Attorney Profiles

Alisa B. Arnoff

Chicago, Illinois

Phone:
Fax:
Email:

(312) 629-0546
(312) 629-0550
aba@sacounsel.com

Alisa is the firm's only Chicago native, and you can definitely hear it in her accent. She received both her undergraduate and law degrees from Loyola University – Chicago, getting her English degree while on a combined swimming/academic scholarship. She concentrates her practice almost exclusively in the area of employment, labor and education law.

SELECTED BAR MEMBERSHIPS, PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND HONORS

Admitted to practice in the State of Illinois.
Admitted to practice in federal district courts for the Northern and Central Districts of Illinois, Eastern District of Wisconsin.
Admitted to practice before the Third, Sixth, Seventh and Eleventh Circuit Courts of Appeal.
College of Labor & Employment Lawyers (elected 2010).
Illinois "Super Lawyer" in Area of Employment Law (multiple years) and Top Women Lawyers in Illinois (2011-20).
American Bar Association, Section of Labor & Employment Lawyers – National Co-Chair (Management), Law Student Trial Advocacy Competition.
Member, International Association of Fire Chiefs Bullying, Harassment and Workplace Violence Task Group (2017- )
Appointed, 2012, to the Illinois State Bar Association Special Committee on Fair and Impartial Courts, now the Future of the Courts Committee.
Award for Excellence in Pro Bono Service from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the Chicago Chapter of the Federal Bar Association (2011).
Member of the Illinois State (Illinois Bar Journal Editorial Board) and American Bar Associations (Member, Labor & Employment (Employment Rights & Responsibilities Subcommittee), Litigation, Law Practice Management Sections).
Former Editor-in-Chief, Illinois Bar Journal Editorial Board.
Past Chair of Illinois State Bar Association's Labor & Employment Law Section Council.
Former Chair, Human Resources Committee, Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America, Inc.
Martindale-Hubbell® AV Peer Rated.

RECENT PUBLISHED WORKS

“Building and Destroying the Affirmative Defense of ‘Direct Threat” under the ADA,” co-authored with Noah Frank, American Bar Association 12th Annual Section of Labor & Employ-ment Law Annual Meeting, November 2018.
“Accommodating Hidden Disabilities in the Public Safety Sector,” supplementary materials to “Helping Your Clients Understand and Accommodate Invisible Disabilities,” American Bar As-sociation 10th Annual Section of Labor & Employment Law Annual Meeting, November 2016.
Recurring Guest Blogger – Fire Chief Magazine Mutual Aid Blog
"Workplace Defamation Law: The Basics, and Then Some", American Bar Association 6th Annual Labor and Employment Law Section Meeting (November 2012)(Co-author).
"Gender Issues in the Fire Service", 1 FireWork 35, International Association of Women in Fire & Emergency Services (August 2011).
"An Introduction to Ethical Obligations in Using Social Media in Litigation", 134h Annual Employment & Labor Law Short Course, Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education, Chicago, Illinois, (April 2011).

RECENT SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

“You’re not in Kansas Anymore: Discrimination Law & More for the New Company Officer,” Fire-Rescue International Conference/ReIgnite Virtual Conference. October 2020 (pre-recorded).
“Bullying and Workplace Violence Prevention,” IAFC Health Safety and Survival Virtual Training Day, September 25, 2020 [with co-presenter Fire Chief David Emanuel](pre-recorded).
“LGBT Rights in the Workplace,” Southeastern Association of Law Schools 2020 Conference, Fort Lauderdale, FL August 4, 2020 [Panel Member].
“Sexual Harassment Prevention Training for Mental Health Professionals,” The Chicago School of Professional Psychology Institute for Professional & Continuing Studies, July 30, 2020 (conducted remotely).
“COVID-19: Managing Reasonable Accommodation Requests under the ADA”, American Bar As-sociation Commission on Disability Rights, July 28, 2020 (conducted remotely) [Employer repre-sentative on panel].
“Employee Handbook 2020: Review, Revise, Repeat! Not Again…,” Employment Law Update, MRA-The Management Association, Palatine, IL January 30, 2020.
“Inquiring Minds Want to Know - Ask the Attorney!” Employment Law Update, MRA-The Man-agement Association, Palatine, IL January 30, 2020 [Panel Member].
“Workplace Bullying: Legal Implications and Exposure,” Illinois Human Rights Commission’s Lunch & Learn Series, Chicago, IL September 16, 2019.
“Firehouse Law: I Can Do What I Want Off-Duty, Right?” Fire-Rescue International Conference, Atlanta, GA August 9, 2019 [with co-presenter John Rukavina].
“From Bullying to Respect: A Conversation,” Fire-Rescue International Conference, Atlanta, GA August 8, 2019 [Panel Member].
“Surviving Your EEO Obligations as a New Company Officer,” Fire-Rescue International Confer- ence, Atlanta, GA August 7, 2019.
“Investigating the Personnel Fire without Getting Burned,” Fire-Rescue International Conference, Atlanta, GA August 7, 2019 [with co-presenter John Rukavina].
“The Strategy & Tactics of Confronting Bullies – Effectively.” 49th Annual Symposium, Illinois Fire Chiefs Association, East Peoria, IL May 16, 2019.
“Investigating the Personnel Fire without Getting Burned,” Podcast to promote upcoming Fire- Res-cue International program, taped April 10, 2019 - access at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/iafcpodcasts/2019/04/11/off-duty-conduct-i-can-do-what-i-want-right.
“The Strategy & Tactics of Confronting Bullies – Safely & Courageously,” Women in Fire/FDIC, Indianapolis, IN April 8, 2019 [with co-presenter Katherine Ridenhour].
“Balancing Workplace Safety with Employee Rights,” American Bar Association 12th Annual Sec-tion of Labor & Employment Law Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA November 9, 2018 [Moder-ator/Employer Representative on panel].
“Your Employee Handbook - Friend or Foe?,” Chicago Roofing Contractors Association, Schaum-burg, IL Sept. 18, 2018.
“Firehouse Law: I Can Do What I Want Off-Duty, Right?,” Fire-Rescue International Conference, Dallas, TX August 9, 2018 [with co-presenter John Rukavina].
“From Buddy to Boss – Surviving Your EEO Responsibility,” Fire-Rescue International Confer- ence, Dallas, TX August 8, 2018.
“Investigating the Personnel Fire without Getting Burned,” Fire-Rescue International Conference, Dallas, TX August 8, 2018 [with co-presenter John Rukavina].
“Legal Perspective and Viewpoint,” Bullying, Harassment and Violence Prevention Symposium, Fire-Rescue International Conference, Dallas, TX August 7, 2018.
“The Strategy & Tactics of Confronting Bullies – Safely & Courageously,” International Women in Fire & Emergency Services Conference, Tyson’s Corner, VA May 24, 2018 [with co-presenter Katherine Ridenhour].
“Hiring, Evaluating & Firing Employees: Fairly--Legally--Defensively,” Small Business Coalition, Bolingbrook Area Chamber of Commerce, Bolingbrook, IL April 27, 2018.
“Genetics, Complicity or Bad Luck? Is there Workplace “Lifestyle” Discrimination? If so, is it Ille-gal?” American Bar Association Section of Labor & Employment Law, Employee Rights and Re-sponsibilities Committee Mid-Winter Meeting, Clearwater Beach, FL March 21, 2018 [Employer Representative on panel].
“Sexual Harassment in the Workplace,” Journal of Women, Gender and the Law Symposium, De-Paul University College of Law, Chicago, IL March 2, 2018 [Employer Representative on panel].
“Introduction to the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act,” 20th Annual Employment Law Update, Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education, Chicago, IL Feb. 22, 2018 [and after-noon moderator].

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

AV Peer Rated, Martindale Hubbell.