Kearney is an experienced litigator concentrating in defense management of labor and employment matters. She has tried several cases to verdict including suits for retaliatory discharge and various tort and contract claims. Additionally, Kearney has authored and argued many successful motions for summary judgment and appeals in federal and state courts as well as successfully defended charges of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR), Chicago Commission on Human Rights and comparable agencies in other states.
Kearney has experience defending Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) matters, wage and hour claims, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) matters, restrictive covenant claims and employment-related coverage issues. She has defended executive and professional liability matters for a wide range of businesses, industries, health care entities, financial institutions and nonprofit associations.
Kearney’s experience handling fidelity claims includes client counseling, policy drafting and in-house training to develop and implement effective employment practices. In addition to her legal practice, Kearney previously served as assistant managing partner of Litchfield Cavo LLP, is the former local office managing partner of the Chicago office, and also is a certified mediator.
Practices
- Oliver v. Joint Logistics Managers, Inc., 893 F.3d 408 (7th Cir. 2018)
- Krezcko v. Triangle Package Machinery Co, 1-15-1762 (App. Ct. May 3, 2016)
- Abioye v. Sundstrand, 164 F. 3d 364 (7th Cir. 1998)
- Chapman v. Crown Glass Corp., 197 Ill.App.3d 995, 1005, 557 N.E.2d 256, 262 (1st Dist. 1990)
Education
- DePaul University College of Law, JD, 1985
- American Jurisprudence Award for Commercial Paper
- Moot Court Society
- Denison University, BA, 1982
- Dean’s List
- Delta Gamma Sorority
- Mortar Board
- Omicron Delta Kappa Honorary
- University Judicial Board
Certifications
- Certified Mediator, June 2021
Admissions
- Illinois
- United States District Courts: Northern District of Illinois, Central District of Illinois, Southern District of Illinois, Southern District of Indiana, Northern District of Indiana, Northern District of Texas
- United States Court of Appeals: Seventh Circuit
Affiliations
- Former Committee Chair for Boy Scouts of America, Troop 51; Cub Scout Den Leader
- Grace Lutheran Church of LaGrange, Illinois, Church Human Resources Committee Chair
- Trustee, Clarendon Hills, Illinois Library Board (2017-present)
Professional Memberships
- American Bar Association, Section of Labor and Employment and the Section of Litigation
- Society for Human Resource Management
Languages
- English
Related News
Presentations/Publications
- Presenter, “Staffing and Employment Law,” North Central College’s School of Business and Entrepreneurship, Naperville, IL (January 2020)
- Panelist, “Employment Practices Liability Insurance,” Travelers Regional Agents and Brokers Meeting, Oak Brook, IL (October 2019)
- Co-author, “Employment Policies Alert: New Employment Updates Effective in 2016,” Litchfield Alert (2016)
- Panelist, Ms. JD Conference, Chicago, IL (November 2009)
- Judge, Arlyn Miner Moot Court Competition, Northwestern University College of Law, Chicago, IL (2007)
- Published by BNA, the Practicing Law Institute, the Employee Relations Law Journal and IICLE
- Lecturer at conferences for employment practices liability insurance, employer insurance coverage for employment litigation and sexual harassment, and on topics such as In-House Counsel as Whistleblower, Lawyers as Employees: Rights and Remedies
- Leader for various trade group seminars and client training sessions on effective employment practices
Recognition
- Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rated™ attorney, recognized since 2009 for the highest level of professional excellence
- Selected as an Illinois Leading Lawyer annually since 2013 by peers in the practice area of Employment Law, a designation received by fewer than five percent of all lawyers licensed in Illinois
- Featured in Leading Lawyers – Business Edition, Spring 2018