Anthony C. Valiulis

Anthony C. Valiulis

Anthony C. Valiulis
Principal
Phone: 312.521.2691 vCard
Fax: 312.521.2591
tvaliulis@muchshelist.com

PRACTICE GROUPS

AT WORK

Anthony C. Valiulis is an accomplished litigator with 37 years of experience in a broad range of state and federal civil trial and appellate matters. A Principal of the firm since 1979 and a current member of the Management Committee, Tony served as Chair of the Litigation & Dispute Resolution practice group for more than 20 years. As counsel for both plaintiffs and defendants, he has first-chaired numerous jury and bench trials in federal and state courts and argued a wide variety of appeals throughout the country, including in the Illinois Supreme Court.

Tony's practice encompasses complex business and financial litigation, concentrating in four major areas: (1) business disputes, including non-compete agreements, (2) insurance coverage, (3) appeals and (4) class action defense. He represents individuals, privately held companies and publicly traded corporations in the areas of business fraud and related torts, unfair competition, labor-related litigation, toxic torts, environmental litigation, employment discrimination (including age and other types of discrimination), trademarks, ERISA litigation, trade dress matters, technology litigation, RICO fraud and securities litigation (including stock purchase agreements, notes and contracts).

Representative Successes:

  • In November 2011, Tony argued and won an appeal in a case of first impression in Illinois that clarified the method of giving notice of rescission under the Truth in Lending Act (TILA).
  • As lead counsel in a seven-day jury trial in state court in Boise, Idaho, Tony successfully defended (and recovered fees and costs for) a firm client in a trade secrets, breach of fiduciary duty and unfair competition case in which the plaintiff was seeking seven-figure damages.
  • Tony recently obtained a favorable settlement against a nationally known broker-dealer/investment advisor upholding the integrity of an investment consultant non-compete agreement.
  • Tony has successfully argued two separate insurance coverage cases before the Illinois Supreme Court that expanded policyholders' rights.
  • As lead counsel in a complex FINRA arbitration hearing lasting five weeks, Tony recently obtained a favorable award for a hedge fund client against a public options trading firm.
  • Tony facilitated an advantageous settlement in a significant non-compete case for a highly successful trader in the high-frequency, automated 'black-box' electronic trading industry.
  • Tony successfully resolved a complex security fraud case against a prominent broker-dealer involving exotic financial investments.

IN THE PROFESSION

Tony has published on a broad range of topics. Among other publications, he contributed a chapter, "Ethical Considerations: Does Trial Consulting Help Achieve Justice," in the 2006 IICLE publication Inside and Outside the Jury Box, which was updated in 2011. Tony has also authored an important treatise on non-compete agreements, Covenants Not to Compete: Forms, Tactics and the Law, and various journal articles for the CBA Record, Trade Secret Law Reporter, Midwest In-House Counsel and Business Tax Report.

Tony has extensive experience in legal writing and editing and taught legal writing at Loyola University Chicago. While in law school, he served on the Loyola Law Journal.

Tony speaks frequently on a wide variety of subjects at seminars for industry, trade and professional groups. Recent topics include "Non-Compete Agreements: Myth or Reality," "E-Mail: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly," "Non-Compete Agreements: Protecting Your Business," "When an Insurer's No Is Better Than Yes," "Electronic Surveillance: Internal Investigations of Employment Issues in Illinois," and "When an Employee Departs: Protecting Your Trade Secrets and Effectively Enforcing Non-Compete Agreements."

Tony also moderates numerous panels on various areas of law. Most recently, he moderated "Insurance Coverage: What You Don't Know Can Hurt You."

Tony is a member of the Chicago, Illinois State and American Bar Associations, and is a member of the Fellows of the American Bar Association. He is also a member of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, the American Association of Justice and the Illinois Policyholders Counsel Group.

For more than 20 consecutive years, Martindale-Hubbell has awarded Tony its highest rating in "Legal Ability" and "General Recommendations." He has also been recognized by the Leading Lawyers Network as a top Illinois lawyer in the area of commercial litigation (2005-2011) and has been designated an Illinois Super Lawyer (2005-2011), an honor given to the top 5% of attorneys in the state.

Significant published decisions for which Tony has been responsible include the following:

  • U.S. Bank v. Manzo, 2011 IL App (1st) 103115 (clarified method for giving notice of rescission under TILA)
  • Cohen v. Compact Power Systems, LLC, 382 Ill.App.3d 104, 887 N.E.2d 668 (1st Dist. 2008) (affirmed dismissal of class action complaint for being moot since full amount of the plaintiffs' damages had been tendered and refused)
  • Valley Forge Ins. Co. v. Swiderski Electronics, Inc., 860 N.E.2d 307, 223 Ill. 2d 352 (Ill. Supreme Court, Nov. 30, 2006) (expanding advertising injury coverage and holding that undefined terms in insurance policies are afforded their plain, ordinary and popular meanings)
  • Gullien v. Potomac, 323 Ill.App.3d 121, 751 N.E.2d 104, 256 Ill. Dec. 51 (1st Dist. 2001) (construing for the first time the section of Insurance Code requiring insurers to maintain proof of mailing notice of material changes to coverage)
  • Brouwer v. Raffensperger, Hughes & Co., 199 F.3d 961 (7th Cir. 2000) (setting standard for RICO conspiracy)
  • Perry v. Economy Fire & Cas. Co., 724 N.E.2d 151 (1st Dist. 1999) (determining type of notice insurer must give policyholder before materially changing coverage)
  • Insurance Co. of Illinois v. Stringfield, 685 N.E.2d 980 (1st Dist. 1997) (limiting scope of insurance policy's pollution exclusion)

BACKGROUND

Loyola University Chicago School of Law
J.D., cum laude, 1974

Marquette University
B.A., 1970

Tony is admitted to practice in Illinois (both state and federal courts). He is also admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court; the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (including the Trial Bar), the Western District of Michigan and the Eastern District of Wisconsin; the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Seventh, Ninth, Tenth and Eleventh Circuits; and the U.S. Tax Court.