Mr. Hessell joined Sperling & Slater in 2006, after spending four years as a litigation associate at the Chicago office of Kirkland & Ellis.  He has represented clients in complex commercial disputes nationwide before federal and state courts as well as arbitration tribunals.

After law school, Scott worked as a law clerk for the Honorable Karen LeCraft Henderson at the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.  At the University of Michigan, Scott was an accomplished college debater, reaching the semi-finals of the National Debate Tournament twice and winning the American Debate Association National Championship.  

Scott is a member of the Trial Bar for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and was selected in 2010 and 2011 as one of Illinois’ “Rising Stars” for business litigation based on a peer survey conducted by Super Lawyers publication (representing top 2.5% of all Illinois lawyers 40 and under).

Education

J.D. with Honors, University of Chicago Law School, 2001

B.A. in Political Science, University of Michigan, 1997

Representative Matters

Tax Shelter Liability Litigation

Mr. Hessell co-leads Sperling & Slater’s tax shelter liability practice, which for the last seven plus years has had considerable success recovering out-of-pocket damages (i.e., fees, penalties and interest) from professionals who designed, marketed and implemented sham tax strategies in the late 1990s and early 2000s. 

In late 2009, Scott filed a lawsuit on behalf of an Illinois taxpayer who had $5.5 million in total out of pocket damages.  Six months after filing, we secured substantial settlements with the investment bank and accounting firm involved in the client’s Son of BOSS strategy.

Mr. Hessell currently represents taxpayers in two of the largest Son of BOSS civil cases filed, seeking over $100 million in total damages. 

 
Complex Commercial Litigation

Represented customer duped by check advance scam who was then sued by his long-time bank for a substantial overdraft. Hessell devised, implemented and sustained a novel defense by a bank customer to UCC overdraft claims, including first known federal trial involving these defenses.  After four trial days cross-examining the bank’s witnesses, the bank settled before finishing their case in chief and under threat of discovery sanctions. 

Represented the bankruptcy trustee of Mego Financial Corporation in successfully prosecuting Mego’s claims against its former directors/officers, as well as its accountants.  

Pursued managing partner of several  real estate partnerships in state, federal, bankruptcy and criminal forums to seek return of several million dollars of partnership funds misappropriated by defendant.

Participated in two arbitration trials before the American Arbitration Association.  Scott was part of a trial team that successfully litigated Conseco, Inc.’s ownership claims to the General Motors Building against Donald Trump and his affiliates. 
 

Class Action Litigation

Co-counsel for defendants in the class action Aliano v. Amerigas, in which the client faced substantial exposure for alleged FACTA violations.  The court granted our motion for judgment in the pleadings and dismissed the action.  See 2009 WL 635547 (N.D.Ill. Mar 12, 2009) (No. 07cv4110) (Leinenweber). 

Primary case management responsibility for a number of purported statewide and nationwide product liability class actions in federal and state courts and before the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation.  Among other pretrial motions practice, he successfully argued a motion to dismiss a class action in Texas state court.