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dklotnia@millershakman.com
Ms. Klotnia has experience in a wide variety of commercial litigation. She has represented clients in cases involving legal malpractice defense, corporate and partnership disputes, derivative actions and shareholder disputes, RICO litigation, contract disputes, commercial mortgage foreclosure, environmental law, constitutional law and federal civil rights.
Ms. Klotnia has been involved in cases in the United States District Courts in Illinois, Hawaii, Kansas and Pennsylvania and in the state courts of Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Delaware and has participated in appeals to the United States Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and for the Third Circuit, and to the Illinois Appellate Court and the Wisconsin Appellate Court.
Education
- B.S., University of Illinois, Business Administration, 1984.
Graduated with highest honors
- J.D., University of Chicago Law School, 1987.
Graduated with highest honors
Order of the Coif
Managing and Book Review editor of the University of Chicago
Law Review.
Experience
- Practiced as an associate with the law firm of Shea & Gardner in Washington, D.C., 1987-1988.
- Admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar, 1988.
- Served as law clerk to the Hon. Max Rosenn, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, 1988-1989.
- Admitted to the Illinois Bar, 1989.
- Practiced as an associate with this firm, 1989-1994.
- Elevated to partner, 1995.
- Faculty member of the Practising Law Institute, 1999.
Selected Engagements
- Represented several large law firms in separate, unrelated lawsuits involving claims of legal malpractice. The underlying matters that gave rise to the claims involved complex commercial transactions and commercial litigation.
- Represented a manufacturer of railroad tracks and wheels in connection with its claims under an environmental indemnity arising out of the manufacturer’s purchase of several facilities.
- Defended a clothing manufacturer against anti-trust claims asserted by
a retailer.
- Represented a trustee and corporate officer in several related lawsuits involving shareholder derivative claims and claims of breaches of fiduciary duty.
- Represented two closely-held corporations in connection with claims by one of the shareholders that he had been frozen out by the other shareholder.
- Represented the seller of manufacturing facilities in arbitration held in connection with post-closing disputes, including claims arising out of an environmental indemnity.
- Represented an international power manufacturing corporation in connection with disputes between the corporation and its joint venture partners arising out of their development and operation of a power co-generation facility in Hawaii.
- Represented a minor in child abuse and neglect proceedings in Cook County. The Illinois appellate court resolved in favor of the minor the novel issue of whether a minor is entitled to counsel of her own choice in such proceedings, in lieu of the public guardian.
- Represented, along with the ACLU of Illinois, a physician who wished to exercise his first amendment rights and demonstrate at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in an area other than the area designated by the City and the DNCC. Following an evidentiary hearing, the trial court ruled in favor of the client and other demonstrators.
Selected Publications
Memberships
- American Bar Association
- Illinois State Bar Association
- Chicago Bar Association
- Chicago Council of Lawyers
- Board member and officer of Healthcare Foundation of Northern
Lake County
- Board member of the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights
Under Law
- Board member and officer of the ACLU of Illinois, and, as a board member, developed a weekly call-in program on cable television, called
“You Have the Right.”
- Board member of the University of Illinois Commerce Alumni Association
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