Heather has more than 10 years’ experience representing clients in wide-ranging complex litigation matters, including claims brought under title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act, employment disputes, wage and hour claims, securities fraud and shareholder derivative suits, consumer fraud class actions, trusts and estates disputes, fraud claims, and breach of contract actions. Heather also extensive experience in providing advice and counsel to clients on the efficient resolution of disputes and considers some of her greatest successes to be those matters resolved through negotiation and not litigation.

Some of Heather’s recent accomplishments include:

• Defeating class certification in a case brought pursuant to the Chicago Residential Landlord Tenant Ordinance and mooting the class allegations by offering the named plaintiffs the compensation sought.
• Obtaining summary judgment on all claims and a damages award in excess of $16 million before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in an action for breach of a guaranty.
• Representing a client at trial in defense of claims brought pursuant to the Hague Convention on Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction and obtaining judgment in favor of the client which allowed her to remain in the United States and to retain custody of her son.
• Representing a trustee in related actions, filed to determine whether children adopted out of a family were considered heirs for purposes of trust instruments drafted prior to the enactment of Illinois Probate Act, which clarified inheritance rights of adopted-out children under the law.

Heather graduated from the University of Illinois and received her Juris Doctor from Loyola University Chicago School of Law, cum laude. Prior to joining Kaplan Saunders Valente & Beninati, Heather was an Associate at Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP.

ADMITTED TO PRACTICE IN THE FOLLOWING JURISDICTIONS:

• State of Illinois, 2002
• Northern District of Illinois, 2003
• Eastern District of Wisconsin, 2007
• Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, 2004
• Federal Circuit Court of Appeals, 2010