Bridgette A. Kolb - Chicago, IL

Bridgette A. Kolb joined Katz Friedman in 2014. Her practice is focused on protecting the rights of workers in Workers’ Compensation, Labor, and Employment law.

Bridgette represents clients in Workers’ Compensation and Occupational Disease cases. She is a zealous advocate who is dedicated to obtaining the compensation that injured workers and their families deserve.

Bridgette has represented numerous injured workers in the airline industry, including flight attendants and pilots based all over the world, baggage handlers, and customer services representatives, in their workers’ compensation and occupational disease claims. She has investigated and prosecuted claims against United Continental Holdings, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Delta, Envoy, ExpressJet, Frontier, SkyWest, Republic Airways, and other airlines.

Bridgette has represented many injured nurses in claims against Northshore, Ascension and AMITA Health, the University of Illinois hospital system, as well as other hospitals and nursing homes. She has also successfully pursued claims against Ford Motor Company, Stellantis/Chrysler, PepsiCo, DHL, Sysco Foods, Hyatt, and other employers throughout Illinois.

Bridgette represents the Firm’s labor union clients as well as individual employees in employment matters. She represents workers who have been the victim of unlawful employment practices by their employers. She has represented employees under the Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”), Age Discrimination in Employment Act (“ADEA”), the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”), the Illinois Wage Payment and Collections Act, and in discrimination claims based on Gender, Race, Pregnancy, and Sexual Orientation as well as sexual harassment claims under Title VII and the Illinois Human Rights Act.

Bridgette practices in State and Federal courts throughout the state of Illinois, as well as before National Labor Relations Board, the Illinois Public Labor Relations Board, Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board, and the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission. Bridgette has also handled labor arbitrations on behalf of the firm’s union clients.

Bridgette has written numerous briefs and successfully argued appeals at the Commission, Circuit Court, and Appellate Court levels. Bridgette authored the chapter on Handling Appeals, Writing Briefs, and Presenting Oral Arguments for Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education’s 2020 Annual Workers’ Compensation Institute.

Bridgette has also assisted in research and drafting various other Workers’ Compensation, Labor, and Employment law articles and publications. She has aided in the drafting of IICLE Continuing Legal Education topics covering a variety of topics, including assessing Permanent Partial Disability, settlement contracts guidance and pitfalls, and the impact of social media on workers’ compensation claims.

Prior to becoming an attorney at Katz Friedman, Bridgette worked as a clerk for Katz Friedman while in law school. While in law school, Bridgette had the opportunity to assist in the research and drafting of a presentation on settlement contracts in front of the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Arbitrators.

Bridgette is a member of the Illinois Bar and is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Illinois and the United States District Courts for the Northern and Central Districts of Illinois.

Bridgette received her Juris Doctor degree from Chicago-Kent College of Law with a certificate in Labor Employment Law. Before attending law school, she graduated from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana as a James Scholar, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication.

Bridgette is originally from the Detroit suburbs. In her free time, Bridgette volunteers at events for children and adults with disabilities in the community and tutors local elementary students. She enjoys cooking, exploring Chicago, and spending time with her husband and twin boys.