Emily Kappers

Kevin Van Wart is a partner Kirkland's Chicago office, where he concentrates in complex litigation, including mass tort claims, class action lawsuits, product liability and pharmaceutical claims, and high stakes commercial disputes. Kevin has served as lead trial and appellate counsel in a wide variety of cases throughout the country and teaches trial advocacy at the University of Chicago Law School. The National Law Journal featured Kevin's successful trial work in naming Kirkland to its 200...

A firm founder, visionary leader, and skilled litigator, Paul Slater handles high-stakes antitrust cases for private and public enterprises, including Fortune 500 companies. He pioneered the opt-out practice, representing companies as individual plaintiffs in industry-wide multidistrict antitrust litigation. This practice enables clients to tailor their claims and maximize their recoveries outside of class action proceedings, which often fail to meet individual client needs. Mr. Slater repres...

Nick Richardson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law. Nick, who practices law in Palatine, Illinois, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Nick is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Susan M. Franzetti has extensive experience in compliance counseling, regulatory and litigation matters. Ms. Franzetti has extensive experience in water pollution matters under both federal and state programs, including issues relating to NPDES and industrial pretreatment discharge permits, effluent toxicity, TMDLs, use attainability analyses, wetlands, CSO’s/SSO’s, rule-making proceedings, variances/site-specific relief, mixing zone demonstrations, antidegradation, antibackslidin...

An accomplished trial lawyer, Tery Gonsalves draws on his prior roles as a police detective and deputy general counsel to provide strategic guidance to clients facing investigations and complex litigation matters, including regulatory and compliance counseling. As chair of the Education Team, he regularly counsels public and private institutions through the issues they face in a highly regulated landscape. Tery is a seasoned trial lawyer who has tried more than 20 cases to verdict. He represe...

Jay Augustyn is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. Jay, who practices law in Chicago, Illinois, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jay is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Peter E. Pederson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - ERISA. Peter E., who practices law in Chicago, Illinois, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Peter E. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Craig Annunziata is the managing partner of the Chicago office and a partner in the Tampa office. He represents management in employment-related disputes. The majority of his practice is before federal and state courts and alternative dispute forums throughout the United States. He also defends management against charges filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and related state agencies. A significant portion of his practice is devoted to counseling management, prio...

Heather Jackson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management. Heather, who practices law in Chicago, Illinois, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Heather is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Joe Duffy is an accomplished and resourceful trial lawyer who focuses his national practice on white collar criminal defense and complex business litigation. He handles all aspects of federal and state criminal prosecutions through the investigative, prosecutive and appellate stages. He has extensive experience representing individuals and corporations in internal and government investigations as well as civil and criminal jury trials and appeals. Joe has successfully represented clients in c...