I counsel businesses on how to avoid and win legal disputes.

Ms. Carpenter is a trial lawyer and litigator in the Firm's Chicago office. Her practice focuses on complex products liability, employment, and commercial litigation matters for national clients across the manufacturing, construction, technology, merchandising, marketing, medical, real estate, intellectual property, and retail industries. She has a unique ability that assists juries in understanding and empathizing with her clients.

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Services

Business Litigation

In courtrooms, agencies, and tribunals across the country, we pursue our clients’ interests–both cost-effectively and with positive results.

Credentials

Education

  • The John Marshall Law School, 2007
    • J.D.
  • University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2004
    • B.A., Economics, Political Science

Memberships

  • American Bar Foundation, Fellow
  • American Bar Association
  • Chicago Bar Association
    • Judicial Evaluation Committee, Investigator
  • Illinois State Bar Association
  • Illinois Judges Foundation
    • Board of Directors 
    • Lawyers Auxiliary Committee
  • Diversity Scholarship Foundation
  • Women's Bar Association of Illinois
  • Coalition on Women's Initiatives in Law
  • American Bar Foundation, Fellow

Admissions

  • Illinois, 2007
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan, 2018
  • U.S. District Court, District of Colorado, 2017
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin, 2016
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit, 2015
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
    • Trial Bar, 2014
    • General Bar, 2008
  • U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois, 2011
  • Illinois Supreme Court, 2007

Professional Achievements

  • Illinois Leading Lawyers: "Leading Women Lawyers," 2023
  • Illinois Leading Lawyers, 2022
  • Illinois Super Lawyers, "Rising Stars," 2013-2022
  • Chicago Daily Law Bulletin and Chicago Lawyer, "40 Illinois Attorneys Under Forty to Watch," 2021
  • Illinois Leading Lawyers, "Emerging Lawyers," 2015-2021
  • "Investigation, Testing, and Privacy." Supplement. Co-author, Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, January 2013; 2018; 2022.
  • "Pleadings, Motions, and Orders." Supplement. Class Actions, Co-author, Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, 2010.
  • 2010 Supplement. Class Actions, Co-editor, Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, April 2010.
  • "Manufacturers Not Complying With Toxics in Packaging Laws Face Stiff Fines and Retailers' Bans Under State Laws." Toxics Law Reporter, Bloomberg, December 2009.

Experience

Representative Matters

  • Lead trial counsel in a Title VII action where the jury found our corporate client not culpable of sexual harassment. Edit
  • Represented a plaintiff in a civil rights case resulting in a $1.15MM judgment for our client following a nine-day jury trial.

    Edit
  • Served as trial counsel in a breach of contract construction-related dispute, which resulted in a $500,000 judgment for our client following a five-day bench trial. Edit
  • Favorably negotiated a settlement resulting in a Consent Foreclosure Judgment on behalf of a lender. Edit
  • Defended three pro bono clients against criminal felony charges and obtained a dismissal order. Edit
  • Successfully obtained emergency relief in the form of a temporary restraining order against a defendant to prevent it from drawing down on a $7MM letter of credit.

    Edit
  • Achieved dismissal on behalf of a financial institution against a borrower's slander of title and negligence causes of action. Edit
  • Obtained a voluntary dismissal of claims against the world's largest supplier of filters and filtration products. Edit

Presentations

  • Illinois Institute for Continuing Education, "Employment Termination: Employer Obligations and Workplace Considerations," June 2022, authorship contributions. 
  • Peoria Magazines, 2020 Women of Influence Forum, "Don't Count Us Out Yet," December 2, 2020, webinar.
  • Chicago Bar Association, Commercial Litigation Committee, "Defending Rule 30(b)(6) Depositions," June 28, 2017, Chicago, IL.
  • Private presentations on, "Avoiding Sexual Harassment Claims in the #MeToo Era," January, 2019, IL.