Joseph Michael Gagliardo

Mr. Gagliardo is the Managing Partner of Laner, Muchin, Ltd., and is the Chair of its Litigation Department. Mr. Gagliardo has counseled and represented employers in a broad range of employment matters for over 35 years. His experience includes litigating individual and class action claims in the state and federal courts.  Mr. Gagliardo also serves as an arbitrator in employment and commercial disputes. 

Since joining the Firm as a partner in 1988, Mr. Gagliardo has been counsel to publicly and privately held corporations, including The Trump Organization, and has represented a number of public sector employers, including the State of Illinois, State Treasurer, County of Cook, State’s Attorney for Cook County, Cook County Public Defender, City of Chicago, Chicago Transit Authority, Chicago Housing Authority, Chicago Board of Education, and the City Colleges of Chicago.

Mr. Gagliardo previously served as First Deputy Corporation Counsel for the City of Chicago. During his ten years in the Office of the Corporation Counsel, he counseled the City’s forty departments in all aspects of municipal law, including labor and employment relations, and represented the City and its officers and employees in litigation matters pending in the state and federal courts, and before various administrative agencies. 

Mr. Gagliardo has written articles and conducted seminars on labor and employment relations matters for various legal and business organizations. He also has drafted legislation and testified before the Illinois Legislature and the City Council of the City of Chicago. While an attorney for the City, he was a member of the National Institute of Municipal Law Officers (served as Editor, Section Publications, Section on Personnel and Labor Relations), Illinois Public Employer Labor Relations Association, and Illinois Municipal League.

In 2013, Intercontinental Finance Magazine recognized Mr. Gagliardo as one of the Top 500 lawyers in the world, and in 2012, Mr. Gagliardo was named as Best Lawyers’ 2012 Chicago-Litigation-Labor & Employment Lawyer of the Year.  Mr. Gagliardo has also been voted one of the Top 10 Attorneys in Illinois in 2012 and 2015, and one of the Top 100 Attorneys in 2007-11 and 2013-14, according to Super Lawyer polls appearing in Chicago Magazine. The selection is the result of lawyer nominations of the best attorneys observed in action. He has also been selected as a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America.  Mr. Gagliardo has also been named one of the Leading Lawyers in Illinois in the area of labor and employment law based on a statewide survey of lawyers. Leading Lawyers comprise less than 5% of all lawyers in Illinois. He was also selected as one of America’s Leading Lawyers for Business by the Chambers USA in its Guide to America’s Leading Business Lawyers, which described him as “bright,” “thorough” and “hard-driving.” Mr. Gagliardo is also an elected Fellow/Member of The College of Labor and Employment Lawyers. Additionally, Mr. Gagliardo has been included in Who’s Who Legal USA -- Management, Labor and Employment, and International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers. Mr. Gagliardo has also received the highest Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating for ethical standards and legal ability.

Mr. Gagliardo has received numerous awards, including a Distinguished Service Award from The John Marshall Law School; an Award of Excellence from the Justinian Society of Lawyers; A Guiding Star Award from Windows of Opportunity; leadership awards from the Illinois Legislature, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Cook County Board of Commissioners and City of Chicago; and he has received Peacemaker and Humanitarian Awards from the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans. The Peacemaker Award was based on Mr. Gagliardo’s skills in resolving disputes, and the Humanitarian Award was based on his commitment to, and efforts to promote, diversity and human relations initiatives.