Denise M. DeBelle

Denise DeBelle has been an attorney for over twenty years. Currently she operates her solo practice out of her office in the Uptown neighborhood of Chicago, where she practices in the areas of employment law and association representation.  

 

After graduating from IIT-Kent Chicago College of Law, Denise was Legislative Liaison for Chicago Alderman Mary Ann Smith.  In 1992, she established a law practice serving a moderate-income clientele in employment, real estate, housing discrimination and administrative appeals, including Social Security Disability appeals. 

 

For the last several years, Denise has concentrated in employment law and condominium association law.  She advises employees and employers on their rights and obligations and litigates on behalf of employees whose rights have been violated. This includes discrimination on the basis of sex, age, race, national origin and disability; recovering wages and unpaid overtime for employees,  and retaliatory termination, including on behalf of Whistleblowers. She also advises condominium associations in a variety of governance matters, negotiates to resolve disputes between Board and unit owners, and litigates where necessary to enforce the rules and regulations of the condominium association and/or the rights of unit owners.

 

Denise is active in the Illinois Chapter of National Employment Lawyers Association and the Chicago Bar Association.  In 2013, she founded the Northside Attorneys Group , a networking group for solo practicioners in Chicago.   

 

Denise has long had an interest in civic engagement including involvement in at least five electoral campaigns for local and federal office over the last twenty years.  From 1997 until 2000, she was director of a campaign finance reform project  at the Archdiocese of Chicago.

Graduating with a B.A in Urban Planning, Denise was a planner and housing advocate for seven years prior to law school. She continues her involvement in that arena through serving on the Development Partners committee of the Business Partners, the Chamber for Uptown.

 

In her spare time, she takes Italian lessons and Zumba dance classes.