c 312.508.5589 @ rosenblatt@grpls.com
Jon has served as lead counsel for the State of Illinois and for labor unions, healthcare providers, whistleblowers, and other individuals and entities in over 50 state and federal court actions, as well as appearing before various governmental boards, agencies, and commissions. He is a member of the federal trial bar.
In addition to his litigation experience, he has drafted, provided counsel, and testified in support of numerous pieces of legislation and developed and implemented labor and anti-corruption policy initiatives on behalf of the Office of the Illinois Attorney General. He also served as the Attorney General’s representative during the negotiation and successful resolution of high-profile disputes involving citizens, labor unions, business entities, executive branch agencies, elected officials, and local, state, and federal law enforcement authorities.
Between 2007 and 2012, Jon served as Labor Counsel and later Supervisor of the State Anti-Fraud Enforcement (“S.A.F.E.”) task force for Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan.
As Labor Counsel, he worked closely with executive branch agencies, elected officials, local governmental bodies, and business entities, with respect to the application and enforcement of Illinois labor laws, including the Wage Payment and Collection Act, the Prevailing Wage Act, and the Employee Classification Act.
He also met regularly with representatives of organized labor and worker rights organizations to improve the State’s ability to identify and affirmatively address labor law violations and to coordinate public campaigns to combat such violations.
As Supervisor of S.A.F.E., he coordinated efforts to combat fraud and abuse in the healthcare, finance and securities, labor, and public contracting sectors, both internally and with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. He also counseled executive branch agencies and elected officials and various inspectors general throughout Illinois, and worked with state procurement officials to investigate and address violations of laws governing State contracts.
While in private practice, Jon has served as counsel for a wide range of entities, including labor organizations, media companies, and healthcare providers, and represented numerous clients subject to investigation by state and federal government agencies. He has also served as counsel in Illinois False Claims Act actions alleging fraud in the healthcare, public contracting, and higher education areas, and in civil rights lawsuits against public bodies alleging first amendment and equal protection violations, as well as wrongful convictions.
REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS
LITIGATION & INVESTIGATIONS
• Counsel in People of the State of Illinois v. Blagojevich, which sought temporary removal of the former Governor by the Illinois Supreme Court. Provided counsel to State officials on impeachment issues.
• Counsel in Committee for a Fair and Balanced Map v. Illinois State Board of Elections and The League of Women Voters v. Quinn, successfully defending Illinois General Assembly’s 2011 re-drawing of both Congressional and State electoral districts from Voting Rights Act and constitutional challenges before three judge federal panels.
• Lead counsel in Construction and General Laborers’ District Counsel of Chicago & Vicinity v. Illinois Department of Labor, which successfully obtained court order requiring the Illinois Department of Labor to post accurate Illinois prevailing wage rates for all classifications.
• Served as representative of Office of Illinois Attorney General while working with various U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the City of Chicago on federal, Illinois, and City of Chicago false claims act investigations and prosecutions.
• Lead counsel in action on behalf of Illinois State Board of Education to remove the Superintendent of the Suburban Cook County Regional Office of Education for financial misconduct. Matter was successfully resolved with Superintendent’s resignation from elected office.
• Represented the State of Illinois in proceedings before the Executive Ethics Commission against former elected officials and employees who violated the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act, including serving as lead counsel in the Office of the Illinois Attorney General’s first successful objection under the Act’s revolving door prohibition.
• Counsel for plaintiff in trial against two FBI Agents for falsifying evidence that led to the plaintiff’s since-overturned conviction and death sentence. Trial resolved with $6.6 million verdict for plaintiff.
• Counsel for plaintiffs in multiple civil suits regarding torture by Chicago Area 2 police officers. Cases successfully resolved in multi-million dollar settlement.
LEGISLATION & POLICY INITIATIVES
Jon drafted and provided counsel and testimony in support of legislation that strengthened various Illinois statutes, including the following:
• City of Chicago Minimum Wage and Paid Sick Leave Ordinances
• State Officials and Employees Ethics Act
• Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act
EDUCATION
Jon earned his B.A. in History from Dartmouth College in 1994 and his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School in 1999.
PERSONAL
A fly-fishing guide prior to attending law school, Jon is also an amateur photographer whose work has been featured in Chicago Magazine and Time Out Chicago.