Charles is an accomplished first-chair trial lawyer who focuses his practice on a range of complex employment and commercial litigation matters, including restrictive covenant, trade secret and other intellectual property litigation, employment and whistleblower litigation, contract litigation and business disputes, fiduciary litigation, and class action defense.
He possesses wide-ranging trial and appellate experience and has appeared in state and federal courts throughout Illinois and across the nation. Charles knows that the willingness and ability to stand up in front of a judge or jury to argue forcefully and effectively for his clients often is the best way to avoid litigation, to resolve it quickly and efficiently when it does occur, and to advance his clients’ interests when full-scale litigation is necessary.
In addition to his courtroom advocacy, Charles is an experienced and trusted business advisor and counselor to his clients, advising them on employment matters, trade secret and other intellectual property protection, and contracting practices. Charles helps his clients address challenges at the intersection of business and law, including by anticipating and preventing problems and avoiding major disputes.
Representative Experience
- Successfully negotiated and litigated numerous high-level employee severance disputes.
- Handled dozens of noncompete, trade secret and unfair competition matters on behalf of former employers as well as former employees and new employers, including successful emergency litigation.
- As appointed pro bono counsel, obtained a $1.75 million jury verdict for compensatory damages on a discrimination and wrongful termination claim leading to “Excellence in Pro Bono Service” Award.
- Obtained summary judgment and affirmance of judgment on appeal for a financial institution client in a seven-figure priority dispute in bankruptcy court.
- Obtained no liability judgment in favor of client following bankruptcy court trial of a high six-figure preference and fraudulent conveyance claim.
- Obtained no liability judgment following trial on behalf of former bank executives accused of trade secret misappropriation and other business torts.
- Represented business clients in cases involving unfair competition, tortious interference, and other business torts, as well as Lanham Act and Deceptive Trade Practices Act claims.
- Obtained no liability judgment following the arbitration of an indemnity claim under an asset purchase agreement with an eight-figure potential exposure for a manufacturing client.
- Represented financial institutions and other consumer businesses in consumer class actions and litigation brought under various statutory schemes applicable to consumer and financial transactions.
