John M. Riccione

John is a trial attorney and, in over 30 years of practice, has tried numerous cases to verdict. He has argued cases before various state and federal courts around the country as well as in arbitrations, federal and state agencies and other tribunals.  His practice involves the representation of businesses in a wide array of complex commercial disputes touching on a number of areas of law, including real estate, construction, retail and wholesale distribution, trade secrets, computer fraud and abuse, UCC warranties and remedies, and labor and employment.

John has been selected for inclusion in Illinois Super Lawyers and nominated by a Fortune 1000 client to BTI’s Client Service All-Star Team, an honor extended to only 70 lawyers nationwide. He is a frequent speaker on the topics of alternative fee arrangements, non-compete agreements, commission disputes and Uniform Commercial Code warranties and remedies, to various trade and bar associations and client groups.

• Resolving through mediation fierce dispute between closely-held corporate shareholders who were once childhood friends.
• Resolving by enjoining unfair competitive action by former employee who stole electronic trade secrets.
• Prevailing on summary judgment, which was affirmed on appeal, in complex creditor’s rights battle.
• Succeeding in resolving trade secret theft case after perpetrators took files and resigned en masse to start a competing company.
• Obtaining a complete solution in defective product case involving tubing used in the refrigeration industry.
• Strategically forcing manufacturer to pay earned post-termination commissions to sales organization.
• Defending Proposition 65 actions relating to allegedly violative products in California.
• Negotiating multi-year collective bargaining agreement with labor union on behalf of eight contractors in the metal polishing and re-finishing business.
• Successful on appeal to the U.S. 8^th Circuit on a challenge to a change in beneficiaries on the death benefits of a union worker from his immediate family to a cousin.
• Defending labor union grievances over collective bargaining agreement interpretations.
• Litigating toward resolution contentious, multiparty case arising out of an interstate bridge collapse.
• Successfully trying a case for defective goods against a label manufacturer brought by an advertisement corporation.
• Maintaining a perfect record of obtaining agency dismissals of discrimination charges on behalf of a temporary labor service company.
• Negotiating the resolution of litigation on behalf of a stainless steel pool contractor with the owner of the sixth largest building in the world.
• Using an alternative fee arrangement to better align the interests of the firm and its client, a public company, to deliver a favorable result after initiating litigation on behalf of the client against a national consulting firm over an enterprise resource planning system.
• Obtaining successful resolution of Fair Labor Standards and wage and hour claims on behalf of a commercial janitorial company in North Carolina.
• Obtaining judgment in arbitration in Ohio against cooperative on supply agreements on behalf of public company.
• Successfully resisting an injunction in Texas at trial on behalf of an independent sales organization against a manufacturer of orthopedic devices.
• Attaining a speedy and successful conclusion to dispute arising out of a factory’s intrastate move in Tennessee.

• “Strategic Insights into Corporate Representative Depositions: Rules, Roles, and Realities,” Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Chicago program, Nov. 12 and Nov. 13, 2024.
• “Threading the Needle of Corporate Privilege: When Legal and Business Advice Intertwine,” Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Chicago program, December 14, 2023.
• “Internal Struggles — Know How Best to Divorce Your Business Partner,” Agency Sales Magazine, June 2023.
• “Supply Chain Woes: Effectively Using Your Contract’s Terms and the UCC to Navigate Through Them,” Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Chicago program, July 13 and July 20, 2022.
• “The Force of Force Majeure and Other Contract Performance Excuses in Supply Chain Transactions,” Agency Sales Magazine, March 2022.
• “The Force of Force Majeure in Supply-Chain Agreements,” Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Chicago webinar, Nov. 10, 2021.
• “Your Principal Just Sold or Merged: What About Your Sales Contract?” Agency Sales Magazine, February 2021.
• “It’s a Pandemic – Do I Have to Pay Rent?” The Knowledge Group webinar, January 29, 2021.
• “It’s a Global Pandemic! Can We Stop Paying Rent?” Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Chicago seminar, September 1, 2020.
• “This is Not What I Ordered. Buyer’s Remedies under the UCC,” Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Seminar, Chicago, January 14, 2020.
• “Justice Delayed is Justice Denied.” Agency Sales Magazine, December 2019.
• “Effects of the GDPR: Are You Ready?” Agency Sales Magazine, September 2018.
• WEBINAR: “Preventing Loss and Damages in Trade Secrets: What You Need to Know About Unfair Competition,” The Knowledge Group, August 16, 2018.
• “Can I get out?!” – Defenses to Performance Under the Uniform Commercial Code,” Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Seminar, Chicago, August 14, 2018.
• “The Seller Has Breached – Now What? An Exhaustive Look at the Buyer’s Remedies Under the Uniform Commercial Code,” Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Seminar, Chicago, July 19, 2017.
• WEBINAR: “Alternative Fee Arrangements: All You Need to Know in 2017,” The Knowledge Group, April 25, 2017.
• “What is Your Agreement’s TERM – Can You Be Terminated Today For No Reason?” Agency Sales Magazine, December 2016
• “UCC Warranties & Remedies,” Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Seminar, Chicago, August 11, 2016.
• WEBINAR: “Billable Hour No More? Increased Use of Alternative Fee Arrangements (AFAs) in Litigation in 2016 and Beyond,” The Knowledge Group, February 1, 2016.
• WEBINAR: “UCC Battle of the Forms: Confronting Conflicting Terms in Purchase Orders, Invoices and Related Documents” Strafford, Nov. 18, 2015.
• “Home-Field Advantage,” Agency Sales Magazine, September 2015.
• Socialnomics – Interview concerning free speech protections for social media postings, December 2014.
• Mealey’s Litigation Report – Whistleblower Protection Extended to Outside Contractors, April 2014.
• Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Seminar, “Drafting, Negotiating and Litigating Warranties In Contracts For The Sale Of Goods: Considerations Under The UCC Article 2”, August 2013, May 2014.
• “Bequeathing the Keys to Your Digital Afterlife,”New York Times, contributor, May 26, 2013.
• “Third Party Investment in Litigation,” First Business News, May 9, 2013.
• WEBINAR: “Dress to Impress: Practical Tips to Obtain Traditional Bank Financing,” October 2012.
• Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Seminar, “Arbitration v. Litigation, A True Hobson’s Choice”, July 2012.
• “Lottery Pools,” NBC 5 Chicago Segment, March 29, 2012.
• Austin School Career Day Presenter, November 2011.
• “How to Beat a Non-Compete,” Agency Sales Magazine, July 2011.
• Ark Group/Managing Partner Magazine’s national forum, “Alternative Fee Arrangements – Where Do We Stand Today?”, June 2010.
• Claims Association of Greater Chicago’s Spring Seminar, “Operating in Financial Hard Times – Controlling Costs in Claims”, April 2010.
• Ark Group/Managing Partner Magazine’s national forum, “Alternative Fee Arrangements – From Theory to Practice”, March 2010.
• WEBINAR: Using Alternative Billing to Predict & Control Your Legal Spend, October 2009.
• Manufacturers Agents National Association (MANA) Attorney Forum, January 2009.