Employment counsel for Illinois employers
Trusted legal guidance on a full range of workplace issues.
We are a business first law firm. That means we start with your business objectives and workforce needs and work backwards. We focus on the employment risks and decisions that matter so you can manage your people confidently and keep operations moving forward.
We work with Illinois business owners, executives, and HR professionals who want a practical legal partner, not an obstacle. Our advice is easy to understand, practical, and focused on supporting your desired business outcome.
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Employment Focused Practices
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Employment matters we handle
Screening and hiring
Guidance on federal and state level compliance with screening and hiring practices. We focus on practical strategies to stop employee claims before they happen.
Discipline and termination
We help employers plan and document discipline and termination decisions to reduce the risk of discrimination, harassment, and retaliatory discharge claims while still addressing legitimate performance and conduct issues.
Employment policies
Guidance and creation of employee handbooks and standalone employment policies designed to reduce your workforce risk.
Employment agreements
Employment agreements for employees at every level. We address issues like job duties, compensation, confidentiality, and separation terms in a way that fits the business and role.
Attendance and leave law
Advice on employee attendance issues and leave requests under federal, state, and local laws.
Wage and hour issues
Practical support on issues like employee classification, overtime practices, and time-keeping procedures to ensure your current pay practices are compliant with current law.
Healthcare employees
Practice‑focused counsel for healthcare organizations on complex employee issues related to physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other providers.
Restrictive covenants
Restrictive covenant strategies tailored to your organizations needs, such as non-compete, non-solicit, and confidentiality agreements and obligations.
Workplace safety
Strategic counsel for workplace safety programs, incident response, and OSHA compliance.
our advantage
Why our clients choose us
Practical advice
We are a goal focused law firm. Our advice is easy to understand, and crafted to support your unique business goals.
Boutique service
We don’t pass our clients off to support staff and new associates. You will have regular, direct contact with the experienced attorney handling your matter.
Regular communication
The biggest complaint about most attorneys is a lack of communication. We’re different. Regular updates for our clients is a top priority.
What our employment clients say
Real feedback from Illinois employers.
“Small Business Legal Solutions has been a game changer for Pronto MS. They helped us standardize our business processes, which has streamlined operations and reduced risk across the board. More importantly, SBLS keeps us legally safe—offering timely, practical guidance whenever we need it and translating complex legal concepts into clear, actionable steps.”
Pronto MS
“Couldn’t be happier with the prompt, thorough and thoughtful services provided by Jordan at Small Business Legal Solutions! Extremely professional work and made things easy for me to understand. Would highly recommend!”
Brad Bull- Owner
“Jordan was an absolute pleasure to work with. He responded quickly, communicated clearly, and handled every matter with professionalism and respect. As a small business owner, I truly appreciated his reliability and support. Highly recommend!”
Rachel Starke-Owner
Our Process
How we support employers
A simple three-step approach built around your business goals.
Identify goals and roadblocks
Our team will talk through your situation, your goals, and what is preventing you from getting to your goals.
Develop a practical plan
We’ll lay out your options in plain English, recommend a path forward, and outline the likely outcomes and risks so you can make an informed business decision.
Implement solutions
We will carry out the best solution for you, and pivot when necessary.
Schedule a ConsultationFrequently asked questions
Answers to a few common questions many employers have before getting started.
What kinds of employers do you typically work with?
We work employers of all sizes, from their first hire to employers of several thousand.
We serve a wide variety of different industries such as professional services, construction, and healthcare.
How do you charge for employment work?
Fee structures depend on the nature of the engagement. Some projects are handled on a flat fee basis, while others are billed by a combination of flat fees and hourly rates. The fee structure will be discussed before work begins.
When should we involve employment counsel in hiring and firing decisions?
Involving counsel in hiring and firing decisions is one of the most cost effective ways of reducing overall employment risk.
As a business begins to hire employees, involving an employment lawyer on the front end will help to ensure that the screening and hiring process (applications, interview questions, background checks, etc.) are compliant with relevant law. If you scale up your workforce without having a plan in place first, you significantly increase the likelihood that you are scaling liability with it. Once this process is in place, your attorney may review it periodically on an ongoing basis for updates, but the bulk of the work is creating the process initially.
With respect to termination decisions, involving your attorney as often as is practical is best. For a small investment, your employment attorney will help you spot issues, adjust the approach as necessary, and handle the termination in a way that reduces overall risk.
When does it make sense to have employment counsel as opposed to relying solely on HR?
Human resources is essential for day to day workforce administration, enforcement of policies, and maintaining culture.
Employment counsel adds the most value when you are making higher risk decisions such as termination decisions, policy changes, and when addressing complaints and investigations.
Do you work our in house HR team?
We work closely with our clients’ internal HR teams. Alignment among stakeholders and consistency in enforcement of policy is critical to reducing overall employee risk.
Can you audit my business and let me know if I’m compliant?
Yes, we frequently provide comprehensive audits of our clients’ workforce practices and policies. Schedule a consultation, and we would be happy to discuss next steps.
How do I get started?
To get started, just schedule a consultation with an employment lawyer by using the button below. Or click the link here: Schedule a Consultation
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Schedule a consultation to walk through your employment matter with an attorney. Leave with a plan and clear next steps.
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