John was born in 1963 in the City of Chicago. After obtaining his law degree in 1991, John worked for several Chicagoland firms honing his litigation and transactional skills. On July 5, 1995, he founded Chitkowski Law Offices where he continues to serve as its sole Principal and Managing Attorney. As a litigator in the counties of Cook, DuPage, Will, Kane, McHenry, Lake, Winnebago and Kendall, John has served as lead trial counsel in excess of 150 trials in both state and federal courts, including 50 jury trials to verdict. Always seeking cost efficient means to resolve his clients’ disputes, John has served as lead counsel in excess of 100 arbitrations and mediations pursuant to the American Arbitration Association and State of Illinois Mandatory Arbitration Act. John has submitted briefs and argument to the Illinois Appellate Courts for the first and second districts. In an effort to provide his business clients with full and complete representation, John has served as business counsel in the formation of corporations, limited liability companies, not-for-profit foundations and homeowner associations. John has closed asset purchases, mergers, commercial real estate transactions and workouts, and provides daily advice to his clients on business and succession planning issues. In addition to managing the firm’s trial and transactional practices, John has served on boards of directors for ASA Chicago and the Construction Industry Affairs Council and currently serves as General Counsel to ASA Chicago and the Polish Roman Catholic Union of America.
Areas Of Practice
- Commercial Litigation
- Construction Litigation
- Labor and Employment Law
- Business Transactions
Bar Admissions
- Illinois, 1991
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois, 1991
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois Trial Bar, 1993
- U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit, 2004
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Indiana, 2013
Education
- John Marshall Law School, Chicago, Illinois
- J.D. - 1991
- Honors: Moot Court Executive Board
- Valparaiso University
- B.A. - 1986
- Major: Criminal Justice
Representative Cases
- Scentura Creations v. Daniel J. Long, 325 Ill.App.3d 62 (2001)
- Illinois Concrete-I.C.I., Inc v. Storefitters, Inc., 397 Ill.App.3d (2010)
- LaSalle Bank National Association v. Cypress Creek 1, LP, 398 Ill.App.3d 592 (2010)
Classes/Seminars
- Contractor's Construction Jobsite Documentation
- Labor and Employment Law Reforms
- Fundamentals of Construction Contracts
- Workers Compensation Act Reforms
- Health Care Reforms
- Change Orders and Field Documentation
- Illinois Mechanic's Lien Act
- Illinois Public Construction Bond Act
- Fundamentals of Business Entity Selection
- Illinois Home Repair and Remodeling Act
- Federal Illinois Government and Public Sector Law
- Illinois Employment Classification Act Reforms
Honors and Awards
- Reviewed by Martindale-Hubbell in 2008 and received an AV Peer Review Rating that is only achievable after 10 years in practice and indicating the highest level of legal ability and ethics.
Professional Associations and Memberships
- American Bar Association, Business Law, Construction Law and Small Law Firm Sections
- Chicago Bar Association
- DuPage County Bar Association
- American Subcontractors Association
- ASA Chicago, Three term member of Board of Directors, Current General Counsel
- Fox Valley General Contractors
- Illinois Trucking Association
- Polish Roman Catholic Union of America, Current General Counsel
- National Republican Congressional Committee, Business Advisory Committee
- Association of Subcontractors & Affiliates of Chicago- Outstanding Professional Representative 2014-2015
Fraternities/Sororities
- Pi Kappa Alpha