Pretzel & Stouffer vigorously defends municipalities and public entities in an array of matters, including commercial litigation, personal injury cases, employment disputes, and insurance coverage claims. We also handle numerous complex class actions, such as suits alleging malicious prosecution and civil rights violations arising from law enforcement activities.
Our defense of municipalities and public entities further includes cases ranging from purchasing and procurement issues to slip and fall litigation to employment discrimination matters.
Throughout each case, our attorneys evaluate legal issues constantly and identify creative means to improve our client’s position. We litigate from a trial-ready position, conducting depositions as if we were cross-examining our opponent’s witnesses at trial while exposing weaknesses and inconsistencies to drive down case value and lower our opponents’ expectations.
At the same time, we understand that public entities often need issues resolved quickly and without fanfare, and we have the skills to ensure that best possible outcome. Our attorneys enjoy valued reputations among judges, mediators and fellow attorneys, which often creates additional leverage for a speedy and efficient resolution.
Our dynamic approach to staffing promotes personal and prompt attention to unanticipated developments throughout the life cycle of a case.
We serve local government and public entities, including cities, villages, municipalities, mass transit operators, public housing authorities, schools, law enforcement agencies, park districts, and various public agencies.
Our preeminent municipal defense attorneys put their clients first, making each client a team leader. Our client-first approach not only leads to favorable outcomes but also builds long-standing, impactful relationships with our valued public and municipal clients.
Quinn Donnelly and Patrick Healy obtained the immediate dismissal with prejudice of a Complaint against a municipality that sought to recover for injuries allegedly sustained when the plaintiff crashed his motorcycle on a municipal roadway. Quinn and Pat argued that the plaintiff’s claims against the municipality were time-barred under the one-year statute of limitations set ...
July 2021
Pretzel & Stouffer shareholders, Jim Sipchen, John Scheid, and Tom Draths, successfully defended their public entity client against an attempted class-action lawsuit alleging violations of the Equal Protection Clause of United States Constitution. Both the trial court and the appellate court embraced Jim’s, John’s, and Tom’s argument that the lead plaintiff lacked standing to ...
January 2020
Tom Draths and Scott Howie recently petitioned the Supreme Court of Illinois to consolidate three lawsuits pending in different judicial circuits under Supreme Court Rule 384. The Supreme Court granted the petition that Tom and Scott prepared on behalf of their client. As a result, their client will defend one consolidated action in Will County ...
July 2019
Brian Henry served as a faculty instructor recently at the first Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel Deposition Academy which was held in Naperville, Illinois. Mr. Henry has also served on 24 occasions since 1989 as a faculty instructor at the Trial Academies sponsored by the IADTC.
November 2015 | Firm News
Brendan Nelligan and Matthew Egan successfully defended an organizer employed by the Illinois Federation of Police Labor Council, a labor union for local governmental law enforcement employees, against a claim for defamation brought by a local municipality, its mayor and trustees. The claim was filed against him for statements he made during collective bargaining negotiations that were critical ...
November 2015 | Firm News
Timothy A. Weaver was just given the 2014 Publication Award by the Wisconsin Defense Counsel for his lead article in the Winter 2013 issue entitled, “Reptilian Litigation: A Guide to the So-Called Plaintiff’s Revolution.”
August 2014 | Firm News