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Kerry D. Nelson

Of Counsel

Kerry D. Nelson photo

Overview

Kerry Nelson is Of Counsel in the firm's Litigation and Labor & Employment groups. She represents clients in complex commercial litigation in state and federal courts at the trial court and appellate level. Kerry is experienced in litigating, arbitrating and mediating cases involving commercial contracts, banking and finance matters, professional responsibility matters and malpractice claims, and environmental issues.

Kerry's employment litigation experience includes defending employers against cases under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and the Fair Labor Standards Act, as well as various state law discrimination claims. She also handles litigation involving restrictive covenants.

Experience

  • Represented large law firm and one of its partners sued by purported estate beneficiaries in Illinois state court action alleging legal malpractice and tortious interference pertaining to drafting will and trust documents; dismissal with prejudice granted on grounds of jurisdictional and statutes of limitations bars, release, and lack of attorney-client relationship, and unanimously affirmed by the Illinois Appellate Court.
  • Represented a large law firm sued by expelled partner in arbitration alleging that more than $2 million in promised compensation allegedly due during time of disability had not been paid; motion for summary disposition in law firm’s favor granted under JAMS Rule 18 and arbitration ruling unanimously affirmed by the Illinois Appellate Court.
  • Represented seven settlement class plaintiffs on behalf of 1,300 insurance company class members suing member insurance company for RICO, common law fraud, and breach of contract; achieved final judgment approving a $450 million class action settlement in the Northern District of Illinois.

Credentials

Education

  • Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, J.D., 2007

    – cum laude

  • Georgetown University, B.A., 2004

    – cum laude

Admissions

  • Illinois
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana
  • U.S District Court for the Western District of Michigan
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

Professional Activities

  • Chicago Bar Association, Member
  • Seventh Circuit Bar Association, Member