Peterson, Kraig S.

Richard Cowen concentrates his practice in the areas of complex commercial litigation, including real estate, employment and trust and estate matters. He represents both plaintiffs as well as defendants in a wide range of matters at trial, and in arbitration.

Representative Matters:

The majority of Mr. Cowen's representation is on behalf of individuals and small to medium size corporations and partnerships. Some examples of his experience in commercial litigation include:

• Successfully Representing a condo association in claims against its garage operator
• Enforcing client's claims against architects and a general contractor for defective design of a gaming casino
• Establishing developers' rights against municipalities
• Breach of contract actions for goods, services or construction, ranging from claims for tens of thousands to over two and a half million dollars
• Protecting the rights of shareholders or partners; breaking deadlocks in corporate or partnership management
• Cases involving claims of breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, waste
• Enforcing as well as defending against agreements not to compete, and confidential or trade secret information, both on behalf of employers seeking to enforce these agreements and employees in defeating such claims
• Litigating employment contracts, ranging from independent contractor agreements all the way to high level, executive contracts.

Mr. Cowen has represented clients in will contests, both in defending and challenging wills. In addition, claims frequently arise against executors, administrators, trustees and others in positions of trust in situations involving a breach of their fiduciary duties.

Mr. Cowen has litigated matters on behalf of local governments in Cook County and Lake County, Illinois. These cases have involved issues such as the recovery of monies due townships, suits to define the proper scope of elected officials' duties, and defeating litigation aimed at abolishing township governments.

Mr. Cowen also has extensive background and experience in election law in Illinois. He served on the Illinois State Board of Elections for fifteen years where he was elected chairman and vice-chairman during a consecutive four year period. He is currently a member of the Chicago Board of Elections. In both of these capacities he has acted in an administrative law judge role, ruling on challenges to nominating petitions. In private practice, Mr. Cowen has also litigated election law matters both on behalf of candidates, those objecting to candidate's petitions, and as counsel to electoral boards.