Bilal Zaheer

Bilal Zaheer is a Partner in the Chicago office of Locke Lord LLP and focuses his practice on business litigation in state and federal court, as well as arbitration and mediation. Bilal regularly advises and counsels companies facing disputes arising from complex corporate and commercial transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, formation of limited liability companies and joint ventures, vendor agreements and transactions relating to the purchase and sale of goods.

He also regularly defends officers, directors and other professionals against claims for breach of fiduciary duty and related claims involving alleged corporate misconduct often brought derivatively by bankruptcy trustees, court-appointed receivers or shareholders.

An experienced trial attorney and member of the Trial Bar for the Northern District of Illinois, Bilal has tried cases in federal and state court and has represented clients in disputes around the country involving breach of contract claims under the common law and Uniform Commercial Code, matters of corporate governance, and business and securities fraud.

In addition, Bilal regularly advises clients on employment related matters, including enforcement of non-competition and non-solicitation agreements, compensation disputes with executives involving stock options or other equity grants, state and federal claims concerning misappropriation of confidential information and trade secrets, wrongful termination, wage act violations, and whistleblower claims under the Dodd-Frank and Sarbanes Oxley Acts.

As part of his commitment and dedication to service, Bilal has held leadership positions with local and national bar associations. Currently, he co-chairs a committee for the South Asian Bar Association of North America and serves on the board of directors for the National Association of Muslim Lawyers.

In addition, Bilal maintains an active pro bono practice, where he has counseled and represented individuals in a variety of civil proceedings. Bilal began his legal career at Jenner & Block LLP in Chicago.

Representative Experience :

• Defend clients, including corporate officers, directors and professional advisors, against claims for breach of fiduciary duty, aiding and abetting, corporate waste, usurpation of corporate opportunities, negligence and related claims of corporate misconduct, and advise on issues of Delaware corporate governance in connection with such claims
• Defended insurance broker against claims brought by court-appointed corporate receiver for aiding and abetting in the alleged diversion of millions of dollars in insurance commissions; secured defense judgment on behalf of client after a bench trial
• Defended a group of former directors and officers of an insolvent medical device company against claims for breach of fiduciary duty asserted by the creditor’s committee and Litigation Trustee
• Represented former CEO of financial services company in federal and state lawsuits involving claims of wrongful termination, tortious interference, breach of employment contract and violations of federal securities laws; obtained dismissal of defendants’ counterclaims, including dismissal of multi-million dollar claim for breach of fiduciary duty
• Represented a large multinational corporation in an investigation before the United States Securities and Exchange Commission involving allegations of accounting fraud and potentially misleading disclosures to shareholders
• Secured multi-million dollar judgment for global industrial company in federal lawsuit involving breach of joint venture agreement with Chinese national; obtained dismissal of joint venture partner’s fraud counterclaims
• Represented financial institution in a series of federal cases and appeals involving alleged violations of RICO and other civil conspiracy and fraud claims; obtained complete dismissal of claims and sanctions against the plaintiff
• Defended global security and defense company against employment discrimination claim; briefed appeals before the Illinois Human Rights Commission and the Illinois Appellate Court, First District; and secured affirmance of judgment for the company
• Represents individuals on a pro bono basis, including first-chairing a federal jury trial involving a § 1983 claim and securing asylum for individuals seeking refuge in the United States

Professional Affiliations :

• Co-Chair of Partners Committee, South Asian Bar Association of North America
• Past Co-Chair of Litigation Committee and Co-Chair of Diversity & Inclusion Committee, National Asian Pacific American Bar Association
• Past Chair, Vice-Chair and Secretary of the Associate Board, Chicago Committee on Minorities in Large Law Firms

Education :

• J.D., magna cum laude, University of Illinois College of Law, 2006
  • Member, University of Illinois Law Review
• B.A., Economics, with honors, Washington University in St. Louis, 2003

Admissions : Illinois, 2006

Admitted To Practice :

• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, 2006
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, 2007
• U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, 2016