Zeke Katz

Zeke Katz
  1. People /

Zeke Katz

Zeke Katz

Associate

Zeke Katz
  1. People /

Zeke Katz

Zeke Katz

Associate

Zeke Katz

Associate

Chicago

T: +1 312 602 5166

VcardVcard
Download PDFDownload PDF
Print
Share

Biography

Zeke Katz is an attorney in the Commercial Disputes group. He primarily focuses his practice on defense litigation involving a variety of subject matters, including complex civil, construction, professional liability and employment litigation. Mr. Katz takes great satisfaction in supporting his clients through challenging situations when they are most in need of sensible and confident legal guidance. He is experienced in leading clients through all stages of litigation, including pre-suit evaluations, all phases of written discovery and depositions, drafting dispositive motions, arguing motions in state and federal court, negotiating settlements, and preparing for trial.

Mr. Katz was instrumental in representing a global law firm in a legal malpractice suit involving loan agreements totaling over $100 million, reaching settlement after completing expert discovery and preparing for trial. He has also represented insurance brokers and agents against claims of malpractice including alleged failures to provide policies to cover losses or failures to communicate coverage.

Mr. Katz’s work also includes Employment and Labor matters. He has litigated cases for employers facing ERISA violation claims as well as allegations of Title VII discrimination, hostile work environment and wrongful termination. He also performs confidential internal investigations for employers and municipal organizations regarding alleged harassment, employee disputes and policy violations.

For insurance industry matters, Mr. Katz has represented major insurance providers in property damage, personal injury and other general liability matters, including insurance coverage and bad faith claims.

Through his work in construction he has also represented a demolition contractor in a complex property damage suit for over $1 million in damages. In addition, he represented a contractor in a substantial construction defect claim by achieving a successful and amicable resolution via mediation with multiple parties. He has also represented a property owner in a declaratory judgement action which arose from a disputed insurance coverage for a subcontractor in a large scale construction defect suit.

In law school, Zeke earned a Litigation & Alternative Dispute Resolution Certificate in addition to his law degree. He served as Vice President of the Chicago-Kent College of Law Moot Court Honor Society and won first place for Oral Argument and runner up for Best Respondent Brief in the Evan A. Evans Constitutional Law Moot Court Competition in Madison, Wisconsin.

Professional Affiliations

  • Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel (IDC)

Admissions

  • Illinois, 2014

Education

  • Chicago-Kent College of Law, J.D., 2014
  • Colgate University, B.A., 2006

Resources

Publications

  • “Deliberate Encounter Exception to the Open and Obvious Doctrine Applies Where Delivery Driver Worked Quickly” and “Distraction Exception to the Open and Obvious Doctrine May Apply Where a Customer is Browsing,” Tort Law Cases, IDC Survey of Law (2016)
  • “Clash of the Titans: The Interaction of the Wrongful Death Act, Statute of Repose, Statute of Limitations and the Discovery Rule,” Medical Malpractice Update, IDC Quarterly, Vol. 26, No. 3 (2016)
  • “Electronic Health Records and E-Discovery: A Primer for Defense Counsel,” Medical Malpractice Update, IDC Quarterly, Vol. 26, No. 1 (2016)
  • “Keeping Physicians’ Staff Privilege Files Exempt from Discovery: What Tools Are Available to Defense Counsel?” Medical Malpractice Update, IDC Quarterly, Vol. 25, No. 3 (2015)
  • “Medical Record Discovery: Some Things You May Not Know,” Medical Malpractice Update, IDC Quarterly, Vol. 25, No. 1 (2015)
  • “Chapter 6 - Impaired Earning Capacity: Defendant’s Perspective,” Proving and Disproving Damages in Personal Injury Cases, IICLE (2015)

Related Insights

Insights
May 07, 2020

What do I do if a person suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19 has been at ny U.S. facility?

If you have a confirmed or suspected COVID-19 case tied to your premises, what you should do depends on whether the person is an employee or an invitee, such as a customer or business guest.  While the rules are similar, there are some distinctions. 
Insights
Apr 28, 2020

To Record or Not To Record, That is the Question: Questions and Answers Regarding U.S. Federal OSHA Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements During the COVID-19 Crisis

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Act and its implementing regulations require employers to record certain work-related injuries and illnesses. Due to the prevalence of community transmission of COVID-19, deciding whether an employee’s COVID-19 illness is work-related, and therefore recordable, is more challenging than ever for employers. In addition to the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) existing recordkeeping requirements found at 29 Part 1904, OSHA released an interim enforcement policy on April 10, 2020 (Enforcement Guidance for Recording Cases of COVID-19) (April 10 OSHA Guidance) clarifying that OSHA will exercise its enforcement discretion to interpret the recordkeeping requirements to mean that most employers (other than those in the healthcare, emergency response, and correctional institution industries) are only required to make a decision about whether an employee’s COVID-19 illness is work-related if there is objective evidence of such work-relatedness that is reasonably available to the employer. The following questions and answers aim to provide employers with guidance regarding OSHA’s recordkeeping and reporting regulations and guidelines amidst the rapidly evolving COVID-19 crisis.
Insights
Apr 02, 2020

Proactively Safeguarding Your Business from Potential Allegations of Price Gouging in the U.S.

As shelter-in-place orders began to sweep across the United States, many store shelves emptied and, in some instances, prices for certain products skyrocketed, including products that are essential to everyday living and staying safe during the COVID-19 crisis. As a result, one of the many hot-button business, and corresponding legal, issues to arise out of the COVID-19 crisis is price gouging. Price gouging occurs when sellers raise their prices for goods and services to take advantage of the consequent increased demand for those items, often during emergencies. Price gouging has ensued following large scale natural disasters such as hurricanes or wildfires, where sellers have drastically elevated prices for basic necessities, safety equipment and medical supplies that were in high demand following those catastrophic events. As many consumers, businesses and state attorneys general are aware, allegations of price gouging for those same items have been prevalent in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis.

Related Insights

Insights
Oct 14, 2021
Governor Pritzker Signs Climate and Equitable Jobs Act Launching Illinois into a Renewable Energy Future
News
Mar 03, 2021
Firm Represents HRP in Significant Acquisition and Redevelopment of Former Refinery
Insights
May 07, 2020
What do I do if a person suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19 has been at ny U.S. facility?
If you have a confirmed or suspected COVID-19 case tied to your premises, what you should do depends on whether the person is an employee or an invitee, such as a customer or business guest.  While the rules are similar, there are some distinctions. 
Insights
Apr 28, 2020
To Record or Not To Record, That is the Question: Questions and Answers Regarding U.S. Federal OSHA Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements During the COVID-19 Crisis
The federal Occupational Safety and Health Act and its implementing regulations require employers to record certain work-related injuries and illnesses. Due to the prevalence of community transmission of COVID-19, deciding whether an employee’s COVID-19 illness is work-related, and therefore recordable, is more challenging than ever for employers. In addition to the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) existing recordkeeping requirements found at 29 Part 1904, OSHA released an interim enforcement policy on April 10, 2020 (Enforcement Guidance for Recording Cases of COVID-19) (April 10 OSHA Guidance) clarifying that OSHA will exercise its enforcement discretion to interpret the recordkeeping requirements to mean that most employers (other than those in the healthcare, emergency response, and correctional institution industries) are only required to make a decision about whether an employee’s COVID-19 illness is work-related if there is objective evidence of such work-relatedness that is reasonably available to the employer. The following questions and answers aim to provide employers with guidance regarding OSHA’s recordkeeping and reporting regulations and guidelines amidst the rapidly evolving COVID-19 crisis.
Insights
Apr 23, 2020
U.S. COVID-19: Preparing a Reopening Plan - Five Steps to Take Right Now
Insights
Apr 02, 2020
Proactively Safeguarding Your Business from Potential Allegations of Price Gouging in the U.S.
As shelter-in-place orders began to sweep across the United States, many store shelves emptied and, in some instances, prices for certain products skyrocketed, including products that are essential to everyday living and staying safe during the COVID-19 crisis. As a result, one of the many hot-button business, and corresponding legal, issues to arise out of the COVID-19 crisis is price gouging. Price gouging occurs when sellers raise their prices for goods and services to take advantage of the consequent increased demand for those items, often during emergencies. Price gouging has ensued following large scale natural disasters such as hurricanes or wildfires, where sellers have drastically elevated prices for basic necessities, safety equipment and medical supplies that were in high demand following those catastrophic events. As many consumers, businesses and state attorneys general are aware, allegations of price gouging for those same items have been prevalent in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis.