Law Offices of Colleen McLaughlin

The Law Offices of Colleen M. McLaughlin provides legal assistance in all manner of workplace and consumer issues. These are areas of the law that touch all of our lives. After all, every one of us is a consumer and, unless you are one of the idle rich, you are no doubt either an employee or an employer (or possibly both). Employment and consumer law are both very complex, constantly changing areas of practice. When something goes wrong, having the right attorney on your side is crucial. Colleen McLaughlin established this law firm in 1996 when she left the Illinois Attorney General's office after 16 years as a trial attorney. Starting fresh gave Colleen the opportunity to focus on the two areas of law she most enjoyed, employment and consumer law. Both areas of law deal with a myriad of state and federal statutes and the case law interpreting these statutes is always changing - providing an intellectually challenging legal environment. In addition, these areas of the law are very factually driven. No two cases are exactly alike - providing a caseload that is never boring. Our attorneys enjoy the variety, enjoy the challenge and are dedicated to meeting the client's expectations and achieving a successful result. Any matter brought to us for evaluation requires a detailed factual screening to determine if the employee, consumer or business has any legal recourse. Our attorneys work as a team. We listen to our client's concerns and try to be realistic in advising them as to the likelihood of our being able to achieve their desired outcome. Whatever our assessment is on the merits of our clients' claims, we work with them to determine the most viable course of action and obtain the best possible outcome for their particular situation. What the client may consider grossly unfair is not always illegal. Litigation is not always the answer. Whether we litigate, mediate or simply provide advice, we tailor our approach to the specific situation and needs of the client. We represent employees, consumers and business clients on employment and consumer law matters. Business clients may confer with our firm to avoid a potential problem and potential litigation in the future, as well as respond to pending legal issues in our area of focus. Our firm represents clients in state and federal court, and before various administrative agencies such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR) and Illinois Human Rights Commission (IHRC), the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES), the Illinois and US Departments of Labor (IDOL and USDOL)