Laura Elkayam is a Principal at Much Shelist's Chicago office. Laura helps clients navigate a variety of complex litigation matters, including breach of contract claims, shareholder disputes, fiduciary duty disputes, restrictive covenant disputes, and employment discrimination. She works with a diverse client base, from established companies in the restaurant, cannabis, and gaming industries to tech startups to small family-owned businesses.
Laura defends clients against class action suits ranging from claims of privacy breaches to wage and hour violations. She has substantial experience defending against claims brought under Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA).
In addition to her commercial litigation practice, Laura advises employers on nearly every aspect of the employment relationship, including hiring, leaves of absence, and termination. She develops employment policies and employee handbooks and provides counsel on various issues pertaining to Title VII, OSHA and COVID-19 safety and compliance, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and BIPA compliance.
Laura devotes a significant amount of time to pro bono work, including providing general counsel and compliance training for various nonprofits. She also drafted a brief to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, urging relief for an incarcerated pro bono client and obtaining a favorable result on a complicated constitutional habeas corpus issue.
