James G. Sotos - a Chicago, Illinois (IL) Municipal Defense Lawyer

Chicago Municipal Defense Lawyer

Updated: 02/28/2026

Areas of Practice

Municipal Defense
Civil Rights Defense
Government Representation
Employment Discrimination Defense
Employee Internal Investigation

Litigation: 90%

Attorney Information

Overview

The firm is led by James Sotos, who possesses over twenty-five years of experience representing public and private sector clients in federal and state litigation at the trial and appellate levels. During that time, Jim has distinguished himself as one of a handful of attorneys who has argued two cases in the United States Supreme Court, and he has achieved an enviable rate of success in the arena of Illinois governmental litigation. Jim enjoys Lexis-Nexis, Martindale-Hubbell's preeminent AV peer review rating and has been recognized both as an "Illinois Super Lawyer" by "Law and Politics" and the publishers of Chicago Magazine and as an Illinois Leading Lawyer by the Law Bulletin Publishing Company. Jim also lectures and publishes frequently on government liability and ethics and for over 20 years, authored the weekly newspaper column "In Federal Courts", for the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin.

Awards and Honors

Honors

Lexis-Nexis, Martindale-Hubbell's preeminent AV peer review rating
"Illinois Super Lawyer" by "Law and Politics" and the publishers of Chicago Magazine
Illinois Leading Lawyer by the Law Bulletin PUblishing Company

Education

Legal Education
- The John Marshall Law School, Chicago, Illinois, 1985
  J.D.
  Law Review: John Marshall Law Review
Non Legal Education
- Baldwin Wallace College, Berea, Ohio, 1981
  B.A.
  Honors: Pi Sigma Alpha

Current Employment Position(s)

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Founding and Managing Partner
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Classes and Seminars

Lecturer, Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education Association of Government Attorneys in Capital Litigation
Illinois Municipal League
Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police
Illinois State Bar Association
United States Department of Justice

Representative Clients

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City of Chicago
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City of Naperville
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City of Paris
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DuPage County
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McHenry County
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Grundy County
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Lake County
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Representative Cases

Buckley v. Fitzsimmons
- Citation: 113 S.Ct. 2606
- Court: U.S.Ill.
- Year: 1993
- Serial Number: 1993129078
Albright v. Oliver
- Citation: 114 S.Ct. 807
- Court: U.S.Ill.
- Year: 1994
- Serial Number: 1994031547
Gauger v. McHenry County
- Citation: 349 F.3d 354
- Court: 7th Circuit
- Year: 2003

Published Works

Articles

"In Federal Courts", Weekly column for the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, 1991 to present

Bar Admissions

Supreme Court of Illinois, 1986
U.S. Supreme Court, 1986
U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit
U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois, 1986
U.S. District Court Central District of Illinois, 1986
U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois Trial Bar
U.S. District Court Central District of Illinois Trial Bar

Other Affiliations

American Bar Association, 1986 - Present (Member)
Chicago Bar Association, 1986 - Present (Member)
DuPage County Bar Association, 1986 - Present (Member)
Illinois State Bar Association, 1986 - Present
7th Circuit Bar Association
Federal Bar Association
American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA), 1989 - Present (Member)

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Contact

Chicago, IL

141 W. Jackson Blvd. #1240A
Chicago, IL 60604

Directions

Phone: 630-735-3300

Fax: 630-773-0980

Email: Send a message

Website: https://www.jsotoslaw.com

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James G. Sotos - Chicago, IL