Elizabeth E. Babbitt

Elizabeth is an accomplished business litigator. She has significant experience leading large and small businesses, public utilities, and municipalities through complex litigation in both federal and state courts. She recently served a two-year term on the firm’s Executive Committee. Elizabeth has a unique depth of experience representing clients in civil rights, class action, and employment litigation. She regularly advises businesses and individuals on matters relating to breaches of contract, employment discrimination, employee whistleblowing, unfair business practices, trade secrets, restrictive employment covenants, defamation, and breaches of fiduciary duties. Elizabeth has experience in data privacy litigation, including the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (“BIPA”) and the Illinois Genetic Information Privacy Act (“GIPA”).  Elizabeth is often called upon by clients to handle emergent litigation, and regularly handles litigation in the context of temporary restraining orders or preliminary injunctions. Beyond the litigation context, Elizabeth has a passion for advising businesses regarding compliance on equal access and equal employment issues in the workplace. She previously represented the City of Chicago in the litigation and negotiation of the Chicago Police consent decree.

Elizabeth is a proven leader of the legal and civic community. In addition to her service to Taft’s Executive Committee, she participates on the firm’s Associate Advancement and Recruitment Committee and leads the Chicago office’s women’s affinity group. Beyond her firm commitments, Elizabeth is an active member of the Chicago legal community.  She previously served as President of the University of Illinois College of Law Alumni Board and remains an active alumna and mentor to law students. She is a member of the Judicial Evaluation Committee of the Chicago Bar Association, which provides an assessment to the public of candidates for state court judges. Elizabeth is a member of the Mother McAuley High School Alumnae Law Society and assists in coaching the school’s mock trial team; she also previously taught trial advocacy to law students at John Marshall Law School. Prior to joining Taft, Elizabeth was a judicial law clerk for the Honorable John W. Darrah of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

• “Illinois BIPA Reform Offers Welcome Relief To Businesses,” Law360, Aug. 12, 2024, co-author with Ian Fisher, Gillian Lindsay, and Courtney Kabbes.
• “Petitions for Rehearing in the Seventh Circuit,” Vol. 31, The Circuit Rider, May 2023, co-author with J. Timothy Eaton and Hudson Cross.
• “When Text Messages Disappear, Sanctions May Appear,” Law360, Dec. 7, 2022, co-author with Nicollette Khuans.
• “Chapter 11 — Restrictive Covenants, Trade Secrets, and Fiduciary Duties: The Foundation To Safeguard Competitive Business Advantage,” Chancery and Special Remedies (2021 edition) published by IICLE.
• “Chapter 5 — Problems in Contract Formation,” Contract Law (2020 edition) published by IICLE, co-author with Paul Coogan.