John Barkley Sample IV

I have experience on a wide range of commercial litigation matters, including breach of contract, real estate, intellectual property, product liability and labor and employment. I have particular expertise with contract disputes, and have contributed to editing the book, Illinois Contract Litigation. In addition, I have managed large document reviews, obtained witness declarations, and appeared in state and federal courts in Chicago. I have worked on legal matters for John Deere, Universal Protection Services, SecurityPoint Media, Oxford Capital, and Fifth Third Bank.

I am committed to pro-bono representation. I am a member of Sheppard Mullin’s firm-wide Pro Bono Committee. I have handled pro bono matters involving helping clients obtain asylum, advising clients on insurance disputes, providing settlement assistance to indigent prisoners pursuing civil claims, and advising victims of domestic violence.

I am a leader in our Chicago office diversity initiatives, and i am actively involved in firm-wide diversity and inclusion efforts. I am a member of the firm’s Diversity and Inclusion Network, I am the Chicago office representative to Out At Sheppard, and I am a Sheppard Mullin representative to the Chicago Committee for Minorities in Large Law Firms. At the firm’s most recent diversity retreat, I moderated a panel on mentorship and sponsorship.

I am also actively involved in the Chicago legal community. I am a member of the Chicago Bar Association and a member of the University of Illinois Law Alumni Board, including the Committee for Advancement, which is dedicated to improving minority enrollment at the University of Illinois Law School.

Prior to attending law school, I worked as a clerk at a Chicago general practice law firm, and I taught English as a Second Language at Parkland Community College. During law school, I clerked for Judge John Young in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas.