Keefe, Campbell, Biery & Associates

For businesses, insurers, and self-insured employers across Illinois, navigating the complexities of legal claims and litigation requires a dedicated and experienced defense team. When faced with lawsuits related to workers' compensation, employment disputes, general liability, or complex civil litigation, securing a law firm that truly understands the nuances of defense strategy is paramount. This article aims to provide a clear and informative overview of Keefe, Campbell, Biery & Associates, a Chicago-based law firm that has established a reputation for its commitment to providing civil litigation defense services. We will delve into their operational focus, accessibility, and the specific areas of law they handle, helping you determine if they align with your legal defense needs within the Illinois landscape.

Keefe, Campbell, Biery & Associates is a law firm primarily dedicated to civil litigation defense. Founded with the goal of providing high-quality and cost-effective legal services, they represent self-insured employers, insurance carriers, and businesses facing various types of claims. Unlike firms that represent plaintiffs (the injured party), Keefe, Campbell, Biery & Associates stands on the defense side, working to protect the interests of companies and their insurers. Their practice encompasses a wide array of defense litigation, including general liability, employment claims, construction claims, product liability, and workers' compensation. The firm emphasizes maintaining close ties and open lines of communication with their clients to ensure efficient handling of cases and to avoid excessive or duplicate fees. They are committed to developing unique skills required for challenging, sensitive, and complex cases, and their attorneys possess extensive experience across their defense practice areas. Their familiarity with practice and court procedures has earned them the respect of judges, administrators, and adversaries, and their attorneys practice throughout Illinois and several other Midwest states. This firm is particularly focused on providing clear choices to clients who need defense lawyers, offering a trial practice that handles both judicial and administrative claims before trial and appellate courts, as well as bodies like the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission, Illinois Department of Human Rights, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Keefe, Campbell, Biery & Associates is strategically located in the vibrant city of Chicago, offering excellent accessibility for businesses and clients throughout Illinois. Their office is found at 118 N Clinton St, Chicago, IL 60661, USA. This central downtown location is highly convenient, being well-served by Chicago's extensive public transportation network. Clients can easily reach the office via various CTA train lines and numerous bus routes, making it a practical option for those traveling from different parts of the city and surrounding suburbs without needing a personal vehicle. For those who do drive, the area around their Clinton Street address typically offers various parking garages and street parking options, although it's always advisable to plan ahead given the urban setting. The firm's easily accessible location in the heart of Chicago underscores their commitment to providing convenient service to their clientele, ensuring that clients can readily engage with their legal team for consultations, strategy meetings, and case updates.

Keefe, Campbell, Biery & Associates specializes in civil litigation defense, serving the needs of employers, insurance carriers, and businesses. Their expertise spans several critical areas where companies often require robust legal protection.

• Workers' Compensation Defense: This is a core area of their practice. The firm handles claims for defense only, meaning they represent employers and their insurers against claims filed by injured employees. They possess extensive experience in all matters relating to workers' compensation, including disputes over employer/employee relationships, accident causation, wage disputes, medical bills, temporary total disability, and the nature and extent of injuries. They also handle related civil litigation such as subrogation, recovery of workers' compensation liens, defense of third-party actions, OSHA compliance, retaliatory discharge, and bad faith claims.

• Employment Law Defense: Their attorneys have significant experience defending cases alleging various forms of discrimination (race, sex, age, disability) brought in both federal and state jurisdictions. Beyond discrimination, they handle wrongful termination/retaliatory discharge cases, defamation actions, negligent hiring and retention claims, labor arbitrations, enforcement of restrictive covenants, and the defense of unfair labor practice complaints before agencies like the Illinois Department of Human Rights and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

• General Liability Defense: The firm defends against a broad spectrum of general liability matters. This includes cases involving truck and automobile collisions, slip and fall injuries, homeowners' liability, libel/slander, false arrest, civil rights claims, and malicious prosecution claims. They work to protect businesses and insurers from claims that can arise from various everyday operations or incidents.

• Construction Claims: Keefe, Campbell, Biery & Associates is involved in construction litigation, defending clients in cases arising from contractual disputes, mechanics' liens, breach of warranty, failure of performance, contractor default, and general/subcontractor disputes.

• Product Liability Defense: They defend manufacturers, distributors, vendors, brokers, and all parties in the chain of control against product liability claims, which involve allegations of defective products causing harm.

• Mediation/Arbitration: The firm's attorneys are trained in representing clients for various alternative dispute resolution methods, advising on the appropriateness of mediation or arbitration for specific cases to achieve efficient resolutions.

Keefe, Campbell, Biery & Associates possesses several notable features and highlights that are important for potential clients to consider.

• Defense-Oriented Philosophy: A key highlight is their explicit focus on civil litigation defense. They state that they "take pride in handling claims for defense only" and do not handle claimant cases, ensuring no conflicts of interest in creating law or precedent unfavorable to their defense clients. This clear focus means they are entirely aligned with the goals of employers and insurers.

• Extensive Multi-State Practice: Their attorneys are licensed and practice throughout the State of Illinois, as well as in Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Iowa. This broad jurisdictional reach is a significant advantage for multi-state businesses or insurers.

• Experienced and Respected Attorneys: The firm emphasizes that its attorneys possess extensive experience in civil litigation defense. Their familiarity with practice and court procedures has earned them the "respect of judges, administrators and adversaries," suggesting a level of professionalism and effectiveness that commands recognition within the legal community.

• Commitment to Communication and Efficiency: They are committed to "maintaining close ties and providing open lines of communication with our clients" to ensure the "quickest and most efficient handling of files and elimination of excessive or duplicate fees." This indicates a client-service philosophy aimed at cost-effective and transparent legal representation.

• Strategic Case Management: The firm's approach involves providing a "prompt initial review" to demonstrate the strengths and weaknesses of a case, laying the groundwork for aggressively pursuing defense towards resolution through motion, settlement, or trial. They understand that protracted discovery is costly and strive for informed decision-making.

While specific, ongoing promotions or special offers are not explicitly detailed in the provided public information, it is a standard practice for legal defense firms serving businesses and insurance carriers to offer initial consultations. This allows potential clients to discuss their specific defense needs, understand the firm's approach, and evaluate their suitability without immediate financial commitment. Such consultations are crucial for establishing a working relationship and outlining the scope of potential legal services. For complex defense cases, fee structures are typically discussed and agreed upon during these initial phases, often involving hourly rates, retainers, or other arrangements suitable for corporate or institutional clients. While the provided review mentions billing practices that one individual found disappointing, it's important for potential clients to have a clear discussion about fees and billing expectations upfront. We strongly recommend contacting Keefe, Campbell, Biery & Associates directly to inquire about their consultation process, fee arrangements, and any specific policies they have regarding client engagement and billing transparency.

To connect with Keefe, Campbell, Biery & Associates and discuss your legal defense needs, please use the following contact information:

Address: 118 N Clinton St, Chicago, IL 60661, USA

Phone: (312) 756-1800

Mobile Phone: +1 312-756-1800

Their central Chicago location ensures easy access for clients from across Illinois, and their phone lines provide a direct means of contact to initiate discussions about potential representation.

For businesses, insurers, and self-insured employers operating within Illinois, Keefe, Campbell, Biery & Associates presents a highly suitable and strategic choice for legal defense. Their Chicago office provides a conveniently accessible hub for clients across the state. What truly makes them appropriate for locals, particularly those on the defense side of litigation, is their specialized focus and comprehensive approach to civil litigation defense. Unlike firms that might represent both plaintiffs and defendants, Keefe, Campbell, Biery & Associates clearly aligns with the defense, ensuring their strategies and priorities are solely dedicated to protecting corporate and employer interests. Their extensive experience across workers' compensation, employment law, general liability, construction, and product liability, combined with their multi-state practice, makes them a robust option for organizations with diverse legal defense needs. While the provided review notes a single negative experience regarding billing, it's crucial for prospective clients to engage directly, discuss their needs, and clarify billing practices upfront to ensure alignment. Overall, for any entity in Illinois requiring a focused, experienced, and dedicated legal defense team, Keefe, Campbell, Biery & Associates offers the specialized expertise necessary to navigate complex legal challenges and safeguard your interests.