Lynn M. Geerdes

Associate

Lynn M. Geerdes is in the professional liability group and focuses her practice on medical malpractice, products liability, employment and commercial litigation. Ms. Geerdes has extensive experience in employment law, including retaliatory discharge claims, Title VII, Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), due process, First Amendment and harassment claims. In employment cases, she has litigated in the state and federal courts as well as before the Illinois Department of Human Rights, the Illinois Human Rights Commission, and the City of Chicago's Comission on Human Relations.

Ms. Geerdes has litigation experience in the defense of health care liability cases involving professional negligence, including the representation of hospitals, psychiatrists, physicians, nurses, nursing homes and home health care agencies in  state and federal courts. 

Ms. Geerdes has represented corporations in matters involving patent infringement, trade secrets, restrictive covenants, contracts, and antitrust litigation.  She has also represented insurers in complex insurance coverage disputes and has second-chaired a large complex excess coverage dispute concerning environmental contamination.

Ms. Geerdes received her J.D. from University of Iowa College of Law in 1997, where she was a Note and Comment Editor for the Iowa Law Review and an Appellate Advocacy competition finalist receiving top oral honors.  She received her B.S.B.A. from Drake University and is admitted to practice in both Illinois and Iowa.

Ms. Geerdes was named one of the Law Bulletin's "Top 40 Under 40" Illinois attorneys in 2002.  Her pro bono activities, involving her work with small business owners through the New York Bar Association's September 11 initiative, have been featured in a book, AFTER, How America Confronted the September 12 Era, written by Steven Brill. Her substantial pro bono efforts were also featured in an October 7, 2002 Newsweek article.

Ms. Geerdes, a former actuary, is actively involved in the National Association for Women Business Owners as well as the CBA and ISBA. She co-authored "You've Got to Have Faith: How Employers Can Avoid Punitive Damages After Kolstad," which appeared in CCH's Journal of Employment Discrimination in Fall 1999 and "How to Keep a Corporate Secret" in Employment Trends, Winter 1999.

Education

  • J.D. University of Iowa College of Law, 1997
  • B.S.B.A.  Drake University

Bar Admissions

  • Illinois
  • Iowa

Organization Affiliations

  • National Association for Women Business Owners
  • Chicago Bar Association
  • Illinois State Bar Association