Aaron Maduff

Prior to entering law school at the University of Iowa, Aaron B. Maduff had a background in rape victim advocacy. This naturally led to a legal career in sexual harassment, employment discrimination, and other civil rights law and employment law. Aaron’s practice is not limited to employment law, however. He is an active appellate attorney handling Constitutional, Criminal, and Military, as well as employment. His employment practice currently includes not only sexual harassment and employment discrimination cases, but runs the full panoply of employment and civil rights claims from Overtime and Unpaid Wages to Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) claims; from non-compete and trade secret claims, to negotiating all manner of employment agreements, including executive compensation agreements and even ex- patriot agreements.

Aaron holds the highest possible Martindale-Hubbell peer review rating: AV (Very High to Preeminent, “AV Peer Review Rating – shows that a lawyer has reached the height of professional excellence. He or she has usually practiced law for many years, and is recognized for the highest levels of skill and integrity.”) See Martindale-Hubbell Ratings.

Aaron has been selected to Super Lawyers by Chicago Magazine for 2007, 2009-2010, 2012-2026. Aaron has also been listed with the National Trial Lawyers: Top 100 since 2013. As of January 1, 2008, he was Board Certified as a Specialist in Labor and Employment Law by the State of Ohio. (Since only Ohio, Texas, and Florida recognize specialties, Aaron may be the only attorney in Illinois with such a certification.)

He has extensive trial and appellate experience in both employment cases (Overtime, FMLA, Discrimination) and police misconduct cases, as well as having worked on cases before the Supreme Court of the United States and the Supreme Court of Illinois. Aaron is frequently called upon to prepare amicus (friend of the court) briefs and has filed such briefs before the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, the Illinois Supreme Court, and the Indiana Supreme Court, among others.

In 1989, Aaron was recognized as a Congressional Young Leader, and in 1990, he was elected as a delegate to the Illinois State Democratic Convention. Aaron has testified before both the Illinois Senate and House on Employment Discrimination laws and has extensive legislative experience, including drafting portions of the Illinois Equal Pay Act of 2003.

Aaron is the current author of James Publishing’s Litigating Sexual Harassment and Sex Discrimination Cases.

Aaron is also active in the legal community, having served as:

• Chicago Bar Association – Labor and Employment Law Committee, Chair
• Illinois State Bar Association – Section Council for Labor and Employment Law
• National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA) – National Executive Board (elected in 2006)
• National Membership Committee, Co-Chair
• National Legislative and Public Policy Committee, Member
• Americans with Disabilities Act Task Force, Member
• NELA/Illinois (the Illinois Affiliate) Vice-President; and Legislative Liaison
• Amicus (friend of the court) Committee, Chair
• Legislative Committee, Chair
• Michael Lefkow Memorial Fund, Board Member

In addition to his legislative and organizational activities, Aaron periodically serves in an educational capacity. He has made several presentations to students and attorneys alike on topics relevant to discrimination and litigation, some of which are listed below and available in PDF format. In addition, Aaron has often served as a judge for moot court competitions (appellate cases for law students) and moot trial competitions for both the American Bar Association and the Chicago Bar Association.

He is a member of the National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA) and its Illinois and Ohio Affiliates (NELA/Illinois and Ohio Employment Lawyers Association respectively), the American Association for Justice (AAJ) (formerly ATLA), the American Bar Association (ABA), the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA), the Colorado State Bar Association, the District of Columbia Bar Association, and the Chicago Bar Association (CBA).

Some of Aaron’s many presentations and papers include the following:

• “A Hypothetical Case,” presented to Law Bulletin Seminars, November 2007.
• “Punitive Damages in Employment Cases,” presented to the National Employment Lawyers’ Association annual convention, Puerto Rico, June 2007.
• “Conveying Your Message: Themes, Metaphors, and Dramatic Cues,” presented to the National Employment Lawyers Association 7th Circuit Conference, February 2007.
• “Legislative Action and Lobbying for NELA Affiliates,” presented to the National Employment Lawyers Association, Affiliate Leadership Workshop, San Francisco, CA, June 2006, Philadelphia, PA, June 2005, San Antonio, Texas, June 2004.
• “Preparing Your Employment Case Part II: Trial and Appeal” presented to the Chicago Bar Association, May 2006.
• “Sealing the Deal: Making Your Closing Argument” presented to the National Employment Lawyers Association, 7th Circuit Conference, March 2006.
• “How to Get and Keep the Trial Results You Want,” presented to the Indianapolis Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Committee, December 2005.
• “Notice And An Opportunity To Be Heard: Due Process Rights of Public School Teachers and Students,” presented to the Wisconsin State Bar, April 2005. Download and read. (105k pdf download)
• “Punitive Damages: Getting Them From Juries and Keeping Them From Courts,” presented to the National Employment Lawyers Association, March 2005. Download and read. (93k pdf download)
• “Winning from Word One: Constructing A Strong Opening Statement,” presented to the National Employment Lawyers Association, 7th Circuit Conference, March 2005. Download and read. (36k pdf download)
• “Secrets to Million Dollar Verdicts: Opening Statements, Closing Arguments, and Lay Witness Testimony,” presented to the National Employment Lawyers Association, 2004. Download and read. (144k pdf download)
• “The Secrets to Strong Opening Statements,” presented to the Chicago Bar Association and to the National Employment Lawyers Association, Illinois Chapter, 2004.
• “The Basics of Sexual Harassment,” prepared for Legal IQ’, 2004. Download and read. (60k pdf download)
• “Employment Law and 42 U.S.C. 1983,” presented to the National Employment Lawyers Association, Illinois Chapter, 2003.
• “Origins of Title VII,” presented at Cornell College, 2003. Download and read. (268k pdf download)