Heather D. Erickson

Heather Erickson primarily handles litigation in the areas of insurance coverage and commercial disputes. She has successfully represented clients in commercial disputes involving breach of contract, implied contract, promissory estoppel, quantum meruit, unjust enrichment and other contractual based claims ranging from the printing, restaurant, health care and insurance industries. Ms. Erickson has been representing one of the largest health insurance companies in the United States in complex contractual health care coverage, bad faith and fraud disputes. She has participated in all aspects of litigation from pleadings, motions and depositions to trial and appeal in all state and federal court proceedings. She has successfully resolved cases through ADR, including arbitrations and mediations. Ms. Erickson has experience supervising a team of associates and paralegals in complex litigation matters, coordinating discovery and recommending solid defense and settlement strategy.

In her employment practice, Ms. Erickson has counseled clients, including St. Augustine College, School Districts and U-Haul, regarding employment decisions, the investigation of employment claims and concerning state and federal laws pertaining to employment issues, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Illinois Human Rights Act, the Family Medical Leave Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Illinois Unemployment Insurance Act. She has represented employers at mediations and conciliations at the EEOC. She has vigorously represented employers in matters involving discrimination and harassment based on race, age, and gender, sexual harassment, retaliation and employee benefits. She has appeared and participated in all aspects of proceedings before the IDHR, the Human Rights Commission, the EEOC, the IDES, and the State and Federal Courts. She has further represented employers before the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission.

Ms. Erickson was a key member of the team servicing the City of Chicago as co-counsel in connection with the long-term lease and concession agreement for the Chicago Downtown Public Parking System as well as the long-term lease and concession agreement for Midway Airport. In addition, for the past several years she has actively participated in connection as the Firm’s representation of the Illinois Finance Authority as issuer’s counsel in connection with the issuance of numerous economic development and hospital revenue issues. She has also engaged in co-bond counsel, co-underwriter’s counsel and underwriter’s counsel in connection with the issuance of taxable and tax-exempt state and municipal bond issues involving industrial development, multifamily housing, small hospital, revenue refunding, and commercial paper. In these roles, she has participated in the preparation of bond purchase agreements, official statements, offering memoranda, Blue Sky memoranda, closing certificates and opinions. She has further counseled clients regarding required pension disclosures in light of SEC enforcement actions.

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

• Defense Research Institute, Member
• Illinois State Bar Association, Member
• Executives Club of Chicago, Member
• National Association of Minority & Women Owned Law Firms (Member, Insurance Practice Area Committee)
• Steppenwolf Auxiliary Council, Governor