| ||
|
|
|
Steven C. Florsheim is a partner at Sperling & Slater. A graduate of Yale University (cum laude) and the University of Michigan Law School (Order of the Coif), Mr. Florsheim began his career after law school as a law clerk to the Honorable Harry D. Leinenweber in the Federal District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Following his clerkship, Mr. Florsheim joined the Chicago office of Kirkland & Ellis, where he became a partner in 1997. In January 2000, he left Kirkland & Ellis to join Sperling & Slater. Mr. Florsheim's commercial litigation practice has included cases involving business fraud, patents, trade secrets, copyright issues, employment law, and contract disputes. He has special expertise in litigating and arbitrating disputes over accounting practices, consumer financing disclosures, franchise rights and corporate valuations. Mr. Florsheim also regularly practices in bankruptcy courts around the country. Commercial Litigation - As lead counsel to Lucini Italia Company on trade secret, fraud and fiduciary duty claims, Mr. Florsheim prevailed on all counts and won a multi-million dollar judgment and injunction relief for his client. Lucini Italia Co. v. Grappolini, 2003 WL 1989605 (N.D. Ill. Apr. 28, 2003); 288 F.3d 1035 (7th Cir. 2002); 231 F. Supp. 2d 764 (N.D. Ill. 2002). Mr. Florsheim has also assisted Lucini in related claims before the London Court of International Arbitration in Italy. Mr. Florsheim has been retained as special counsel by PricewaterhouseCoopers, the receiver for Independent Trust Corporation, to pursue affirmative claims on behalf of some 17,000 retirees who lost pension funds as a result of fraud and corporate mismanagement. Mr. Florsheim also has represented Wirtz Corporation in various litigations relating to liquor distribution and franchise rights. He has defended GMAC and Mitsubishi Motors Credit of America in national class action lawsuits involving financing issues and recently won summary judgment in a Truth In Lending Act case, in Coelho v. Park Ridge Oldsmobile, et al., 2003 WL 4757867 (N.D. Ill. Feb.11, 2003). He has represented The Lemelson Foundation Partnership and the Spartan Tool Company in patent litigation. Mr. Florsheim assisted Gold’s Gym franchisees in a dispute over control of a closely-held corporation. He also handled Ameritech Mobile’s appeal in Dreyfus v. Ameritech Mobile Communications, Inc., 298 Ill. App. 3d 933 (1st Dist. 1998). Bankruptcy Litigation - Mr. Florsheim currently serves as special counsel to HA-LO Industries in bankruptcy adversary proceedings in connection with fraudulent transfer, breach of fiduciary duty, negligence, contract, corporate waste and other claims. He has also served as counsel to creditors, directors, or officers in several other bankruptcy cases, including In re Comdisco, In re DESA Holdings, and In re Divine, Inc. Mr. Florsheim also successfully represented Zenith Electronics Corporation in its bankruptcy confirmation hearings and represented Reliance Acceptance Corporation and Jitney Jungle in bankruptcy matters. Employment Litigation - Mr. Florsheim has handled over 100 different employment law matters on behalf of numerous clients. He has successfully defended claims of sexual harassment, race discrimination, gender discrimination, age discrimination, disability discrimination, and national origin discrimination as well as claims under the Equal Pay Act, the WARN Act, and the NLRA. Mr. Florsheim has addressed employment claims and charges in federal and state courts, before the EEOC, the Illinois Department of Human Rights, the Illinois Human Rights Commission, among others. In addition to litigating employment claims, Mr. Florsheim has extensive experience negotiating and drafting complex contracts relating to employment, consulting arrangements, and severance for senior executives. He has also trained arbitrators relating to their handling of employment discrimination claims. Mr. Florsheim lives in Chicago with his wife Jennifer and their three sons.
|
Steven C. Florsheim Sperling & Slater |