The Law Offices of Ira N. Helfgot Legal Team
PROFESSIONAL
EXPERIENCE
Sole Practitioner, Law Offices of Ira N. Helfgot, Chicago, llinois
Practice concentrated in areas of commercial litigation, debtor-creditor, and professional malpractice (11/1/92-Present).
Associate, Braun & Rivkin, Ltd., Chicago, Illinois; Associate, DeHaan & Richter, P.C., Chicago, Illinois; Associate, Feiwell, Galper & Lasky, Ltd., Chicago, Illinois (1983-1992).
Law Clerk, The Hon. Harold A. Siegan, Circuit Court of Cook County, Chancery Division, Chicago, Illinois (1982-1983).
REPORTED
DECISIONS Cameron v. Guy, 2011 Ill.App.Unpub. LEXIS 623 (1st Dist. 2011); C.A.M. Affiliates, Inc. v. First American Title Insurance Company, 306 Ill.App.3d 1015, 240 Ill.Dec. 91, 715 N.E.2d (1st Dist. 1999); Import Sales, Inc. v. Continental Bearings Corp., 217 Ill.App.3d 893, 577 N.E.2d 1205, 160 Ill.Dec. 634 (Ill.App. 1 Dist. May 17, 1991) (No. 1-89-1312); Gerill Corp. v. Jack L. Hargrove Builders, Inc., 128 Ill.2d 179, 538 N.E.2d 530, 131 Ill.Dec. 155 (Ill. Mar 29, 1989) (No. 66788, 67035); Toyomenka (America), Inc. v. Combined Metals Corp., 139 Ill.App.3d 654, 487 N.E.2d 1172, 94 Ill.Dec. 295, 42 UCC Rep.Serv. 1267 (Ill.App. 1 Dist., Dec 31, 1985) (No. 84-0569).
PUBLICATIONS “Notification Trumps Excess Carrier’s Right to Recover,” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, March 3, 2001; “When Proceeds of the Sale of Homestead Property Are Not Exempt,” Illinois Creditors Bar Association, Sept./Oct. 2000; “Rematch: Fee Disputes v. Malpractice Actions,” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, Aug. 23, 2000; “Law Unsettled on Excess Carriers’ Right to Sue Counsel,” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, June 5, 2000; “Suing an Expert Witness for Professional Malpractice,” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, Nov. 24, 1999; “Litigators Shall Not Obtain Defendants’ Credit Reports,” Illinois Creditors Bar Association Newsletter, Aug. 1999; “Decision Stretches Outer Limits of Attorney’s Duty,” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, June 25, 1999; “No Lien Attaches to Award Against Attorneys,” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, March 7, 1999; “Plaintiff Wins Rare Summary Judgment,” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, Nov. 4, 1998; “Obtaining Defendant's Credit Reports,” DuPage County Bar Association Brief, Nov. 1998; “Land Trusts and Homesteads,” Illinois Creditors Bar Association Newsletter, Aug./Sept. 1998; “Breaking Up a Law Firm Is Hard to Do,” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, May 13, 1998; “This Legal Bill Could Prove Costly for Attorney,” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, Oct. 1, 1997; “Aiding, Abetting a Breach of Fiduciary Duty,” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, March 27, 1997; “One Bad Turn Deserves Guarded Action,” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, Nov. 19, 1996; “Fight Against Fees Precludes Malpractice Action,” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, Aug. 16, 1996; Fee Forfeitures Hit Right Where It Hurts Most” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, July 25, 1996; “Land Trusts and Homesteads,” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, Jan. 8, 1996; “Lawyers May Lack Protection from Punitive Damage Claims,” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, Nov. 21, 1994; Co-Author: “Attorney’s Legal Liability, Duties to Client: Defining the Standards of Care,” Chapter 2 Ill. Inst. for CLE, Supp. 2005; “Attorney’s Legal Liability, Duties to Client: Defining the Standards of Care,” Chapter 2 Ill. Inst. for CLE; “Chancery and Special Remedies, Specific Performance,” Chapter 3, Ill. Inst. for CLE, Supp. 1989; “Advising Illinois Financial Institutions, Overview of the RICO Act as Applied to Financial Institutions,” Chapter 18, Ill. Inst. for CLE; “Legal Checklists, Mortgaging Real Estate, Part 18, Checklist 18-3, Supp. 1985, with B. Becker, B. Savin and D. Becker; “Chancery & Special Remedies, Maxims of Equity,” Chapter 15, Ill. Inst. for CLE, Supp. 1985; “A Guide to Foreclosure,” 65 Chicago Bar Record 8, July-Aug., 1983; “Wolston v. Reader's Digest Association, Inc., a Chilling Effect on the Media's Privilege,” 26 Decalogue Journal 16, Summer 1980.
EDUCATION DePaul University College of Law - Chicago, Illinois (JD – 1981)
DePaul Law Review – Member 1979-80.
Northern Illinois University - DeKalb, Illinois (BA - Political Science – 1978)
Student of Distinction of the Department of Political Science; National Political
Science Honors Society; National History Honors Society; Mortar Board Society.
ADMITTED Illinois Supreme Court - 1982; United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois - 1982; Federal Trial Bar, Northern District of Illinois - 1986.
ACTIVITIES Illinois State Bar Association (Member, Committee on Judicial Evaluations, 1999-2002; CLE Coordinator, Commercial Banking, Collections & Bankruptcy Section Council, 2011-2012); Illinois Creditors Bar Association (Board Member at Large, 1998-99; Director at Large, 2003-2005; 2011-2013;Vice President Education 2005-2007; Executive Vice President, 2007-2009; President, 2009-2011); Decalogue Society of Lawyers (Board of Managers, 2014-2016;CLE Committee, 2012-2016);Life Member, National Registry of Who’s Who; Arbitrator, Chicago Mercantile Exchange; A-V Rating, Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory; Lecturer: “Real Estate Levies,” Illinois Credit Union League, 27th Annual Attorneys’ Conference (October 1, 2004); “Real Estate Levies,” Illinois Creditors Bar Association (November 11, 2003); Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County’s Advisory Committee (2005); Volunteer Judge: North Central Regional Competition 2004 Jessup Moot Court Competition, DePaul University (February 21, 2004); ISBA High School Mock Trial Invitational (2001-2003); Member, Nor-Wood Life Care NFP, d/b/a Norwood Park Home (1995-); Chicago Legal Clinic Pro Bono Award Recipient (2007); Lawyers’ Assistance Program (Board Member, 2010-; President, 2016-2017)(Appointment by Illinois Supreme Court)).
PERSONAL Ira Helfgot is a lifelong resident of the Chicagoland area, and currently resides in the Northwest suburbs with his wife.