Steven B. Ekker
Lisle, Illinois

Steven B. Ekker, B.A. 1989 University of Michigan, J.D. Cum Laude 1993 Northern Illinois University College of Law. In law school, among other honors Steve was appointed Assistant Editor of the Northern Illinois University Law Review and voted President of the Student Bar Association. Prior to joining Momkus McCluskey in 1999, Steve concentrated his practice in insurance defense litigation, although he also gained valuable experience in the areas of real estate, commercial litigation, personal injury, subrogation and appellate practice. Steve's practice now concentrates primarily in the areas of commercial and business litigation, including partnership and shareholder disputes, trade secret and proprietary business information disputes, intellectual property litigation, contract disputes, employment disputes and injunctions.  He additionally practices in the area of libel and slander and handles many of the firms appellate work. His experience and achievements include:

• Successful jury and bench trials in state courts throughout Illinois
• Litigation, arbitration and mediation of commercial and personal injury disputes in state and federal courts
• State court appeals resulting in both published and non-published opinions
• Authorship of materials published by the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education and the D.C.B.A. Brief, the Journal of the DuPage County Bar Association
• Presentation of numerous seminars for firm clients on various issues

Steve is a member of the DuPage County Bar Association.

Year Joined Organization:

1999

Areas of Practice:

Commercial and Business Litigation

Shareholder and Partnership Disputes

Temporary Restraining Orders and Preliminary Injunctions

Trade Secret and Proprietary Business Information Disputes

Intellectual Property Litigation

Employment Disputes

Contract Litigation

Defamation

Appellate Practice

Municipality Defense Litigation

Insurance Defense Litigation

Litigation Percentage:

100% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Bar Admissions:

Illinois, 1993

U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois, 1993

Education:

Northern Illinois University College of Law, DeKalb, Illinois, 1993
J.D.
Honors: Cum Laude
Honors: Elected Class Representative, Student Bar Association, 1990-1992
Honors: Elected President, Student Bar Association, 1993
Honors: Member, Moot Court Society
Honors: Member, Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity
Law Review: Northern Illinois University Law Review, Member, 1990 - 1992
Law Review: Northern Illinois University Law Review, Assistant Editor, 1992 - 1993

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1989
B.A.
Honors: Selected Congressional Intern for the Honorable Thomas J. Ridge
Major:  Communications/English

The Taft School, Watertown, Connecticut, 1985

Published Works:

Arbitration in Automobile Insurance Cases, Chapt. 17, Alternative Dispute Resolution Practice Handbook (Ill. Inst. for CLE, 2001)

Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Arbitration: Don't Be Put Off By Setoffs, DCBA Brief -- The Journal of the DuPage County Bar Association, Volume 14, Issue 1, September 2001

Insuring Municipalities: Defending Under the Tort Immunity Act - A Dog of a Case Study, DCBA Brief -- The Journal of the DuPage County Bar Association, Volume 20, Issue 9, June 2008

Representative Cases:

Alpine Bank of Illinois v. Yancy, 274 Ill.App.3d 766, 654 N.E.2d 1088 (Illinois Appellate 2d. District 1995)

Viktron Ltd. Partnership v. Program Data Inc., 326 Ill.App.3d 111, 759 N.E.2d 186 (Illinois Appellate Court 2d. District 2001)

Happel v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 286 F.Supp.2d 943 (United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois 2003)

General Star Indemn. Co. v. Lake Bluff School Dist. No. 65, 354 Ill.App.3d 118, 819 N.E.2d 784 (Illinois Appellate Court 2d. District 2004)

Happel v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Not Reported in F.Supp.2d, 2004 WL 755581 (United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois 2004)

Happel v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 319 F.Supp.2d 883 (United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois 2004)

Hartshorn v. State Farm Ins. Co., 361 Ill.App.3d 731, 838 N.E.2d 211 (Illinois Appellate Court 2d. District 2005)

Happel v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Not Reported in F.Supp.2d, 2006 WL 642562 (United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois 2006)

Happel v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Slip Copy, 2006 WL 1840382 (United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois 2006)

State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co. v. Illinois Farmers Ins. Co., 368 Ill.App.3d 914, 858 N.E.2d 519 (Illinois Appellate Court 1st. District 2006)

Happel v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Not Reported in F.Supp.2d, 2007 WL 495277 (United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois 2007)

Happel v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Slip Copy, 2007 WL 1597718 (United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois 2007)

Classes/Seminars Taught:

Multiple Seminars to Individual and Firm Clients and Prospective Clients

Professional Associations and Memberships:

Illinois State Bar Association

Member

DuPage County Bar Association

General and Committee Member

Sugar Grove Chamber of Commerce & Industry

General and Committee Member

Past Employment Positions:

Mulherin, Rehfeldt & Varchetto, Associate, 1996 - 1999

Lewis & Nyuli, Associate, 1994 - 1996

Garr & DeMaertelaere, Associate, 1993 - 1994

Fraternities/Sororities:

Delta Theta Phi