Amy Gibson is Co-Chair of Aronberg Goldgehn's Commercial Litigation and Employment Practice Groups, co-chair of the firm's DEI Committee, and a member of the firm's Executive Management Committee.

Amy directly manages a successful legal practice and navigates and resolves intricate claims involving contractual disputes between businesses, fraud, theft of trade secrets, discrimination claims, and enforcement of non-competition agreements. She also acts as an integral part of in-house HR teams in helping to manage compliance with ever-changing employment laws, update policies, address charges, conduct internal investigations, train, and handle sensitive terminations.

Amy serves business clients in several industries, including restaurants, non-profit organizations, physicians and medical groups, advertising and marketing agencies, general contractors, manufacturers, distributors, real estate developers, retailers, and closely held businesses. She prioritizes and delivers high-touch service leading to strong, genuine, and lasting relationships.

In her role as Co-Chair of the DEI committee, Amy has helped to identify and lead initiatives that drive greater inclusion and representation. She led a subcommittee in achieving the prestigious Midsize Mansfield Certification for firms committed to diversity in leadership.

Amy has received various accolades, including being recognized on the “Best Lawyers in America” list, named to the "Forty Under 40" list of Illinois Attorneys to Watch, and was selected as an “Emerging Lawyer in Commercial Litigation” and as a “Rising Star in Business Litigation” for multiple years. 

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS

• Defended several organizations against discrimination and harassment claims before the EEOC, state departments of human rights, state and federal courts, appellate courts, and through arbitration.
• Protected organizations’ assets and trade secrets through litigation against former employees for breach of fiduciary duty and breach of non-competition and non-solicitation agreements.
• Managed complex commercial litigation, involving business-to-business contract disputes, claims for fraud, consumer fraud, shareholder disputes, and claims for tortious interference with contract.
• Helped organizations maintain compliance with ever-changing employment laws by reviewing and revising employee handbooks and policies.
• Guided confectionery company with nationwide sales through organization-wide I-9 audit and assisted in assessing next steps and reducing possible exposure.
• Negotiated employment contracts on behalf of employers, including employment agreements for Mid to C-suite level leaders, as well as confidentiality, intellectual property, and separation agreements.
• Conducted sensitive employee investigations involving sexual harassment, violation of policies, and discrimination.
• Regularly strategized with C-suite and HR stakeholders to determine how to minimize risks in employment policies and procedures and achieve best practices.
• Developed and conducted custom training for multiple large clients on compliance with the ADA, based on each company’s experiences and needs.
• Represented a manufacturer of cash/coin recyclers in negotiations with Costco for a multi-year contract to place the recyclers in Costco stores nationwide.
• Obtained $1 million in punitive damages on summary judgment in a multi-year dispute between family members and a family-owned business, after discovering the opposing party absconded with more than $2 million in funds.
• Guided a client as to revising form terms and conditions to be favorable to the client in future transactions.
• Created a process for a national hardware retailer to manage and respond to subpoenas seeking employee records.

SPEECHES AND PUBLICATIONS

An experienced speaker and author on employment law topics, Amy is the editor of, and regular contributor to, Aronberg Goldgehn's Employment Law newsletter, Employment Law Trending Now, including:

• Employment Law Trending Now – Deadline for In-Person Verification of Employment Eligibility Documentation is August 30, 2023, July 10, 2023.

• Deadlines Approaching for Employer Actions, June 20, 2023.

• New Illinois Employment Laws to Keep on Your Radar for 2022 and Beyond, Nov. 2 2022.

• Employment Law Alert - Supreme Court Pulls the Plug on President Biden's Vaccination or Testing Mandate, Jan. 14, 2022.

• Employment Law Alert – Will President Biden's COVID-19 Vaccination Policy Survive?, Nov. 11, 2021.

• Employment Law Trending Now – The American Rescue Plan Act Affords Key Benefits to Employees and Extends Tax Credits and Other Benefits to Employers, April 12, 2021.

• "The Deadline for Illinois Employers to Provide Mandatory Sexual Harassment Training is Quickly Approaching," Nov. 19, 2020.

• "The DOL Issues a New Temporary Rule, Effective Immediately, Narrowing Provisions of the FFCRA and Providing Guidance on Others," Sept.15, 2020.

• "Should Employees Be Required to Obtain a Negative COVID-19 Test Before Returning to Work?" July 23, 2020.

• "Five Key Steps to Bringing Employees Back to the Workplace in Light of COVID-19," April 27, 2020.

• "Another Day of Shelter-in-Place, Another Day Filled With More DOL Guidance on the FFCRA," April 7, 2020.

• "IRS Releases Information About a New Employee Retention Credit and Further Guidance to Substantiate the FFCRA Tax Credit," April 1, 2020.

• "New DOL Guidance on the Families First Coronavirus Act," March 30, 2020.

• "March 26, 2020, DOL Guidance on the Sick and FMLA Leave Benefits Under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act," March 27, 2020.

• "Employer Cheat Sheet for the Leave Requirements Under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act," March 20, 2020.

• "‘Treating' the Coronavirus Outbreak in the Workplace," March 12, 2020.

• "New Illinois Employment Laws Effective Now and in 2020," Dec. 23, 2019.

• "A New Challenge to Illinois Employers in 2020: The Cannabis Law," Nov. 20, 2019.

• "To Reclassify or Not to Reclassify: That Is the Question Facing Many Employers Adjusting to the 2020 Overtime Rule Under the FLSA," Nov. 5, 2019.

• "Illinois Becomes the Latest State to Ban Questions on Salary History," Aug. 20, 2019.

• "New Illinois Sexual Harassment Law Enacted; Most Provisions Slated to Take Effect in January 2020," Aug. 13, 2019.

• "The Legalization of Recreational Marijuana in Illinois: Key Issues for Employers to Consider," June 28, 2019.

• "New Illinois Sexual Harassment Laws Mandate Annual Training, Disclosure of Settlements, and Impose Restrictions on Confidentiality Agreements," June 25, 2019.

• "The DOL Takes a Stab at Resuscitating the Obama Era's Failed Overtime Rules," April 4, 2019.

• "With Valentine's Day On the Horizon, Employers Should Consider and Address the Risks of Workplace Romances," Feb. 12, 2019.

• "Job Applicants Are Afforded Limited Protection By the Age Discrimination in Employment Act," Jan. 29, 2019.

• "New Illinois Employment Laws Effective January 2019," Dec. 18, 2018.

• "Five Ways to Limit Employer Liability at Holiday Parties," Dec. 3, 2018.

• "Illinois Employers Must Now Pay for Breaks of Nursing Mothers," Oct. 25, 2018.

• "New Requirements Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act for Employers Conducting Background Checks," Oct. 2, 2018.

• "Placing a Cap on the Number of Years of Experience in a Job Posting Could Be Deemed Age Discrimination," May 15, 2018.

• "What Is the Future of the Obama Administration’s Overtime Rule?," Sept. 28, 2017.

• "Is Your Former Employee Violating a Non-Solicitation Agreement Through Social Media Activity?," Aug. 3, 2017.

Amy is co-author of "Personal Liability in Closely Held Entities," Chapter 2 in "Disputes Involving Closely Held Companies 2023 Edition," published by the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, Aug. 2023, an update to the chapter she first co-authored and published for IICLE in Feb. 2020.

She has presented:

• "Insights on Embracing DEI," DCBA Diversity Symposium, May 16, 2023.

• "Best Practices for Employment Interviews," March 23, 2023.

• "ADA Training for Supervisors and Managers," June 15, 2022.

• "Professional Development Best Practices and Strategies," Chicago Bar Association panel, March 2, 2022.

• "Covid-19 Vaccination Policies," EmPower HR webinar, March 11, 2021.

• "A Recap of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act and CARES Act," a webinar for the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters, April 2, 2020.

• “The ADA at 30: A Look Back and a Look Forward at Current Trends Relating to Reasonable Accommodations and Other Issues Raised in Employment Claims,” at the CBA's “A New Year, A Fresh Perspective on Issues Under the Americans with Disabilities Act,” seminar, Jan. 9, 2020.

• "The American With Disabilities Act," a private client seminar, Oct. 3, 2019.

• "2018 Employment Law Hotspots - ADA Website Accessibility, Marijuana in the Workplace and Ban the Box Laws," a private client seminar, April 17, 2018.

• “Employment Law: Highlights From 2017 and Beyond” to The Decalogue Society of Lawyers, September 27, 2017.

• "Arbitration v. Litigation: A True Hobson's Choice," to the Association of Corporate Counsel, 2012.

In 2017, Amy presented on and wrote about the new-at-the-time Cook County Earned Sick Leave Ordinance and Chicago Paid Sick Leave Ordinance, and completed a thorough guide to both. Specifically, these were:

• Author, "Chicago Paid Sick Leave: Are You Feeling the Pain," in The Administrators Advantage published by the Greater Chicago Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators, November/December 2017 edition.

• Speaker, "The Cure to All of Your Paid Sick Leave Ordinance Aches and Pains," at a Chicago Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators seminar, August 1, 2017.

•  Author, "Is Your Business Prepared to Comply with the Cook County and City of Chicago Paid Sick Leave Ordinances That Become Effective July 1, 2017?", June 8, 2017.

In addition, Amy has been invited on several occasions to be a guest lecturer at Chicago-Kent College of law to discuss the topics of attorney billing and discovery in the Illinois court system.

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

Amy joined Aronberg Goldgehn as a law clerk in 2006 and, upon graduation from law school, as an associate in 2007. She became a Member/Partner in the firm in January 2015. Amy has served the firm as a member of the Executive Management Committee since 2022. In this role, she focuses on specific management tasks including firm policy-making, strategic planning, and culture and relationship building.

Amy was named to The National Law Journal’s 2022 Employment Law Trailblazers list for her commitment to advancing in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) within the firm and the employment law industry.

In 2021, Amy was recognized as a "Forty Under 40" Illinois Attorneys to Watch by Chicago Lawyer Media, the publisher of Chicago Lawyer and Chicago Daily Law Bulletin.

In July 2017 she was listed in Crain's Custom Media's inaugural edition of "The Most Influential Women Lawyers in Chicago."

Since 2015, Amy has been recognized annually as a Leading Lawyer or Emerging Lawyer in Commercial Litigation and Employment Law by Illinois Leading Lawyers, and since 2010 has been recognized by Illinois Super Lawyers on its Super Lawyers or Rising Stars lists in Business Litigation. Since 2023, she has been named to The Best Lawyers in America list by Best Lawyers for her advancements in Employment Law - Management.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

• Chicago-Kent College of Law (Student Mentor)
• National Employment Law Institute (Certified for ADA Professional Training)

LEADERSHIP ROLES

• Executive Management Committee Member, Aronberg Goldgehn (2022-present)
• Co-Chair, Commercial Litigation Practice Group at Aronberg Goldgehn
• Co-Chair, DEI Committee at Aronberg Goldgehn
• Chicago Bar Association's Labor & Employment Law Committee, former Co-Chair (2019-2020)
• Chicago Bar Association's Alliance for Women Committee, Co-Chair (2020-2021); Co-Vice Chair (2019-2020); Executive Committee Member (2018-2019)

RELATED NEWS

• Chicago Employers, Get Ready to Double Up on Paid Time Off

• Come 2024, Almost All Illinois Workers Will Be Entitled to Paid Time Off

• Recent Changes to the Illinois Day and Temporary Labor Services Act

• Employment Law Trending Now – Illinois Employers Required to Provide Public Transit Benefits Beginning in 2024

• Employment Law Trending Now – New Illinois Laws Require Electronic Notice Distributions to Remote Workers and Pay Transparency in Job Postings

• Aronberg Goldgehn Achieves Midsize Mansfield Rule Certification

• Employment Law Trending Now – Additional Changes Announced to I-9 Employment Verification Procedures

• Aronberg Goldgehn Wins Big with 11 Attorneys Honored on Best Lawyers 2024 List in Six Practice Areas

• Employment Law Trending Now – Deadline for In-Person Verification of Employment Eligibility Documentation is August 30, 2023

• Amy M. Gibson Discusses Aronberg Goldgehn's Relocation to Loop; Client and Colleague Connection Post-Pandemic in CDLB

• Deadlines Approaching for Employer Actions

• Amy M. Gibson to Share Insights on Embracing DEI at DCBA Symposium

• Aronberg Goldgehn Relocates to Chicago Loop

• Amy Gibson and Maryam Arfeen Present on Best Practices for Employment Interviews

• Super Lawyers' 2023 Lists Honor Aronberg Goldgehn Attorneys

• Amy M. Gibson Secures Business Divorce Victory Before First District Appellate Court of Illinois

• New Illinois Employment Laws to Keep on Your Radar for 2022 and Beyond

• The Artificial Intelligence Video Interview Act Mandates Reporting for Employers Electing to Use Video-Recorded Interviews

• The One Day Rest in Seven Act Modifies the Definition of "Work Period," Adds Meal Breaks, Heightens Employer Notice Requirements, and Imposes Stricter Penalties on Employers

• Expanded Leave Under The Victims' Economic Security and Safety Act, and Greater Restrictions and Requirements Imposed on Employers

• The Family Bereavement Leave Act Provides Illinois Employees with the Right to Unpaid Leave in the Event of the Death of a Family Member or Pregnancy, Fertility, or Adoption Related Loss

• The CROWN Act Expands the Definition of "Race" in the Illinois Human Rights Act to Prohibit Discrimination Based on An Employee's Hair

• Aronberg Goldgehn Launches New Executive Management Committee

• Best Lawyers® Honors Nine Aronberg Goldgehn Attorneys in 2023 List

• Amy M. Gibson Honored as an Employment Law Trailblazer by The National Law Journal

• Amy M. Gibson Provides ADA Training to Supervisors and Managers of a National Charitable Organization Following Professional Training Certification

• Amy M. Gibson to Provide Professional Development Best Practices and Strategies in CBA Panel

• 2022 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists Recognize Aronberg Goldgehn Attorneys

• Employment Law Alert - Supreme Court Pulls the Plug on President Biden's Vaccination or Testing Mandate

• Employment Law Trending Now – Amendments to the Illinois Freedom to Work Act and Non-Compete and Non-Solicit Agreements

• Employment Law Alert – Will President Biden's COVID-19 Vaccination Policy Survive?

• Amy M. Gibson Selected as 40 Under Forty Recipient by Chicago Lawyer and Chicago Daily Law Bulletin

• Employment Law Trending Now – The American Rescue Plan Act Affords Key Benefits to Employees and Extends Tax Credits and Other Benefits to Employers

• Amy M. Gibson to Discuss Covid-19 Vaccination Policies with EmPower HR

• 35 Aronberg Goldgehn Attorneys Honored as Leading and Emerging Lawyers in 2021 Lists

• Employment Law Trending Now – The CDC Publishes Covid-19 Vaccine Toolkit for Employers

• Eighteen Aronberg Goldgehn Attorneys Named 2021 Illinois Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

• Employment Law Trending Now – The Deadline for Illinois Employers to Provide Mandatory Sexual Harassment Training is Quickly Approaching

• Employment Law Trending Now – The DOL Issues a New Temporary Rule, Effective Immediately, Narrowing Provisions of the FFCRA and Providing Guidance on Others

• Employment Law Trending Now – Should Employees Be Required to Obtain a Negative COVID-19 Test Before Returning to Work?

• Employment Law Trending Now – The Interplay Between Chicago's Emergency Travel Order and Paid Leave Provided By the Families First Coronavirus Response Act

• Six Aronberg Goldgehn Attorneys Named Emerging Lawyers By Illinois Leading Lawyers

• Amy Gibson Appointed Co-Chair of the Chicago Bar Association's Alliance for Women Committee

• Business Litigation Alert - Now's A Good Time to Consider Including Arbitration Clauses in Business Agreements

• Business Litigation Alert - Force Majeure and Other Potential Defenses for Parties in Breach Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic

• Employment Law Trending Now - Five Key Steps to Bringing Employees Back To the Workplace in Light of COVID-19

• Employment Law Trending Now - Another Day of Shelter-in-Place, Another Day Filled With More DOL Guidance on the FFCRA

• Employment Law Trending Now - Employers Can Make Tax-Free Payments to Employees for COVID-19 Expenses

• Amy Gibson and Tim Nelson Presenting "A Recap of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act and CARES Act"

• Employment Law Trending Now - New DOL Guidance on the Families First Coronavirus Act

• Employment Law Trending Now - March 26, 2020, DOL Guidance on the Sick and FMLA Leave Benefits Under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act

• Employment Law Trending Now - Employer Cheat Sheet for the Leave Requirements Under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act

• Employment Law Trending Now - ‘Treating' the Coronavirus Outbreak in the Workplace

• Twelve Aronberg Goldgehn Attorneys Author Chapters in "Disputes Involving Closely Held Companies 2020 Edition"

• Aronberg Attorneys Participating in the ISBA's Women & the Law Afternoon Tea in Celebration of International Women's Day

• Seven Aronberg Goldgehn Attorneys Named Rising Stars By Illinois Super Lawyers

• Amy Gibson Moderating a Panel at the CBA's "A New Year, A Fresh Perspective on Issues Under the Americans with Disabilities Act" Seminar

• Employment Law Trending Now - New Illinois Employment Laws Effective Now and in 2020

• Employment Law Trending Now - A New Challenge To Illinois Employers in 2020: The Cannabis Law

• Employment Law Trending Now – To Reclassify or Not to Reclassify: That Is the Question Facing Many Employers Adjusting to the 2020 Overtime Rule Under the FLSA

• Employment Law Trending Now – Illinois Becomes The Latest State to Ban Questions on Salary History

• "Judge: Buyer of Historic Building Didn't Inherit Trademark"

• Aronberg Goldgehn's Women's Initiative Honors WINGS CEO Rebecca Darr With Its 2019 Inspiration Award

• Amy Gibson Selected as Co-Chair of the Labor & Employment Law Committee at the Chicago Bar Association for 2019-2020

• Employment Law Trending Now – New Illinois Sexual Harassment Law Enacted; Most Provisions Slated to Take Effect in January 2020

• Employment Law Trending Now – The Legalization Of Recreational Marijuana in Illinois: Key Issues for Employers to Consider

• Employment Law Trending Now – New Illinois Sexual Harassment Laws Mandate Annual Training, Disclosure of Settlements, and Impose Restrictions On Confidentiality Agreements

• Aronberg Goldgehn's Women Attorneys Volunteer at Sarah's Circle

• Employment Law Trending Now – The DOL Takes a Stab at Resuscitating the Obama Era's Failed Overtime Rules

• Seven Aronberg Goldgehn Attorneys Named Emerging Lawyers By Illinois Leading Lawyers

• Employment Law Trending Now – With Valentine's Day On the Horizon, Employers Should Consider and Address the Risks of Workplace Romances

• Employment Law Trending Now – Job Applicants Are Afforded Limited Protection By the Age Discrimination in Employment Act

• Staci Balbirer, Amy Gibson, Ben Haskin, David Johnson, Amber LaFevers, Lindsay Lollio and Tim Nelson Named Rising Stars By Illinois Super Lawyers

• Employment Law Trending Now – New Illinois Employment Laws Effective January 2019

• Employment Law Trending Now – 5 Ways to Limit Employer Liability at Holiday Parties

• Aronberg Goldgehn Hosting the CBA's Alliance for Women's Annual Holiday Party

• Employment Law Trending Now – Illinois Employers Must Now Pay for Breaks of Nursing Mothers

• Employment Law Trending Now – New Requirements Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act for Employers Conducting Background Checks

• Aronberg Goldgehn's Women's Initiative Honors Sarah Alter With Its 2018 Inspiration Award

• Employment Law Trending Now - Employers Beware – Placing a Cap on the Number of Years of Experience in a Job Posting Could Be Deemed Age Discrimination

• Federal Court Victory By Amy Gibson and Nate Lichtenstein Featured in Law360

• Five Aronberg Goldgehn Attorneys Named Emerging Lawyers By Illinois Leading Lawyers

• Seven Aronberg Goldgehn Attorneys Named Rising Stars By Illinois Super Lawyers

• Amy Gibson Publishes "Chicago Paid Sick Leave: Are You Feeling the Pain?"

• Aronberg Goldgehn's Women's Initiative Honors Businesswoman Rowena Zimmers With Its 2017 Inspiration Award

• Employment Law Trending Now - What Is the Future of the Obama Administration's Overtime Rule?

• Nate Lichtenstein and Amy Gibson Presenting "Employment Law: Highlights From 2017 and Beyond"

• Employment Law Trending Now – Is Your Former Employee Violating a Non-Solicitation Agreement Through Social Media Activity?

• Amy Gibson Named in Crain's List of The Most Influential Women Lawyers in Chicago

• Employment Law Trending Now – Update On the Cook County and City of Chicago Paid Sick Leave Ordinances

• Amy Gibson Presenting a Paid Sick Leave Ordinance Q&A to the Greater Chicago Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators

• Employment Law Trending Now – Is Your Business Prepared to Comply With the Cook County and City of Chicago Paid Sick Leave Ordinances That Become Effective July 1, 2017?

• Four Aronberg Goldgehn Attorneys Named Emerging Lawyers By Illinois Leading Lawyers

• Employment Law Trending Now - Seventh Circuit Rules That Title VII Covers Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation

• Aronberg Goldgehn Attorneys Named Rising Stars By Illinois Super Lawyers

• Employment Law Trending Now - Department of Labor Seeks Appeal of Nationwide Injunction Blocking New Overtime Rule

• Employment Law Trending Now - Illinois Enacts Employee Sick Leave Act Effective January 1, 2017

• Aronberg Goldgehn's Women's Initiative Hosts Its Inaugural Inspiration Award Luncheon

• Employment Law Trending Now - The Defense of Trade Secrets Act of 2016; Enhanced Protection for Confidential Information and Trade Secrets

• Employment Law Trending Now - DOL Final FLSA Overtime Rules Effective December 1, 2016

• Employment Law Trending Now - Illinois and Chicago Mandated Paid Sick Leave

• Five Aronberg Goldgehn Attorneys Named Rising Stars by Illinois Super Lawyers

• Aronberg Goldgehn Appoints New Practice Group Chairs

• Aronberg Goldgehn Attorneys Named 2015 Illinois Super Lawyers and Rising Stars in Illinois

• Lisa Brodsky, Tim Nelson and Amy Gibson Elected New Members

• Employment Law Update - Ban the Box Law Coming to Illinois

• Amy Rapoport Gibson to Present Winning the "Battle of the Forms" to Association of Corporate Counsel

• Amber LaFevers, Tim Nelson and Amy Gibson Named Rising Stars By Illinois Super Lawyers

• Amy Gibson, Tim Nelson and Julie Neubauer Named Rising Stars by Illinois Super Lawyers

• Seven Aronberg Goldgehn Attorneys Named 2013 Illinois ‘Super Lawyers' and ‘Rising Stars' in Illinois

• Lisa Brodsky and Amy Rapoport Gibson Win ERISA Appeal in 8th Circuit Court

• Seven Aronberg Goldgehn Attorneys Named 2012 Illinois ‘Super Lawyers' and ‘Rising Stars' in Illinois

• Bankruptcy Alert - A Judgment for Violation of the City of Chicago Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance May Not be Dischargeable in Bankruptcy

• Four Aronberg Goldgehn Attorneys Selected as 2011 Illinois Super Lawyers and Two Aronberg Attorneys Named 2011 Rising Stars in Illinois

• Aronberg Goldgehn Attorneys Selected as 2010 Illinois Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

• Christopher Bannon and Amy Rapoport Gibson Win New Jersey Coverage Case

• Amy Rapoport Gibson Successfully Argued a Motion to Dismiss and Obtained Dismissal, with Prejudice, of a Lawsuit Against our Client

• Christopher Bannon and Amy Rapoport Gibson Obtain Summary Judgment for Real Estate E&O Liability Insurer

• Christopher Bannon and Amy Rapoport Gibson Obtain Judgment in Dispute over Claims-Made Insurance