Jeff Nowak is a shareholder at Littler Mendelson P.C., the world’s largest employment and labor law practice representing management.  Jeff has decades of experience advising and litigating on behalf of employers on a wide range of complex employment law matters so they can run the most profitable business and efficient operations without being side-tracked by discrimination claims, strikes or other workplace issues.

Jeff is a recognized leader on FMLA and ADA issues, helping employers develop comprehensive strategies to achieve compliance with employee leave and accommodation issues.  Jeff is lauded by clients for his ability to bring a practical approach and unflappable demeanor to the most sensitive and difficult situations, always with an eye on the client’s business and operational objectives. Given his experience in leave management and workplace accommodations, Jeff regularly counsels some of the country’s largest and diverse employers on these critical employment issues.

Jeff is the author of the highly regarded FMLA Insights blog, which has earned him entry into the ABA Journal’s Blogger Hall of Fame. He also is a highly-sought after speaker on FMLA/ADA issues, most notably serving on the faculty of the National Employment Law Institute (NELI) and a frequent speaker for the Disability Management Employer Coalition (DMEC).

In addition to practicing law, Jeff also is heavily involved in his community. Jeff has served as an elected Village Trustee for the Village of LaGrange, Illinois, and on the board of directors for Marist High School, a Catholic college-preparatory school on Chicago’s southwest side and his alma mater, and for Pillars Community Services, a social service organization serving Chicago’s southwest side and suburbs. A self-proclaimed baseball fanatic, avid White Sox fan and former high school/semi-pro baseball umpire, Jeff recently became president of the La Grange, Illinois Little League, fulfilling a dream that rivals his daytime job.

Education

  • J.D., cum laude, Indiana University School of Law, 1999
  • B.A., Indiana University, 1995 (political science)

Bar & Court Admissions

  • Illinois
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern and Central Districts of Illinois (Trial Bar, N.D. IL)
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana