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Heather A. Bailey
Heather A. Bailey
Heather A. Bailey is a Partner at SmithAmundsen LLC, in Chicago, where she focuses her practice on employment and labor litigation for the management side. She is a member of the Professional Women’s Club of Chicago (President, 2015 – 2016), was selected to the Illinois Super Lawyers list (2014 – 2022), and received the Lawyer Monthly Women in Law Award (2018). She earned her B.A. from Bowling Green State University and her J.D. from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law.
Tiffany L. Carpenter
Tiffany L. Carpenter
Tiffany L. Carpenteris a shareholder/member of Howard & Howard PLLC in Chicago, where she concentrates her practice in matters related to employment, products liability, and commercial litigation. She has experience representing and defending clients during individual and corporate depositions and drafting and arguing analytical memoranda, demand letters, settlement agreements, and substantive motions in federal and state courts throughout the nation. She was recognized by the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin as one of 40 Illinois Attorneys Under 40 To Watch (2021). She is a member of the Illinois Judges Foundation Lawyers Auxiliary Committee and a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. She earned her B.A. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and her J.D. from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law.
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 M&K Truck Centers, Bryon Center, MI, where she practices corporate and employment law. She has represented management, including credit unions, in employment issues before state and federal courts, drafted employee guidelines and handbooks, and delivered presentations on current issues in employment law. She earned her B.A. from Boston College and her J.D. from 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., with offices in Chicago and Evanston, where she focuses on employment law investigation, coaching, training, and consulting. Ms. Hartrick is a Fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, Chair of the North Shore Labor Counsel, and a member and faculty of the Association of Workplace Investigators. She received her B.B.A. from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business and her J.D. from Case Western Reserve University School of Law.
Dane M. Lepola
Dane M. Lepola
Dane M. Lepola is an associate at Howard & Howard Attorneys PLLC, 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 Detroit Bar Association. He received his B.A. from Michigan State University, James Madison College, and his J.D. 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 Senior Counsel at Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, P.L.C., in Chicago, where he concentrates his practice in labor and employment law. 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 B.A. from Northwestern University and his J.D. from Loyola University of Chicago.
Christopher L. Schaeffer
Christopher L. Schaeffer
Christopher L. Schaeffer is an associate at Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila LLP in Chicago, where he focuses his practice on labor and employment matters and complex commercial disputes and litigation. He has been recognized as an Illinois Emerging Commercial Litigation Lawyer (2023) and by Best Lawyers as One to Watch in Commercial Litigation (2024 – 2025). He is also an adjunct professor of law at the Loyola University Chicago School of Law. Mr. Schaeffer received his B.A. cum laude from Illinois Wesleyan University and his J.D. cum laude from the Loyola University Chicago School of Law, where he served as Managing Editor of the Consumer Law Review.
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 2022 Edition