Practice Areas

Joette S. Doran & Associates, P.C. is a civil litigation law firm committed to providing our clients with zealous representation, effective dispute resolution, and prompt reporting. Joette S. Doran has more than 25 years of legal experience. Ms. Doran formed the professional corporation in 1997 after over a decade of trial and appellate experience handling employment matters and complex litigation cases involving personal injury and commercial matters in state and federal courts. Ms. Doran has successfully represented clients in all aspects of litigation including administrative and arbitration proceedings and has successfully tried cases to verdict. She has also successfully negotiated favorable settlements using cost-effective alternative dispute resolution in appropriate cases, including arbitration and mediation.

Joette S. Doran & Associates provides advice and counsel regarding a full range of employment matters. The litigation practice includes the prosecution and defense of civil litigation matters concentrating in employment law which involves aggressive and effective representation of employees and executives in matters involving discrimination, compensation and wrongful termination actions. The firm prosecutes and defends employment actions on behalf of employees and management in state and federal actions and in state and federal administrative agencies which include actions under Title VII (race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual harassment and retaliation), Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, Pregnancy Discrimination Act, Equal Pay Act, Family Medical Leave Act, Illinois Human Rights Act, the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act and actions involving retaliatory discharge, employment torts and contract actions. The practice is actively involved in preparing and advising employees and management regarding employment agreements including separation agreements, non-compete, non-solicitation and confidentiality agreements.

Joette S. Doran & Associates concentrates in employment matters and provides consulting services as well as generalized and specialized training to our clients upon request. We apply substantive knowledge of the law and our litigation experience with a view toward zealous representation and cost-effective resolution of cases.

For an overview of the law regarding the practice areas below, please see our Articles page for further information.

EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION CASES

In the field of employment rights, we handle cases in federal and state courts and before various state and federal administrative agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and State Departments of Human Rights. Litigation in this area includes prosecuting and defending employment discrimination actions based on Title VII (race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual harassment and retaliation), the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Equal Pay Act, Pregnancy Discrimination Act and the Family Medical Leave Act.

In the area of employment discrimination, we actively handle Charges of Discrimination in state and federal administrative agencies. We have successfully represented individuals in conjunction with the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to successfully prosecute actions in federal court. Our efforts in conjunction with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission have led to significant money awards for our clients. We have achieved success in administrative proceedings and favorable verdicts at trial and arbitration. We have also successfully employed mediation and arbitration to cost-effectively resolve disputed claims. Some of our corporate clients include car dealerships, bus tour companies, accounting firms, physicians, personnel staffing companies and manufacturing companies. We have represented individuals of many professions including high-level corporate executives, doctors, lawyers, engineers, information technology professionals, sales executives and human resource professionals.

EMPLOYMENT AND SEPARATION AGREEMENTS

We negotiate and prepare employment agreements and severance, separation and restrictive agreements including, non-compete, non-solicitation and confidentiality provisions regarding employees and employers. We represent management and individuals, including executives and professionals, in negotiating and enforcing employment agreements. The goal of these agreements includes clarifying and securing expectations of each party, compensation and benefits, and other terms of employment. When a company terminates an employee it does so to prevent issues of litigation and a release of all claims using particular language to assure that result. For the terminated employee, it is important for an employee to consult legal counsel to review the agreements to determine if the agreement is fair and reasonable and negotiate new terms if necessary in light of a release of all claims. The employee needs to under their legal rights to evaluate the severance benefit offered. After the evaluation of the severance package, if advisable we will discuss how the package can be improved and discuss a course of action in that regard.

WAGE ACTIONS

We handle employment contract and wage actions in state and federal administrative agencies and courts regarding actions under the Fair Labor Standards Act, Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act and for breach of contract.

CONTRACT ACTIONS

We prosecute and defend employment and commercial actions in state and federal courts involving contract disputes including breach of contract and violations of state and federal statutes and regulations. We also prosecute and defend contract actions involving restrictive covenants, confidentiality agreements and trade secrets in state and federal courts. We counsel individuals and management before risking legal action based on a non-competition, non-solicitation and confidentiality agreements. We also represent individuals and management regarding the defense and prosecution of such agreements.

PERSONAL INJURY AND WRONGFUL DEATH

We handle cases involving personal injury and wrongful death including actions based on negligence, premises liability, products liability and workplace violations. We have handled complex personal injury and wrongful death actions in Illinois federal and state courts including Cook, DuPage, Lake, McHenry, Will and Kane County.

COMMERCIAL ACTIONS

We prosecute and defend commercial actions in state and federal courts involving business disputes including contractual actions and violations of state and federal statutes and regulations.


EMPLOYMENT POLICIES AND EMPLOYEE TRAINING

We counsel management on the day to day issues involving employees. We also prepare employee handbooks and policies and conduct employee and supervisor training regarding Anti-Harassment policies. Our firm provides employment consulting, training and investigation services. In the same regard, an audit and review of workplace policies and practices can assure that the employer complies with the laws and provides a better work environment.

COUNSELING AND ADVICE

We give thoughtful, honest direction to our clients about the risks and rewards of litigation, carefully considering their needs and desires as well as the legal issues and possibilities for success. We have successfully represented employees in single and multiple-client litigation. We provide aggressive, effective, and knowledgeable representation in a full range of employment law practice areas. We counsel both employees and management in how to effectively deal with employment matters as they arise to effectively resolve the problem without the need for litigation. We provide advice and counseling in all areas of employment law especially those that involve contracts, wages and issues of discrimination and harassment.

ALTERNATE DISPUTE RESOLUTION

We have achieved success in state and federal administrative proceedings and successful results in arbitration and mediation. We have successfully employed mediation and arbitration in both state and federal courts and administrative proceedings to cost-effectively resolve disputed claims.

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