Christopher C. Kendall
Of Counsel
ckendall@chapmanspingola.com
(312) 444-9505
(312) 630-9233
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My practice has focused on problem-solving for clients through negotiation, litigation, and alternative dispute resolution. I represent businesses, entrepreneurs, lawyers, and doctors in commercial litigation. With my clients, we have achieved multi-million dollar results in several lawsuits, both through settlement and through trial or arbitration. I have also successfully defended my clients in matters involving claims of breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, breach of contract, covenants not to compete, and other causes of action. My work in the law governing lawyers includes malpractice and disciplinary matters, as well as law firm dissolutions and other issues of professional responsibility.
My work in the area of real estate litigation includes partnership disputes, defending and prosecuting alleged breaches of contract and fraud, mechanics lien litigation, and land use matters before local governments.
I have taught Administrative Law and Professional Responsibility at The John Marshall Law School. I also previously served as associate general counsel to a publicly- traded corporation.
- John Marshall Law School, summa cum laude
- Law Review, Moot Court
- Judicial extern for the Honorable Charles R. Norgle, Sr.
- University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, B.A. in History, with a cognate in Economics
- Represented a manufacturer in a breach of warranty case where, as a result of discovery, we were able to amend the complaint to include a claim for fraud. Through settlement our client received $4,500,000, which far exceeded their out-of-pocket damages.
- Obtained a trial verdict in excess of $500,000 against the guarantor of our client’s employer after the employer’s insolvency.
- Won a five-day jury trial on claims under the Wage Payment and Collection Act, which resulted in a judgment for the client in excess of $700,000.
- Represented a former president of a healthcare clinic in a dispute over the financial demise of the clinic. After the company’s insurance carrier refused coverage for defending the lawsuit, we were able to obtain a de minimus settlement and convince the insurer to pay both the settlement and the defense costs.
- After I was brought in on two days’ notice to address a threat by my client’s only customer to terminate my client’s three-year contract, we articulated the theory of the case in less than 24 hours. After the customer carried through on its threat, we brought suit, defeated the defendant’s summary judgment motion, and obtained a multi-million dollar settlement shortly before trial.
- In representing a medical billing company in a suit filed by a former client over billings, we successfully had the lawsuit dismissed with prejudice at the pleading stage.
- Defended a company and its owner against claims of theft of trade secrets and violation of the Lanham Act. After limited discovery, we were able to demonstrate the weakness of the Plaintiff’s case, resulting in the Plaintiff voluntarily dismissed the case with prejudice and with no payment from the company or its owner.
- Defended a shipper against claims resulting from alleged damage to an industrial lathe where the insurer was denying coverage. We successfully obtained coverage and settled well within policy limits and at a fraction of the demand.
- Defended a manufacturer against a suit by a former key employee who alleged breach of a lifetime employment contract. We resolved the matter quickly and for less than $5,000 by obtaining a dismissal of the Complaint.
- Represented a company in defending against a claim for underpayments to the employee pension plan.
- Defended 100% shareholders against claims by former employees that resulted from the sale of the company.
- Defended a contractor and settled for nuisance value against claims for constructing a building on the wrong piece of property.
- Successfully represented a former client of a lawyer in a claim against that lawyer for forging his client’s signature as part of a conspiracy to defraud the client out of several hundred thousand dollars in a real estate transaction.
- Represented law firms in dissolution proceedings, including representation of a law firm in a bench trial of more than 20 days regarding the allocation of more than $30,000,000 in contingent fee income for cases pending at the time of dissolution.
- Defended numerous attorneys in disciplinary matters, including allegations of conversion, conflict of interest, improper advertising, plagiarism, neglect, and misrepresentation.
- Defended a law firm in a 20-day arbitration involving claims by a former client alleging breach of fiduciary duty in the transfer of the client’s assets to a former partner of the law firm.
- Negotiating the terms of the dissolution of law firms.
- Representing the City of Chicago and City attorneys in defending claims of improper use of the judicial process.
- Negotiating the splitting of attorneys’ fees on cases active at the time of the lawyers’ departure.
- Obtained trial verdict against lawyer’s former client for unpaid fees.
- Advising a client with regard to purchase of a portion of another lawyer’s practice.
- Representing lawyers or clients in various fee disputes.
- Represented a general contractor in a multi-million dollar mechanics lien suit, involving more than ten lien claimants. After the mortgage holder proposed a settlement of 25% of the lien amount, we envisioned and proposed a complex settlement structure that allowed our client to recover more than 100% of its lien claim.
- Represented a property owner of seven acres of Lake Michigan lakefront property along north shore in negotiations to sub-divide the property and address issues relating to historic preservation.
- Represented the purchaser of property in litigation against former property owner relating to alleged environmental contamination.
- Represented seller of property in defending claims brought under RCRA, where we filed motion to dismiss that was granted with prejudice.
- Represented property owners before Plan Commission with regard to proposed development of adjacent property that included sensitive wetlands.
- Represented a condominium association in negotiations to limit the proposed development of property along the Chicago River, which resulted in the ultimate project that was approved being significantly less burdensome than the original proposed development.
- Represented a developer in lawsuit alleging fraud in the sale of an apartment building.
- Represented a bank in protecting its security interest when underlying property was subject to federal forfeiture proceedings.
- Defended property owners against claims brought pursuant to Residential Real Property Disclosure Act.
- Represent clients in numerous other matters relating to commissions, breach of partnership agreements, and building code violations.
- Past chair of the Chicago Bar Association’s Administrative Law Committee
- Chris has served as a member of the Palatine Zoning Board of Appeals
- Chris has served as a member of the Illinois State Bar Association’s Professional Responsibility Committee and is a past chair of the Illinois State Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Legal Education Admission and Competence, as well as past chair of the sub-committee on the multi-jurisdictional practice of law.
- The Chicago Daily Law Bulletin has published Chris’ commentary on the United States Supreme Court, covenants not to compete, and administrative law.
- Chris co-authored a chapter on Takings Law in Illinois, published by the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education.
- Chris has co-authored with Michael W. Coffield an article on representing attorneys in disciplinary proceedings, which was originally published in the ABA’s “Litigation” magazine and reprinted with permission in the American Trial Lawyer’s Association’s “Trial” Magazine. The article was also republished in the ABA’s Litigation Manual, third edition pp. 1121-1129 (2007 1st Supp.).
- Chris also co-authored with Mr. Coffield a chapter on Attorney Liability that appeared in the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education’s Attorneys’ Legal Liability.
- Chris has presented for ProLaw on the Enforceability of Restrictive Covenants
- He has given presentations on land use and real estate litigation on behalf of the Illinois State Bar Association
- Palatine Zoning Board of Appeals, Board Member
- Youth sports coach for soccer, baseball, and basketball
- Mock trial coach for the Chicago Coalition for Law-Related Education
- Moot court, mock trial, mock negotiation competition judge