The Collins Law Firm, P.C.
1770 N. Park Street
Suite 200
Naperville, IL 60563
(630) 527-1595
Commercial Litigation Cases
  • The Firm negotiated a $200,000 settlement on behalf of our client, an international data storage business headquartered
    in DuPage County.  Our lawsuit, filed in the Federal District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, sought the
    return of a deposit our client had paid to a vendor for equipment.  The case was successfully settled on the eve of a
    ruling on our client's motion for summary judgment. (August 2009; Robert Dawidiuk)

  • The firm successfully appealed to the Second District Appellate Court reversing summary judgment in a case involving
    a citizen’s rights under the Freedom of Information Act and the Illinois Constitution.  The citizen sought inspection of
    a School Superintendent’s contract (available here) which the district claimed as exempt from inspection because it was
    kept in an employee file.   In a case of first impression, the Appellate Court held that employment contracts are not “per
    se” exempt from inspection.  Stern v. Wheaton-Warrenville Community Unit School District 200 - see this page to see video of
    Shawn arguing before the Illinois Supreme Court.  See also recent Chicago Tribune and Daily Herald articles.  (June
    2008, Shawn Collins, Robert Dawidiuk)

  • The firm won summary judgment ordering the defendant to pay damages for unjust enrichment to an international rail
    car leasing company.  The order provides the basis for Plaintiff to recoup six-figure losses incurred where the Defendant
    had refused to pay based upon alleged insufficient terms necessary to form contractual obligations to pay. (June 2008,
    Ed Manzke, Robert Dawidiuk)

  • In March, a client of the Firm received $17.5 million to settle the claims which the Firm had filed during 2007 against the
    client's partners, alleging breach of fiduciary duty and minority shareholder oppression.  A confidentiality provision of
    the settlement precludes us from saying more about the case. (March, 2008; Shawn Collins, Robert Dawidiuk)

  • The Firm successfully resolved a bitter shareholder lawsuit.  Our client, a 50% shareholder of a successful business, was
    denied access to the business by his business partner.  Following a dispute between the two partners, our client was
    locked out from his business by his partner – who literally changed the locks and had our client arrested and removed
    from the business by the sheriff.  We filed a lawsuit and we were able to obtain certain immediate relief pursuant to a
    TRO hearing, which was followed by expedited discovery and aggressive motion practice.  Within six weeks of filing
    our lawsuit, we were able to negotiate a settlement making our client the sole shareholder of the business.  (May, 2008;
    Edward Manzke, Robert Dawidiuk)

  • The Firm recovered $1.3 million on behalf of a group of minority shareholders of a community bank in Harvard,
    Illinois. The lawsuit alleged that certain directors of the bank had breached their fiduciary duties to a class of
    shareholders when the bank converted from being a subchapter C to a subchapter S corporation. The case was filed in
    the Northern District of Illinois and the Honorable Judge Joan F. Lefkow certified a class of minority shareholders who
    were forced to sell their stock. See Shearon v. Harvard Bancshares, et al, 240 F.R.D. 383 (N.D. Ill. 2006).  (2007; Shawn
    Collins, David Fish)

  • The firm represents an international web hosting and registrar company in its disputes involving the registrations of
    Internet domain names.   In the most recent case, alleging unfair competition and cybersquating.  The client was
    accused of unlawfully registering and hosting a website which allegedly infringed on the trademark of a competitor.  
    The firm was successful in obtaining a summary judgment verdict in the client’s favor within four months. (December
    2007, Robert Dawidiuk)

  • The firm was successful in dismissing with prejudice a lawsuit filed against our client by his former partner over
    unfounded claims of misappropriation of partnership assets.  Our client was sued by his former partner after the decline
    in the housing market stretched the partnership assets and eventually put the partnership out of business. Our client
    was falsely accused of improperly winding down the company business to the detriment of the partner. The case was
    dismissed with prejudice within three months.  (November 2007, Robert Dawidiuk)   

  • The firm obtaineda judgment in excess of $270,000 against a contractor wrongfully refusing to pay our client, one of its
    subcontractors.  The trial court properly entered summary judgment finding the work was substantially complete per
    the contract.  (July 2007, Robert Dawidiuk)     

  • The firm recovered approximately $5 million for investors that lost money in a pooled commodities fund when the fund’
    s fiduciary misappropriated the investors’ money.  While a fiduciary to the fund was indicted for his conduct, the
    investors were deprived of their assets as the related companies began seeking bankruptcy protection.  The firm
    negotiated a benefit of nearly $5 million for the 2000 investors with the settlement being approved by the federal court.  
    (March 2007, Shawn Collins; Robert Dawidiuk)
Do you have a  
business matter and
need to speak with
one of our
commercial litigation
lawyers?

Contact us at
info@collinslaw.com
or call (312) 341-9544
to speak with an
operator at any time