Attorneys
Melissa Sobota-
Chicago Office
Areas of Practice/Concentration
• Labor
• Employment Prosecutions
• Municipal Prosecutions
Education
• Chicago-Kent College of Law, JD, 2007
• University of Oklahoma, BA, 2004
Memberships
• Chicago Bar Association (Labor and Employment Committee, 2009-present)
• Labor and Employment Relations Association
Community Involvement
• Clemente High School, Volunteer teacher, Math and Communications
2004-2007
Professional Activities
• Chicago-Kent Young Alumni Advisory Committee, 2009-present
• University of Oklahoma Alumni Association, 2004-present
• Participated in Practice Tracks 2011, February 17, 2011
• Chicago-Kent Alumni Mentor, 2010-present
Publications
• Can Employers Be Held Liable for Alleged Harassment or Discrimination
by its Employees? A Brief Study on the Vance v. Ball state University case.
• Employment & Labor Litigation
Admissions
• Illinois
• US District Court for the Northern and Central Districts of Illinois
• Supreme Court of the United Statess
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Melissa Sobota concentrates her practice in labor and employment law. Prior to joining Peterson Johnson & Murray LLC, Ms. Sobota was an associate with the firm of Querrey & Harrow where she was involved in negotiating collective bargaining agreements between various municipal and county employers and the unions that represent their employees, including public safety employees. She also assisted in the defense of employers against discrimination cases filed state court, the Illinois Department of Human Rights and the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission. She also assisted in defending a private school system against complaints of violations of the Asbestos Abatement Act, filed by the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Prior to Querrey & Harrow, Ms. Sobota worked with the Corporation Counsel of the City of Chicago in the Labor Division and defended the City in arbitration against Union grievances regarding contract disputes, discipline and medical and benefits plans. Ms. Sobota also has experience in handling Union certification petitions, severance petitions, as well as litigating unfair labor practice charges before the Illinois Labor Relations Board. She also handles contract negotiations and disputes involving medical and insurance benefit plans.
Ms. Sobota has experience handling matters before the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission, Illinois Department of Human Relations, the City of Chicago Commission on Human Relations, the Illinois Department of Labor, the Illinois Human Rights Commission, and the Illinois Labor Relations Board as well as in state court.
Ms. Sobota obtained her JD from Chicago-Kent College of Law and her BA in Sociology/Criminology from the University of Oklahoma.