Representative Matters

Appellate
• While serving on the Illinois Appellate Court, Justice Palmer authored hundreds of decisions addressing issues across the entire spectrum of civil and criminal law and also participated in many other decisions by concurrence, special concurrence, and dissent.

  • Served on a panel of three retired judges to hear an arbitration appeal of an arbitration award for violation of state usury and deceptive practice laws.
  • Served on a panel of three retired judges to hear an arbitration appeal of an arbitration award regarding claims by a corporate cardmember against a credit card issuer for losses due to fraudulent charges.
Business Commercial
• • Arbitrated contractual dispute between a nationwide hardware chain and a product supplier involving claims of breach of contract and breach of warranty.
  • Arbitrated contractual dispute between a corporation and a nationwide health care provider.
  • Arbitrated claims of violation of the state deceptive practices act and odometer fraud against an automobile dealer.
  • Arbitrated dispute between doctors formerly of the same medical practice over compensation, including claims of breach of contract, violation of the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act, and for accounting.
  • Served as chair of a tripartite arbitration involving a dispute between a medical device supplier and a medical device manufacturer regarding allegations of device failure causing injury liability and loss of inventory.
  • Mediated a dispute over the sale of a multi-national restaurant chain bakery supply business.
  • Mediated several breach of contract cases regarding large corporate software implementation issues.
  • Presided over the appeal of a dispute between a depositor and a national banking institution.
  • Presided over claims concerning the recapture of funds misdirected to a depositor by a major banking institution.
Class Action & Mass Tort
• • Arbitrated several matters involving claims of fraud and breach of contract brought by students against a nationally known university as part of a mass arbitration filing.
  • Mediated and arbitrated claims pursuant to the Armstrong World Industries Asbestos Trust and DII Asbestos Trust, national bankruptcy trust asbestos-related injury claims.
  • Mediated numerous class actions brought under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA).
  • Mediated numerous class actions brought under the Illinois Biometric Privacy Act (BIPA).
  • Mediated numerous class actions brought as a result of data breaches.
Cybersecurity & Privacy
• • Arbitrated claim of violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) during student loan debt collection.
  • Selected to arbitrate several claims brought under the Illinois Biometric Privacy Act (BIPA).
  • Mediated numerous class actions brought under the TCPA.
  • Mediated numerous class actions brought under the BIPA.
  • Mediated numerous class actions brought as a result of data breaches.
Employment Law
• • Arbitrated claims brought by a bank employee against a Chicago bank and its President and CEO. The Claimant brought claims of violation of the Family and Medical Leave Act, violation of the Arizona Paid Sick Leave Act, Intentional Interference with Business Expectancies, False Light Invasion of Privacy, and Defamation. The Respondents counterclaimed for violation of restrictive covenants.
  • Arbitrated a dispute between a major real estate investment entity and its employee. The entity alleged misappropriation of trade secrets as defined in the Defend Trade Secrets Act and breach of fiduciary duty. The employee counterclaimed for breach of contract regarding failure to pay compensation due to investments.
  • Mediated several employment-related matters, including claims of breach of restrictive covenants and violation of the Illinois Trade Secrets Act and the Federal Defend Trade Secrets Act, as well as wrongful discharge and related defamation, breach of contract, and wage payment claims.
  • Presided over many cases involving claims of violation of restrictive covenants and misappropriation of trade secrets. The claims often sought damages, temporary restraining orders, and permanent injunctions.
Estate Probate Trusts
• • Arbitrated trust/probate dispute among family members and related LLC dispute concerning a multi-million-dollar family business upon the death of the founding family member.
  • Presided over many cases involving trust disputes.
Governmental & Public Agency
• • Mediated multiple Attorney General initiated matters regarding violations of the TCPA and the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Practices Act in the area of alternative electricity providers.
  • Presided over many cases involving administrative review of the actions of local governments in the areas of zoning, permitting, and pension claims.
Insurance
• • Served as an arbitrator in tripartite arbitration regarding an insurance coverage dispute between multiple insurers.
  • Presided over many cases involving insurance coverage, duties to defend, excess coverage, primary and secondary other insurance, as well as other insurance issues.
Personal Injury
• • Arbitrated personal injury action brought against a recreational center.
  • Mediated and arbitrated claims pursuant to the Armstrong World Industries Asbestos Trust and DII Asbestos Trust, national bankruptcy trust asbestos-related injury claims.
  • Mediated defamation claim brought by a noted professor against a major university.
  • Mediated third party liability for workplace injury against a major big-box retailer.
Product Liability
• • Served as chair of a tripartite arbitration involving a dispute between a medical device supplier and a medical device manufacturer regarding allegations of device failure causing injury liability and loss of inventory.
  • Mediated product liability case involving a surgical instrument that allegedly failed, causing injury to a patient.
Professional Liability
• • Selected by party-appointed side arbitrators to serve as the Chair of a tripartite arbitration involving claims of legal malpractice against a large Chicago law firm. The claims included legal malpractice, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract, and fraud regarding the firm’s handling of an underlying intellectual property case. The claims ultimately involved a demand for as much as $40 million. The arbitration hearing lasted 15 days and involved the testimony of attorneys, corporate representatives, experts in manufacturing, standard of care, and damages. Hundreds of exhibits, including technical drawings, were admitted.
  • Arbitrated multiple claims for unpaid fees brought by a law firm against its clients.
  • Mediated matter involving allegations of accounting malpractice regarding Rule 1031 exchanges and ultimate tax liability.
  • Presided over many cases involving legal fee and referral fee disputes. Additionally, while on the Appellate Court, Justice Palmer authored a major opinion in the medical malpractice field involving the scope of the Good Samaritan Act. This opinion was ultimately affirmed by the Illinois Supreme Court.
Real Property
• • Arbitrated dispute between neighboring condominium associations regarding pro rata shares of assessments.
  • Mediated dispute over the sale of a multimillion-dollar home and allegations of failure to disclose defects.
  • Mediated dispute over the sale of a Bed and Breakfast and allegations of failure to disclose zoning issues and other defects.
  • Mediated several matters concerning the dissolution of real estate partnerships.