Ethan G. Zelizer

Ethan and his staff came into my life at one of the worst times I had ever been through. They continued being there for me, guiding not only me, but also my wife through an uphill battle against my cancer and my former employer. Words fail me as I try to describe what Ethan has done for me and my fam...ily. His confidence, faith, humor, knowledge, patience and wisdom has reaffirmed my faith in the legal system. Ethan pursued my employer for months, first at the EEOC and ultimately filing a federal lawsuit that was then mediated and resolved exactly the way Ethan had predicted. Along the way, he interviewed me and my former coworkers extensively, told me where the case was strong, identified the weaknesses, assisted me in the mundane (like Obamacare) and tenaciously advocated for me like nobody had ever done before. Bottom line is I made the best choice with Ethan and his group. I was lost, and they made sure I knew exactly where I stood every step of the way. To me and my wife ethan will always have an open door to our life, not just professionally, but as members of our extended family.

Ethan represented me approximately 4 months ago after my former employer threatened to sue me and my new employer for alleged violations of a noncompete agreement and trade secret issues. Ethan is an excellent negotiator and by far the best lawyer I have ever worked with. He was very kind, but at... the same time got right to the heart of the key issues. He was very professional while working with me, my new employer, and the other party's attorney. Ethan is extremely knowledgeable when it comes to restrictive covenants and non-compete law. He was quick to learn the intricacies of my business -- a business not commonly understood outside the biotech/investment industry. He quickly gained the confidence and trust of my new employer as well. Ethan is also relentless. He wouldn't let me or my new company settle when a relatively easy settlement was available. He expressed his concerns about the non monetary and competitive consequences of the would-be settlement when we were punch drunk and ready to move on. He was resolute on what he believed was a fair outcome and he propped me up when I was getting fatigued by the process. Moreover, he was always thinking about how to better my position, my company's position, and my position within my new company. I was surprised at the level of effort and concern Ethan exhibited about my career and my relationship with my new employer. He could have simply focused on the conflict with my previous employer. However, ethan wanted to make Sure my current employer understood that I had not violated my old agreement, the law, or my previous employer's trust. He worked hard to build a strong relationship with my current employer that reflected well on me, my judgment, my abilities, and my work ethic. Ethan was the reason my old employer stood down and ultimately agreed to a universal settlement agreement. That agreement ultimately bettered my position and that of my new Company while simultaneously offering some assurances to my old company (which came easily and without a cost to us). Perhaps it's not all that surprising that my current employer hired Ethan to assist it with a separate matter after my suit had concluded. Ethan is that type of guy; imminently likeable, fair, trustworthy and relentless in his advocacy for his client. I am very happy with the final outcome of our case, the professional relationship we developed, and the friendship that resulted from Ethan's top notch representation.

I met Ethan while defending a lawsuit brought against my company from a former employee that he was representing. His knowledge of employment law resulted in our losing the first employment case brought against us in our company's history. Based on that experience, I hired Ethan to represent my wi...fe and I when we needed an employment law expert. Ethan turned out to be responsive, extremely knowledgeable about employment law and kept me in the loop every step of the way. He was a great negotiator and provided the guidance I needed that resulted in a positive outcome. I was also impressed with his ability to work with me as a partner. He took my input and used it toward helping the situation. He is a great listener who uses good information to his advantage. I felt very confident I was in good hands. I highly recommend Ethan for anyone or any company who needs legal representation for an employment law matter.

Having been a top performer for the largest biotech company in the world, along with a proven track record of success for 30+ years in sales, I would not have ever imagined needing an attorney. Unfortunately, things took an unexpected turn for the worse and I am very thankful to have been referred to... Ethan in that process. Ethan came highly recommended due to his success in settling several cases similar to mine. My husband and I drove from the Indianapolis area to Ethan's office in Naperville, Illinois for what we thought would be a 1-hour consultation. Three hours later (at no additional charge to us), we walked out having agreed to pursue legal action against my former employer. One of the many things I respect about Ethan is how selective he is in the clients he chooses to represent. He does not take on additional clients just to gain more business - he represented me because he believed in me and my case. Unlike the "typical" attorney, Ethan took a genuine and personal interest in my case and represented my best interests in every step along the way. Just in case you don't yet have a sense of the type of person/attorney Ethan is, here are some additional adjectives to further describe my experience with him..... - Very astute - Thorough - Perceptive, intuitive - Respectful - Dedicated, diligent - Realistic - Compassionate - Has a bold confidence - Passionate about "righting the wrong", relentless in his pursuit of justice - Witnessing him in action is like watching a torpedo being set loose on a mission! - I met my match with someone as principle-oriented as me - he fought my fight! Ethan took what was an extremely difficult time in my life (due to wrongful treatment from my former employer) and transferred it into hopeful possibilities for my future and for that, I will always be eternally grateful to him!

Ethan represented me regarding wind-up operations for my company and it's sale. He counseled me through every aspect of the sale -- from my compensation on the way out, to equity in the new entity, to a noncompete that I could live with, to executive compensation issues, and all the way down to the g...ranular and esoteric issues like, who will turn off the lights, close or transition the website, transition and bookended our social media footprint, and how to handle physical equipment, computers and severance for my employees. The job was immense and Ethan made it seem simple, kept it straight forward, and never had me sweating. He is a pro with the business acumen of a CEO and legal acumen second to none -- and I know, I've had plenty of attorneys. Thank you Ethan. You have a client for life.