercial Litigation (2023 – 2025), by Best Lawyers’ Ones to Watch (Commercial Litigation, 2023 – 2026), and by Super Lawyers as an Illinois Rising Star in Employment & Labor and Business Litigation (2025). Schaeffer received his BA cum laude from the Illinois Wesleyan University and his JD cum laude from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.
Meghan E. Tepas
Meghan E. Tepas
Meghan E. Tepas is a Partner at Croke Fairchild Duarte & Beres LLC in Chicago, where she focuses her practice on trust and estate litigation. She is an Illinois State Bar Association’s Trusts & Estates Counsel Member and has been recognized as an Emerging Lawyer by Leading Lawyers and as among the 40 Under 40 by the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin. Ms. Tepas received her BA from the University of Michigan and her JD from the Indiana University Maurer School of Law.

Heather A. Bailey

Tiffany L. Carpenter

Marcia G. Cotler

Jacinta Epting

Lynn W. Esp

Steven M. Hartmann

Kathryn M. Hartrick

Dane M. Lepola

Cynthia N. Pietrucha

L. Steven Platt

Christopher L. Schaeffer

Meghan E. Tepas

Employment Termination: Employer Obligations and Workplace Considerations (ARCHIVED 2022 EDITION)