50 East Washington Street
Suite 400
Chicago, IL 60602
Gail Niemann is a seasoned trial lawyer who has represented corporations, individuals, and governmental bodies over more than forty-five years of practice in Chicago. She handles high-stakes disputes involving class actions, consumer fraud, securities fraud, competition issues, contract disputes, and the defense of tort and employment litigation. She also advises senior management on professional responsibility and ethics.
Gail began her career at Jenner & Block, where she rose from associate to equity partner. She later served as a senior litigation manager in the corporate law department of a Fortune 100 telecommunications company and has held senior litigation roles and General Counsel positions for multiple governmental bodies.
In addition to her practice, Gail taught trial practice at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law.
Representative Matters
- Successfully defended JPMorgan Chase & Co. at trial in Los Angeles Superior Court in a case that involved two wealthy foreign nationals who claimed they had been defrauded by their former business partners.
- Represented the Illinois Department of Insurance, as liquidator of an insolvent health insurance company, in a successful challenge to the authority of the federal government to act to benefit itself as a creditor without approval of the State liquidation court.
- Advised members of municipal board regarding termination of its executive director.
- Successfully settled a 12-year-old tort case involving a claim of traumatic brain injury in a New York City state court.
- Represented South African nationals in filing a petition for certiorari in the United States Supreme Court challenging the dismissal of claims against IBM and Ford relating to apartheid.
- Represented witnesses in connection with internal, FBI and SEC investigations.
Education
- University of Illinois Law School, J.D. magna cum laude; Order of the Coif, 1979
- University of Chicago, M.A., 2011
- Eastern Illinois University, B.A. with high honors, 1974
Admissions
- United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
- Illinois
Publications and Speaking Engagements
- “Historic Preservation and Transferable Development Rights,” University of Illinois Law Review (1978)
Community Involvement
- Volunteer, Sealing and Expungement Clinic, Cabrini-Green Legal Aid (2023–2024)
- Volunteer, Hibbler Pro Se Help Desk, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (2018–2020)
- Volunteer, Settlement Assistance Program, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (2019–present)
- Volunteer, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program, Center for Economic Progress (2018)
- Volunteer, EEOC Mediation Program and U-Visa Program, Legal Assistance Foundation (2008–2009)