Municipal Law
MastersLaw has extensive experience litigating issues unique to public sector entities such as Monell policy claims, immunity issues, and due process concerns. She is further well versed in appellate review of administrative agency proceedings. As an experienced public sector litigator, she is also sensitive to the various concerns that animate appellate strategy for public entities such as whether a case is a good vehicle to resolve a frequently arising issue.
- Obtained affirmance of the circuit court’s decision to sua sponte dismiss the plaintiff’s claims with prejudice after denying his motion for judgment on the pleadings. The court found that the claim by the plaintiff, a school principal, that he had been subjected to an improper hearing to determine if he should be suspended pending the outcome of a termination hearing lacked merit. Beyer v. Board of Education of City of Chicago, 2019 IL App (1st) 191152.
- Prevailed on argument that implementation of administrative proceedings pursuant to a statutory provision providing for teacher dismissal did not require the school board to choose between discharge and reinstatement with backpay. Instead, board could issue a lesser sanction if it determined after a hearing that misconduct occurred but did not warrant discharge. Mohorn-Mintah v. Board of Education of City of Chicago, 2019 IL App (1st) 182011-U
- Reversed circuit court decision which had upheld police officers’ challenges to their dismissal based upon alleged due process violations and other claims. Orsa v. Police Board, 2016 IL App. (1st) 121709. For media coverage:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-off-duty-chicago-police-beating-met-20160904-story.html;
http://chicago.suntimes.com/news/2-chicago-cops-should-be-fired-for-video-beating-court-rules/ - Reversed $4,000,000 jury verdict and obtained judgment notwithstanding the verdict pursuant to the Local Government and Governmental Employees Tort Immunity. Matter involved an individual who had stolen a police car and was subsequently involved in a car accident injuring the two plaintiffs. Ries v. City of Chicago, 919 N.E. 2d 465 (Ill. App. Ct. 1st Dist. 2009).
- Successfully defended one of the first domestic partnership ordinances in the country as lawful pursuant to home rule authority. Crawford v. City of Chicago, 304 Ill. App. 3d 818 (1st Dist. 1999).
