Paul O’Grady joined the firm after serving the Office of Cook County Sheriff for six years as Chief Counsel and Director of Operations. He now concentrates his practice in governmental law, civil rights litigation, including 1983 and 1988 claims, and appeals. He also handles personal injury cases as well as wills, estates and trusts.
Mr. O’Grady has extensive experience in civil rights litigation including gender, age, race, national origin, religion, handicap discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliatory discharge. He has practiced in a broad spectrum of matters ranging from defense of civil rights and tort actions to drafting ordinances. He has counseled employers on promulgating and revising internal policies and procedures, drafting employment agreements and severance agreements, conducting investigations of internal claims of work place harassment, and implementing progressive discipline and other adverse job actions.
Mr. O’Grady’s practice includes the negotiation and administration of collective bargaining agreements and the implementation of state and federal labor, employment and discrimination laws on behalf of public and private sector employers. As Chief Counsel to the Cook County Sheriff, he has been significantly responsible for averting work stoppages or strikes and for negotiating union contracts which controlled labor costs.
Mr. O’Grady is also certified by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board as an instructional expert in: criminal law; criminal procedure; legal liability; use of force; arrest procedures; law for correctional officers; Illinois correctional jail standards; and detainee rights and privileges.
