Howard K. Jeruchimowitz concentrates his practice on commercial litigation, with an emphasis on real estate and construction litigation, business and shareholder litigation, HUD marketing and management contracts, and insurance/reinsurance disputes. He has represented clients in a wide range of complex business litigation, arbitration and trials in both state and federal courts.
Areas of Concentration
· Litigation
· Complex commercial litigation
· Real estate and resorts litigation
· Business/shareholder litigation
· Insurance/reinsurance
· Government litigation
· Construction litigation
Significant Representations
· General Representation
- Representation of independent contractors of the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) that assist HUD in the management and selling of low-income housing in a wide range of litigation in both state and federal courts, including, but not limited to, administrative, contract, discrimination, and constitutional issues.
· Real Estate and Construction Litigation
- Handle construction-related matters for the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority related to Cellular One Ballpark.
- Representation of owners, general contractors and lenders in construction disputes and mechanics liens, including a significant lender in the multi-million dollar lien dispute of the Palmolive Building in Chicago.
- Handle lease disputes related to shopping centers for companies including Sears, Roebuck & Co. and Kimco Realty Corporation.
- Obtained summary judgment in a declaratory judgment action for Saks, Inc., allowing it to exercise an early termination option as the anchor tenant of a mall, saving it over $2.5 million of potential lease payments.
- Obtained final dismissal for a commercial property owner of luxury hotels of contract and tort claims brought by a former project manager and general contractor in Arizona and Missouri federal courts after its termination from a $125 million construction project.
· Insurance/Reinsurance Litigation
- Obtained summary judgment on behalf of a GE subsidiary reinsurer in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois with respect to the late notice of approximately $10 million of Personal Injury Protection claims under the parties' long-standing reinsurance treaty.
- Defended, as part of litigation team, the State of Illinois and the Illinois Department of Insurance against a multi-million dollar challenge to insurance taxes on out-of-state insurance companies before the Illinois State Court and the Appellate Court.
- Represented, as part of litigation team, a French reinsurance company in an arbitration and favorable settlement on claims of rescission and misrepresentation against the reinsurer with respect to disclosure requirements and treaty violations.
- Assisted in the representation of a luxury hotel property owner in a coverage dispute for over $70 million in property and business interruption coverage with London insurers following hurricane damage to a luxury hotel.
· Miscellaneous Litigation
- Argued before the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals on a packaging trademark violation.
- Obtained preliminary injunction/specific performance on behalf of a sausage casing company under the U.C.C. for production under output contracts.
- Obtained judgment for a broker in a FINRA (NASD) arbitration against claims of breach of confidentiality, trade secret and misappropriation claims.
- Representation of a property owner in favorable just compensation award against pipeline company at trial before federal court-appointed commission.
· Key Reported Decisions
- International Casings Group, Inc. v. Premium Standard Farms, Inc., 358 F. Supp. 2d 863 (W.D. Mo. 2005)
- Allstate Insurance Co. v. Employers Reinsurance Corp., 441 F. Supp. 2d 865 (N.D. Ill. 2005)
· Pro Bono
- Co-authored an amicus brief on behalf of the Anti-Defamation League regarding the interpretation of the Illinois Anti-SLAPP Statute in Shoreline Towers Condominium Assoc. v Deborah Gassman, Case No. 07CH06273.
- Represented the charging parties in mediation before the EEOC in conjunction with the Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights.
Professional & Community Involvement
· Anti-Defamation League
- Member, Civil Rights Executive Committee
- Former Co-chair, Glass Leadership Institute
- Civil Rights Advisory Committee
- Assist in Greenberg Traurig's sponsorship of the Chicago Tribune/ADL First Amendment Essay Contest
· Chicago Bar Association
- Commercial Litigation Committee
· Illinois State Bar Association
· American Bar Association
· Republican Jewish Coalition
- Steering Committee
Awards & Recognition
· Listed, Super Lawyers magazine, Illinois Super Lawyers "Rising Star" (2012)
· Team Member, Law360 "Employment Practice Group of the Year" (2011)
· Recipient, Greenberg Traurig Outstanding Pro Bono Service Award (2009)
· Listed, The Legal 500 United States (2008-2009)
· Recipient, "Young Lawyer Award," Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (2003)
· Recipient, Certificate for Outstanding Service and Dedication to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as intern for the Office of Victim Assistance (1993)
Articles, Publications, & Lectures
Articles
· Mentioned, "Leaders of the Future..." The Chicago Jewish News, August 29, 2008
· Mentioned, "Fall-out from mezuzah case impacted by new law," Chicago Jewish Star, April 4 - 10, 2008
· Author, Student Note, "Tobacco Advertisements and Commercial Speech Balancing: A Potential Cancer to Truthful, Non-Misleading Advertisements of Lawful Products," 82:3 Cornell Law Review 432, 1997
Lectures
· Panelist for first year students on "The Importance of Legal Writing in Law Firms and Corporate Practice," as part of the Communication Legal Reasoning Program at Northwestern University School of Law