Colleen G. DeRosa

Colleen DeRosa is a strategic advocate, litigator, and negotiator focusing in labor and employment law. She leads the defense of employment litigation, including wrongful discharge, retaliation, whistleblower, unfair competition, unpaid wages, and discrimination and harassment claims. She also defends employers in class and collective matters seeking unpaid wages or overtime pay for classes of employees.

Colleen is a responsive problem-solver and helps companies, large and small, to manage employee relations and to avoid or efficiently resolve disputes. She provides training and advice on best practices for various personnel policies, guides clients through employee leaves of absence and performance management issues, and prepares and enforces employment agreements with non-competition, non-solicitation, and non-disclosure provisions.

Education:

• J.D., magna cum laude, John Marshall Law School, 2010
• B.A., University of Iowa, 2004

Admitted to Practice:

• Illinois
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
• U.S. District Court, Central and Northern Districts of Illinois

Experience:

• Colleen has extensive experience litigating claims under Title VII, the ADA, the ADEA, the FMLA, and the FLSA and their state law counterparts.
• She manages all phases of litigation including fact investigations, managing discovery strategy and e-discovery issues, conducting and defending depositions, and drafting dispositive motions, motions in limine, and jury instructions. She has contributed to numerous successful dispositive motions that obtained dismissal with prejudice of all claims.
• Colleen represents clients in agency investigations and fact-finding conferences, and frequently negotiates favorable, confidential out-of-court resolutions.

Professional Activities:

• American Bar Association
• Executive Committee of the Associates Board for Legal Prep Charter Academy (2010 to 2015)