Hon. James E. Snyder (Ret.) joins JAMS in Chicago following 16 years of distinguished service as an associate judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County. Prior to his retirement in 2023, Judge Snyder presided over a Law Division commercial litigation calendar, including bench and jury proceedings, in matters involving employment, construction, government and whistleblower claims, qui tam and statutory false claims, professional negligence, contract matters, lending and debt.

Judge Snyder has presided over tort matters, including personal injury, medical malpractice and products liability claims, and served as the supervising judge of the circuit court’s Municipal Jury Trial Section and as supervising judge of the court’s Law Division Mandatory Arbitration Program. 

Judge Snyder is a sought-after speaker in employment and fair housing law and is a frequent lecturer on subjects including access to justice, self-represented litigants and combatting implicit bias in legal decision-making.

On the bench, Judge Snyder handled a diverse array of matters, including:

Representative Matters

• Banking
• Adjudication of confirmation and enforcement of an arbitration award in a breach of contract claim between a bank note validation system manufacturer and client.
• Adjudication of a dispute between a commercial real estate lender and guarantor regarding a $11,000,000 personal guarantee.
• Adjudication of breach of substantial breach of contract and equitable claims between a national hotel brand, a national commercial bank and a credit card processing service regarding payment system hacking claims and indemnification obligations to a non-party credit card brand.
• Business & Commercial

Judge Snyder has substantial experience in breach of contract, contract interpretation, fraud, consumer fraud, lending and guaranty, partnership and business equity disputes, non-compete agreements, construction disputes, real estate transactions and commission disputes.

• Adjudication and disposition at law of defamation claims by plaintiff-attorneys and the defendant’s California Anti-SLAPP defenses based on social media statements of a public figure.
• Adjudicated breach of contract and warranty dispute regarding the sale of an accounting brokerage practice.
• Adjudicated multimillion-euro/dollar contract claims and counterclaims between a Dutch manufacturer of coffee-making systems and a food products company.
• Settlement of a fraud dispute and contract disputes concerning the performance and merchantability of industrial scale, regulated manufactured products in the energy production sector.
• Adjudication and disposition by settlement of a fraud dispute concerning the performance and emission standard compliance of truck engines.
• Adjudication by bench and jury trial of Consumer Fraud, consumer rights and fraud claim in the automobile towing industry.
• Adjudicated several contract and fiduciary duty claims regarding real estate brokerage commissions, investment, financial and estate planning services, and “procuring cause’ claim commissions.
• Adjudication of confirmation and enforcement of an arbitration award in a contract dispute between a financial services executive search firm and a client.
• Adjudication of confirmation and enforcement of an arbitration award in an employment dispute between an energy section company and a former employee.
• Adjudicated and mediated statutory and common law Sales Representative commission claim disputes in the medical device sector.
• Adjudicated membership interests, lending disputes and the purchase and sale of rights to the membership interests of a health club chain.
• Adjudicated contractual and equitable claims between investor/family members, officer and agent/family of large family estate investment entities.
• Adjudication and disposition by settlement of a defamation claim between a consulting firm and a business industry news publication.
• Adjudication and settlement of distribution and fraud claims in real estate development entities on a series of development projects.
• Adjudicated distribution and fraud claims regarding a scrap metal processing company.
• Adjudicated contract, tort and fraud claims regarding hauling facility agreements.
• Adjudication and settlement of distribution and fraud claims in an E-Cigarette and Vape distribution agreement.
• Adjudication and settlement of Consumer Fraud claims regarding burial and cemetery industry companies and consumers.
• Adjudication of Fraud and Consumer Fraud claims in the emergency procurement of pandemic PPE by a medical facility in the State of Illinois.
• Adjudication of Fraud and Consumer Fraud claims in the emergency procurement of pandemic PPE by a medical facility in the State of Iowa.
• Adjudication of breach of contract and coverage claims under D & O policies, professional negligence and negligent misrepresentation claims between and insured LLC, insurance company and insurance brokerage. Claims include statutory claims for unreasonable and vexatious conduct and a mandatory arbitration agreement.
• Adjudication compelling arbitration and subsequent enforcement of an arbitration award in a breach of contract claim between a physician and a medical practice.
• Cannabis
• Mediated construction and mechanics lien claim regarding construction of a cannabis farming facility.
• Adjudicated accounting dispute between investors in a cannabis club distribution system.
• Civil Rights
• Adjudicated and presided over jury proceedings of employment and government whistleblower claims concerning the investigation of police misconduct allegations.
• Adjudicated of employment retaliation and whistleblower claims concerning an employee claim of an Americans with Disabilities Act violation in the operation of automobile dealerships.
• Adjudicated whistleblower, Ethics Act and retaliation claims of former state employees regarding their participation in the investigation of a claim of sexual harassment against a State by an elected state-wide Constitutional officer.
• Adjudicated dispute on res judicataand estoppel effect of prior FINRA proceedings on a race discrimination claim.
• Disposition through settlement of a claim of civil rights violation and defamation and counter allegations of professional misconduct between a university and a member of its faculty concerning controversial publications and faculty censure.
• Adjudication of a dispute regarding a claim of civil rights violation and FMLA violation and a related claim regarding whether COVID-19 infection can constitute a protected condition of disability.
• Adjudication of gender discrimination, equal pay and retaliation claims by county employees.
• Adjudication of racial discrimination, harassment and retaliation claims against a university and food vendor.
• Adjudication at law of claim of civil rights violation against a city police department on a claim that an off-duty police officer, in uniform and armed, forcefully removed children from an apartment to conduct an unauthorized eviction.
• Served as General Counsel for a state agency responsible for administrative hearing officer adjudication and commission review of civil rights and human rights claims under state law. Precedent settings cases include:
  • Administrative adjudication and review of sexual harassment claims between a civilian employee and a county sheriff department.
  • Administrative adjudication and review of disability discrimination claims between an employment applicant and a fast-food restaurant chain.
  • Administrative adjudication and review of age and political retaliation discrimination claims between a judicial law clerk and a state supreme court.
• Construction
• Adjudicated contract and professional negligence claims (architect and engineer) concerning elevator systems on the expansion of a prominent cultural institution.
• Adjudication of 42 claims, counterclaims and crossclaims between a condominium association, developer, construction contractor and material suppliers regarding the construction of common elements.
• Adjudication and settlement of claims between condominium unit owners, a national family-owned real estate organization, engineers, architects, and material suppliers regarding HAVC systems in a luxury high-rise building.
• Adjudication and settlement of claims between condominium unit owners, engineers, architects and material suppliers regarding balcony and window door sealing treatments in a luxury high-rise building.
• Adjudication of breach of performance bond and warranty claims regarding the construction of a solar energy facility in Arizona.
• Adjudication and settlement of claims between a condominium unit owner’s contractor and material suppliers regarding flooring.
• Adjudication and disposition on jurisdictional grounds of breach of contract claims regarding a parking facility in Texas.
• Adjudication and disposition on jurisdictional grounds of breach of contract claims regarding a condominium development project in Michigan.
• Adjudication and disposition on jurisdictional grounds of breach of contract and warranty claims regarding vehicle electronic system products manufactured in Wisconsin by a Delaware Corporation.
• Adjudication and disposition on jurisdictional grounds of a payment dispute between Texas corporations processed by agents in Illinois.
• Adjudication of claims between the construction general contractor and MBE subcontractor regarding the construction of a large hotel within a metropolitan exposition center.
• Cybersecurity & Privacy
• Adjudicated contract claims, counterclaims and equitable claims between a national hotel brand, a credit card processing company and a banking institution regarding computer system security breaches and customer data theft by foreign criminal actors.
• Adjudicated and resolved by the settlement of the consumer product (dog walking harnesses) manufacturer’s claims of intellectual property and customer data theft by former key employees.
• Adjudicated and resolved by settlement a coffee product manufacturer’s claims of intellectual property theft by former key employees.
• Education Law
• Disposition through settlement of sports coach employee claims of breach of employment contract.
• Adjudication of breach of employment contract concerning claims regarding key employee liquidated damage benefit and compensation terms of e-commerce application developer.
• Adjudication of breach of employment contract concerning claims regarding benefit, compensation, and indemnification terms under Delaware law.
• Employment Law
• Adjudicated and presided over jury proceedings of employment and government whistleblower claims concerning the investigation of police misconduct allegations and the termination of investigation personnel.
• Adjudicated whistleblower, Ethics Act and retaliation claims of former state employees regarding their participation in the investigation of a claim of sexual harassment against a State by an elected state-wide Constitutional officer.
• Disposition through settlement of a claim of civil rights violation and defamation and counter allegations of professional misconduct between a university and a member of its faculty concerning controversial publications and faculty censure.
• Adjudication of a dispute regarding a claim of civil rights violation and FMLA violation and a related claim regarding whether COVID-19 infection can constitute a protected condition of disability.
• Adjudication of gender discrimination, equal pay and retaliation claims by county employees.
• Adjudicated whistleblower, Ethics Act and retaliation claims of former state employees regarding their participation in the investigation of a claim of sexual harassment against a State by an elected state-wide Constitutional officer.
• Adjudication of a dispute regarding a claim of civil rights violation and FMLA violation and a related claim regarding whether COVID-19 infection can constitute a protected condition of disability.
• Adjudication of gender discrimination, equal pay and retaliation claims by county employees.
• Adjudication of age discrimination, equal pay, retaliation, and breach of employment contract claims by a tax accountant against a corporate entity and company leadership, and counterclaims regarding a noncompete agreement.
• Disposition by settlement of a claim of officer embezzlement of funds from an LGBTQ amateur sports organization.
• Adjudication or settlement of statutory and common-law whistleblower protection claims, including cases involving reports of irregularity and illegal expenditure of government funds in a state agency, reports of OSHA standards breach at a slaughterhouse, reports of OSHA standards breach and safety claims in the use of cuttings and welding equipment, reports of OSHA standards and supervision in commercial dough mixing machinery.
• Adjudication of hundreds of False Claims Act proceedings regarding the collection of retail sales and online sales tax vendors.
• Presided over several adjudications or settlements of wage and hour claims under state law, including claims brought by tuckpointing employees, domestic cleaning employees, municipal police department employees, hotel housekeeping employees, ultra-sound clinic employees, restaurant employees, food service and hospitality employees, manufacturing employees, home health care workers, and nursing assistant staff contracted by a staffing service, including those brought by the state department of labor or private counsel. Extensive experience in proceedings with non-English-speaking employee claimants in these matters.
• Adjudication of whistleblower claim regarding employee’s claim of illegal tax reporting by hotel owners.
• Adjudicated whistleblower claims regarding a noncompete and payment dispute between developer and trader.
• Served as General Counsel for a state agency responsible for administrative hearing officer adjudication and commission review of civil rights and human rights claims under state law. Precedent-setting employment cases include:
  • Administrative adjudication and review of sexual harassment claims between a civilian employee and a county sheriff department.
  • Administrative adjudication and review of disability discrimination claims between an employment applicant and a fast-food restaurant chain.
  • Administrative adjudication and review of age and political retaliation discrimination claims between a judicial law clerk and a state supreme court.
• Franchise & Distribution Law
• Adjudicated dispute between a franchisee operator of several fast-food restaurants and a fast-food restaurant licensing corporation.
• Adjudicated and settled dispute between franchisee operator of hotel properties and hotel brand licensing/partnership corporation.
• Higher Education & Title IX

As a judge, Judge Snyder has adjudicated and settled dozens of cases involving sexual misconduct, sexual assault, sexual harassment, sexual abuse, discipline, and disability involving schools, colleges, universities, and public and private employers. Judge Snyder also served as the General Council of the state agencies, which conducts administrative adjudication of Illinois human rights claims, equivalent to Title IX. 

• Adjudicated a claim of whistleblower retaliation made by an academic department director against a community college regarding the curricular decision to eliminate certain courses from the medical assistant education program.
• Adjudicated claims of breach of contract and defamation made by a teacher against a school district after the teacher’s resignation from employment and statements made by students regarding student claims of sexual harassment and Title IX violations.
• Adjudicated and disposition through settlement of claims by a university medical school faculty and laboratory founder regarding employment and research legacy.
• Disposition through settlement of a claim of civil rights violation and defamation and counter allegations of professional misconduct between a university and a member of its faculty concerning controversial publications and faculty censure.
• Disposition through settlement of medical student/resident physician dispute regarding termination of residency at university teaching hospital.
• Adjudication of breach of contract and academic catalogue matriculation claim between a private university of professional psychology and health services degree program and a former student concerning claims of failure to provide clinical opportunities.
• Insurance
• Adjudication of complex coverage and a contract dispute regarding procedure coding and policy claims, including allegations of fraud and Medicare fraud.
• Adjudication of claims under international shipping policies on the shipping of medical products.
• Adjudication of breach of contract and coverage claims under D & O policies, professional negligence and negligent misrepresentation claims between and insured LLC, insurance company and insurance brokerage. Claims include statutory claims for unreasonable and vexatious conduct and a mandatory arbitration agreement.
• Adjudication of many cases of contract and coverage claims under a home-owners policy regarding property damage. Claims included statutory claims for unreasonable and vexation conduct.
• Adjudication of breach of contract and coverage claims under D & O policies, professional negligence and negligent misrepresentation claims between and insured LLC, insurance company and insurance brokerage. Claims include statutory claims for unreasonable and vexatious conduct and a mandatory arbitration agreement.
• Personal Injury/Torts

• Adjudication of wrongful death and product liability claims regarding the death of a two-year-old child and a home water heater.
• Adjudication of personal injury and loss of consortium claims regarding the sterilization of a patient who underwent radiation treatment for cancer.
• Adjudication through jury trial, bench trial, disposition at law or settlement of more than 500 low- or moderate-value car accident subrogation lawsuits, and supervision of the Circuit Court of Cook County Municipal Arbitration program.
• Professional Liability
• Adjudicated contract and professional negligence claims (architect and engineer) concerning elevator systems on the expansion of a prominent cultural institution.
• Adjudicated dispute for legal malpractice regarding a mattress manufacturing licensing company’s breach of contract disputes.
• Adjudicated and presided over jury proceedings of professional negligence claims (attorney) concerning the estate, educational foundation and intellectual property of American designer George Nelson and his family. The case settled mid-trial.
• Adjudicated and presided over jury proceedings of professional negligence claims (attorney) concerning the intellectual property interests and contracts of a consumer product brand licensing company.
• Adjudicated dispute for legal malpractice where developer sued firm for lost profits stemming from legal advice in commercial real estate development projects.
• Adjudication of several disputes for legal malpractice where the client sued the firm in connection with a domestic relations proceeding.
• Adjudication of several disputes for legal malpractice where the client sued the firm in connection with a real estate transaction.
• Adjudication of several disputes for legal malpractice where the client sued the firm in connection with an estate or probate matter.
• Real Estate & Real Property
• Adjudicated and settlement of distribution and fraud claims in a real estate development entity on a series of development projects.
• Adjudicated fraud claims, breach of contract and MBE/WBE participation claims in an airport runway rehabilitation project.
• Adjudicated and settlement of fraud claims and breach of contract claims regarding the rehabilitation and flood abatement work on a police and fire station.

Honors, Memberships, and Professional Activities

Memberships and Affiliations

• Faculty, National Judicial College, 2020–2023
• President, Illinois Judges Association, 2018–2019
• President, Alliance of Illinois Judges, 2010–2011
• Chairman, Illinois Supreme Court Committee on Judicial Education, Advanced Judicial Academy, 2016–2017
• Founding Member and Former General Counsel, Chicago Area Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce and the AIDS Care Housing Initiative

Selected Awards and Honors

• Sebastian Patti Judicial Excellence Award, Alliance of Illinois Judges, 2023
• Lifetime Achievement Award, Illinois Judges Association, 2022
• Honoree, Justice John Paul Stevens Award, Chicago Bar Association/Chicago Bar Foundation, 2021
• Distinguished Alumni, Northern Illinois University, Colleges of Law and Liberal Arts, 2021
• Alumni Service Award, Northern Illinois University, College of Law, 2000

Selected Publications 

• Liability for Violating the Illinois Biometric Privacy Law: The White Castle Stands, CBA Record, Chicago Bar Association, November-December 2023 

Selected Presentations 

• Judicial Independence, Illinois Supreme Court Year in Review, Illinois State Bar Association – Illinois Judges Association, December 2023 
• A Course in Ethics for Prospective Judges, National Judicial College, University of Nevada Reno, October 2023 
• Inclusion, Preservation and Curiosity, Francis X. Riley Lecture, Northern Illinois University College of Law, March 2023 
• Rethinking How We Deliver Justice – Optimizing Alternative Dispute Resolution, Illinois State Bar Association – Illinois Judges Association, December 2022

Background and Education

• Associate Judge, Circuit Court of Cook County (Chicago), 2007–2023
• Law Division, Commercial Litigation Individual Calendar, 2013–2023
• Supervising Judge, Law Division Mandatory Arbitration Program, 2021–2023
• Supervising Judge, First Municipal District, Jury Section, 2010-2013
• Illinois Supreme Court Appointment, March 2007
• General Counsel, Illinois Human Rights Commission, 2000–2007
• Law Office of James E. Snyder, 1994–2000
• Senior Attorney, Chicago Housing Authority, 1988–1994
• J.D., Northern Illinois University College of Law, 1988
• B.A., History, Northern Illinois University, 1987