Richard Nowak

Richard E. Nowak is a Litigation & Dispute Resolution associate in Mayer Brown’s Chicago office. He is an experienced trial attorney in both state and federal court and also represents clients in arbitrations, mediations, and governmental and internal investigations.

Richard’s practice is focused on ERISA litigation, labor and employment, consumer class actions, and antitrust law. Richard has extensive experience litigating claims under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, National Labor Relations Act, and Sherman Act, among others.

Rick also has experience handling charges, investigations, and complaints brought by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Labor (DOL), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

In addition, Richard has significant experience relating to Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOP) and has represented plan sponsors and other interested parties in class action litigation challenging a leveraged ESOP transaction.

As part of his internal investigation work, Richard works with clients to develop policies and procedures to address ongoing concerns and to minimize ongoing enterprise risk on a variety of issues, including employee misclassification, whistle blowing, workplace harassment and discrimination, bring your own device, employee monitoring, social media, and antitrust issues.

Richard is a member of the Illinois Bar and is also a member of the trial bar for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Before joining Mayer Brown, Richard was an attorney for the City of Chicago’s Department of Law, where he defended the City and its employees in civil rights litigation in state and federal court.

Education :

• University of Illinois College of Law, JD, summa cum laude
• University of Illinois, BS, Dean’s List, High Honors

Admissions :

• Illinois
• US District Court for the Central District of Illinois
• US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
• US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

Experience :

• Rychorcewicz v. Welltec, Inc., 2018 WL 3559102 (S.D. Tex. July 24, 2018) and 2018 WL 3559131 (S.D. Tex. June 22, 2018). Granting summary judgment for defendant after discovery in a certified wage and hour class action filed under the FLSA, and denying class plaintiffs’ related motion to strike portions of defendant’s supporting evidence.
• Alas v. AT&T, Inc., et al., Case No. 17-cv-8106 (C.D. Cal. July 18, 2018). Granting motion to dismiss for defendants in a class action lawsuit challenging the administration of AT&T’s 401(k) plan and its recordkeeping fees.
• Professional Orthopedic Associates, PA., et al., v. Geico, et al., 2016 WL 1338597 (D.N.J. Apr. 5, 2016). Granting motion to dismiss with prejudice for defendant finding that the medical services provider lacked standing and the individual plaintiff failed to exhaust his administrative remedies in an ERISA lawsuit for unpaid medical benefits.
• Langan v. The Big Ten Conference, Inc., et al., Case No. 13-L-9828 (Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, 2014). Granting motions to dismiss and for summary judgment as to all claims in six-count lawsuit by a former football official alleging defamation, breach of contract and tort claims.
• Davis v. City of Chicago, et al., Case No. 07-L-7680, affirmed 2014 IL App (1st) 122427. Affirming jury verdict in favor of defendants in wrongful death lawsuit alleging that police-involved shooting was an unjustified homicide.
• Cobb v. City of Chicago, et. al., Case No. 08-cv-4347 (N.D. Ill. 2011). Granting summary judgment to defendants after discovery in federal lawsuit alleging violations of the plaintiff’s Fourth Amendment rights.