John Litchfield is a partner and litigation attorney with Foley & Lardner LLP. His primary practice includes counseling clients on a wide range of disability and employment-related matters, including disability accommodations under Titles I and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act, website and technology accessibility for people with disabilities, public accommodations, sexual harassment and safe workplace compliance, family and medical leave issues, wage and hour compliance, and other state and federal employment laws. John regularly represents employers in federal and state litigation matters relating disability discrimination, FMLA claims, and sexual harassment. John regularly conducts on-site trainings for clients and their employees covering workplace conduct, sexual harassment prevention, diversity and inclusion, and many other topics. John is a member of the firm’s Family Offices, Labor & Employment and Business Litigation & Dispute Resolution Practices and is a leader in the firm’s ADA & FMLA Compliance Team. He is also a member of the Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) Team.
John also works with clients and attorneys in the firm’s Government Enforcement, Compliance & White Collar Defense Practice to respond to government investigations, conduct internal investigations, and litigate disputes. John has also successfully defended clients in False Claims Act and whistleblower litigation.
John also has experience in counseling clients on state and local campaign finance regulations, and has successfully represented clients with disputes before the City of Chicago Department of Procurement Services.
Before joining Foley, John worked as law clerk to Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, where he drafted legislation, assisted the treasurer and chief of staff on litigation matters, and wrote a new internal policy for domestic partner benefits. He also served as federal judicial extern in 2008 to the Honorable Judge Ronald Guzman in the Federal District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
Pro bono work also makes up an important part of John’s practice, including work with victims of persecution and torture seeking asylum in the U.S.
John recently received the National Immigrant Justice Center 2013 Rising Star Award for junior-level attorneys who:
demonstrated extraordinary commitment to ensuring access to justice for immigrants by devoting substantial time to NIJC pro bono work, serving a significant number of NIJC clients, or representing clients with particularly complex cases.
John was a recipient of the 2014 Lynford Lardner Community Service Award in recognition of his volunteer work and civic involvement. He was also awarded the Advocate for Diversity Award by the Diversity Scholarship Foundation in 2014 in Chicago. He has been selected for inclusion in the 2013 - 2018 Illinois Super Lawyers – Rising Stars® lists. John was also awarded the 2011 National LGBT Bar Association's Best LGBT Lawyer Under 40 Award.*
John currently serves as president for the Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago and is a board member of the Equality Illinois Political Action Committee.
John is admitted to practice in Illinois and before the United States District Court for the Northern and Central Districts of Illinois.
*The Illinois Supreme Court does not recognize certifications of specialties in the practice of law and no award or recognition is a requirement to practice law in Illinois.