Patrick Dolan

patrick d. dolan

FOUNDING PARTNER

C: (847) 902-1939

A man wearing glasses and a suit and tie is smiling.

Patrick D. Dolan has practiced employment and related business law for executives and companies since he began his legal career more than two decades ago in California. Mr. Dolan represents executives nationwide in matters involving harassment, discrimination, and retaliation. Mr. Dolan also has many years of experience negotiating complex executive employment, compensation and separation agreements, and litigating a variety of related contract and tort claims in federal and state courts as well as administrative proceedings. He also has extensive experience drafting, negotiating and litigating restrictive covenant agreements for individuals and companies in states around the country seeking damages and injunctive relief involving non-compete clauses, non-solicitation provisions and non-disclosure agreements. He also drafts and negotiates independent contractor/service agreements.

Mr. Dolan has extensive experience counseling and representing ownership and management in litigation involving shareholder and partnership disputes. These disputes often include asserted violations of partnership agreements; operating agreements or bylaws; fiduciary duties; and shareholder rights. Mr. Dolan also assists his clients with fraud and deceptive business practices, business succession disputes, partnership breakups, and family-owned business disagreements.

In addition, Mr. Dolan’s international practice provides daily counseling, advice and litigating representation to management level employees and companies of all sizes on a broad range of issues including discrimination and harassment, retaliation, disabilities, leaves of absence, wage and hour, reductions in force, code of conduct, policies, hiring, discipline and termination, and employment related due diligence issues of mergers and acquisitions. He prepares agreements related to employment issues for domestic companies doing business in foreign jurisdictions with employees, consultants or contractors throughout the world. Mr. Dolan provides legal representation in nationwide federal, state and administrative courts involving business, partnership and shareholder disputes. He partners with companies to develop and implement employment policies and practices. He also provides internal educational and training seminars.

Mr. Dolan’s clients have included executives, individuals and companies in a variety of industries including retailers, investment banks, private equity groups, law firms, advertising agencies, technology and social media companies, airlines, churches, and health care companies.

professional background

Prior to co-founding Conti & Dolan, LLC, Mr. Dolan co-founded the Chicago employment law firm Siegel & Dolan, Ltd. several years ago and previously worked in the employment law practice group at the global law firm Baker & McKenzie in San Diego and Chicago. In addition, he was a member of the national Labor & Employment practice group’s Steering Committee, while a partner at Hinshaw & Culbertson, in the firm’s Chicago and San Francisco offices.

Mr. Dolan has also gained considerable business and legal experience while acting as general counsel to a national retail company for five years. Prior to joining Hinshaw, Mr. Dolan had his own law firm where he provided counsel and litigation representation to executives, businesses and individuals in a wide variety of employment law, partnership and business related matters.

Professional Affiliations

American Bar Association, Member
California State Bar Association, Member
Chicago Bar Association, Member
Illinois State Bar Association, Member

Honors & Awards

Illinois Super Lawyers, 2018-2023
Leading Lawyer, 2015-2023
Recognized by his peers as a “Leading Lawyer” in the category of Employment Law: Management in 2015 and 2016
Managing Editor, Wisconsin Law Review
Law Clerk, The Honorable Justice William Bablitch, Wisconsin Supreme Court

MEDIA

Regular Guest on WGN Radio
"Let's Get Legal" with Jon Hansen
"The Karen Conti Show"

Education

J.D., University of Wisconsin Law School, 1992
B.A., University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1988

Admissions

California
Illinois
U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California

Presentations

Lecturer, Employment Agreements, Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, 2021-Present
"Avoiding HR Legal Landmines”, National Business Institute, Naperville, Illinois, September 27, 2017
“Misclassification: Employee or Independent Contractor? The Risks of Getting it Wrong”, National Hinshaw Webinar, November 2015
“The Labor & Employment Year in Review”, Hinshaw’s Annual Labor & Employment Seminar, Hoffman Estates, Illinois, October 2015
“Sex, Drugs and Gun Control: Today’s Headlines in Your Workplace,” and “The Labor & Employment Year in Review”, Hinshaw’s Annual Labor & Employment Seminar, Hoffman Estates, Illinois, October 2015.
“Employment Agreements: Providing Certainty During and After an Employment Relationship,” Hinshaw’s Annual Labor & Employment Seminar, Hoffman Estates, Illinois, October 2014.
“Ultimate Guide to Business Contracts,” Webcast, National Business Institute, July 2014.
“Avoiding and Defending Claims of Retaliation,” Council on Education in Management, Chicago, Illinois, September 2012.
“Taking on the Toughest Investigation Challenges,” Council on Education in Management Seminar—Solving Complex Employment Law and HR Problems in Illinois, Oak Brook, Illinois, June 2009.
“Policies and Practices to Avoid Sexual Harassment Liability,” New York, New York, April 2009.
“Avoiding Claims of Harassment,” New York, New York, January 1999.
“Loss Prevention and Risk Management of Employment-Related Liabilities,” American Conference Institute Seminar—Employment Practices Liability Insurance, New York, New York, September 1998.
“Avoiding and Investigating Sexual Harassment Claims,” Marian College, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, October 1997.
“Avoiding Claims of Discrimination,” Chicago, Illinois, August 1996.
“Avoiding and Investigating Claims of Sexual Harassment,” Anaheim, California, March 1996.
“Workplace Violence,” San Diego County Bar Association, San Diego, California, February 1996.

Publications

“Dealing with In-House Conflicts of Interest,” DRI’s For the Defense, November 2001.

WEBINAR: Hinshaw’s Employee Misclassification Webinar Series, October 13, 2015

Patrick Dolan Quoted in Corporate Counsel Article on Privacy Issues, May 14, 2014

Employment Law Observer, blog posts

9th Circuit: Because of Simple Contract Oversight, Executive Must Arbitrate Separation Dispute
It May Be A Lawyer Doing Work At A Law Firm…But Don’t Call It ‘Legal Work’
That’s A Lotta Cheddar: Pizza Chain Pays Big to End Background Check Case
Of Interest: U.S. Supreme Court Finds Constitutional Support For Same-Sex Marriage
WDW Not the ‘Happiest Place on Earth’ for Some Disney Performers
Wilting Under A White-Hot Spotlight, Saks Settles Transgender Case
Abercrombie & Fitch Doesn’t Look Too Good To Supreme Court
U.S. Supreme Court Denies Employees’ Security Screening Compensation Claims
No Class Action Waivers in Arbitration Agreements, Says NLRB
EEOC Fails Again in its Effort to Bring a Disparate Impact Claim Based on Background Checks
Sixth Circuit: Retaliation Claim Fails if Decision-Maker is Unaware of Complaints