About Julie L. Gottshall

As a seasoned legal advisor, Julie Gottshall provides business-oriented guidance regarding every facet of the employment relationship, from daily preventative counseling to the defense of significant lawsuits. She is an experienced litigator, having argued before the Illinois Supreme Court and the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, handled individual and class actions in numerous federal and state courts, and appeared routinely before employment agencies such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Department of Labor.

Trusted counselor and go-to litigator

Clients across the country and from various industries rely on Julie for practical guidance on diverse employment law matters. Julie helps employers create positive cultures and manage risk through the implementation of appropriate personnel practices and smart decision-making. She supports the human resource function by auditing employment practices for compliance managing reductions in force, conducting workplace investigations and offering sound advice on personnel issues as they arise.

Additionally, Julie represents both companies and individuals in disputes relating to unfair competition and the enforcement of restrictive covenants such as confidentiality and non-compete agreements, and in the negotiation and drafting of employment and separation agreements.

She handles a broad spectrum of employment-related cases, encompassing claims under Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN), the Employment Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), as well as various state statutes and common law doctrines related to employment, such as breach of contract, wrongful termination, tortious interference, defamation, and emotional distress. In addition to adeptly representing clients in federal and state court, Julie frequently advocates before federal, state and local administrative agencies, notably the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Department of Labor.

Trusted judgment as a neutral

Julie is a longtime member of the Roster of Neutrals for the Employment Panel of the American Arbitration Association, where she regularly acts as an impartial third-party arbitrator in employment matters. She has decided arbitration cases initiated by high-level executives, rank-and-file employees, and large and small employers involving discrimination, retaliation, harassment, wage and hour, restrictive covenants and breaches of contract. Her ability to evaluate matters from differing perspectives enhances her ability to develop optimal solutions for her clients and avoid costly and protracted disputes.

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Practice Focus

  • Confidentiality and non-compete agreements
  • Title VII, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
  • The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN)
  • The Illinois Whistleblower Act
  • Workplace investigation
  • Management training

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Presentations and Events

Practices
Industries
Education
  • The George Washington University Law School, JD
  • Cornell University, BS, School of Industrial and Labor Relations
Bar Admissions
  • Illinois
Court Admissions
  • US Supreme Court
  • US Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
  • US District Court, Northern District of Illinois
  • US District Court, Northern District of Indiana
  • US District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
Recognitions
Recognized or listed in the following:
  • Benchmark Litigation
    Labor and employment Star, 2022
  • National Law Review
    Go-To Thought Leader Award - Litigation, 2022
  • Super Lawyers
    Illinois, 2006, 2008–2025
Award Methodologies