Practice Overview and Curriculum Vitae
Gary Leydig
is a trial attorney and counselor servicing businesses and business
owners in connection with their commercial transactions and disputes. He
is also a mediator and arbitrator of commercial, real property and construction
disputes. Mr. Leydig handles arbitrations, jury and bench
trials, injunctions, equitable remedies and appeals in state and federal
courts in Illinois and throughout the United States. While Mr.
Leydig is a nationally recognized leader in the representation and protection
of dealers, distributors and franchisees
in their disputes with their suppliers and franchisors, his practice
encompasses a broad range of commercial transactions and disputes, including
those involving franchise and distributorship terminations, contract
negotiation and formation, breach of contract litigation, the Uniform
Commercial Code, construction industry
litigation, real property disputes, mortgage and mechanic's
lien foreclosures, trade secrets, restrictive covenants, copyright infringement,
mergers and acquisitions, corporate and partnership control and dissolutions,
fraud, deceptive trade practices, unfair competition and lender liability.
Recognitions:
“AV” Peer Review Rating (highest rating for both legal
ability and ethics). Martindale-Hubbell
Named to “Who’s Who Legal, the International Who’s
Who of Business Lawyers,” published by the International
Bar Association
Top 100 Franchise Lawyers in the United States. Franchise Times
“Illinois Super Lawyer”.(Top 5% of Illinois lawyers.)
Law & Politics
“Leading Lawyer”. (Top 5% of Illinois lawyers.) Law
Bulletin Publishing Company
Practice History:
Of Counsel to Riordan Fulkerson Hupert & Coleman (September 2006 to present)
Of Counsel to Worker Sitko & Hoffman LLC (1999-2005) and, following merger of firms, Partner in Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP (2005-2006)
Partner in Levin McParland Phillips & Leydig. 1993-1998
General Counsel to American Railway Corporation, Inc. 1990-1993
Partner and Associate in Hinshaw & Culbertson. 1980-1990
Education:
University of Chicago, Graham School. Certificate in Mediation, 2005
College of William & Mary, Marshall-Wythe School of Law. JD (Order
of Barristers), 1980
University of Illinois at Urbana. BA, 1977
University of Edinburgh. Edinburgh, Scotland U.K., 1975
Licensed:
State of Illinois
Admitted to Practice:
Supreme Court of Illinois
United States Supreme Court
United States Court of Appeals, 7th and 8th Circuits
United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois (including
its Trial Bar) and numerous other district courts in other states
ADR Certifications and Appointments:
Mediator, Circuit Court of Cook County Law Division Major Case Court-Annexed
Civil Mediation
Arbitrator, American Arbitration Association - Commercial Panel
Memberships and Associations:
Member, American Bar Association (Forum Committee on Franchising, Section
on Litigation, Section on Business Law and Section on Alternative Dispute
Resolution)
Member, Illinois State Bar Association (Section on Trial Practice and
Procedure, Section on Business Law, Section on Real Estate Law and Section
on Alternative Dispute Resolution)
Publications:
“Franchise Laws: How They Can Protect You As A Dealer”,
The Material Handling Wholesaler. November, 1998
Contributor, W. Holloway and M. Leech, Employment Termination:
Rights and Remedies. The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc. (BNA),
1985
Reported Decisions:
A partial list of the published opinions from cases in which Mr. Leydig
was the principal attorney includes:
Girl Scouts of Manitou Council v. Girl Scouts of the United States
of America, 549 F.3d 1079 (7th Cir. 2008) (Finding local, nonprofit
Girl Scout council and the national organization are covered by the
Wisconsin Fair Dealership Law.)
Minnesota Supply Company v. The Raymond Corporation, 472 F.3d 524
(8th Cir. 2006) (Issues relating to dealership termination.)
Kingbrook, Inc. v. Pupurs, 202 Ill.2d 24, 779 N.E.2d 867 (Ill. Sup. 2002) (Issues relating to commercial real estate brokerage commission.)
H.R.R. Zimmerman Co. v. Tecumseh Products Co., CCH Business Franchise Guide 12,445 (N.D. Ill. 2001) (Issues relating to franchise termination.)
Pyramid Controls Inc. v. Siemens Indus. Automation, Inc., CCH Business Franchise Guide 11, 461 (N.D.Ill. 1998), affd. 172 F.3d 516 (7th Cir. 1999) (Issues relating to franchise termination.)
To-Am Equipment Co., Inc. v. Mitsubishi Caterpillar Forklift America, Inc., 953 F.Supp.987 (N.D. Ill. 1997), affd. 157 F.3d 658 (7th Cir. 1998) (Issues relating to franchise termination.)
Mid America Title Co. v. Kirk, 867 F.Supp. 673 (N.D. Ill. 1994), affd. 59 F.3d 719, 1995 Copr.L.Dec. 27, 418, 35 U.S.P.Q.2d 1502 (7th Cir. 1995) (Issues relating to copyright infringement.)
Cleveland Wrecking Co. v. Central Nat. Banking in Chicago, 216 Ill. App.3d 279, 576 N.E.2d 1055 (Ill. App. 1991) (Issues relating to construction delay damages and mechanic’s liens.)
Dean v. KIS Corp., 121 F.R.D. 74, 11 Fed.R.Serv.3d 1185 (N.D.Ill. 1988) (Issues relating to procedure.)
Hartford Acc. And Indem. Co. v. Sullivan, 846 F.2d 377, 10 Fed.R.Serv.3d 1331 (7th Cir. 1988) (Issues relating to civil conspiracy, bank fraud and banker’s blanket bond.)
Rebaque v. Forsythe Racing, Inc., 134 Ill.App.3d 778, 480 N.E.2d 1338, 42 UCC Rep. Serv. 222 (Ill. App. 1985) (Issues relating to breach of Indy Race Car contract and conversion.)
