Our practice opens in January 2027.
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WHERE WE SERVE
The North Shore
North Shore business litigation and insurance coverage for companies, owners, boards, and professional firms from Evanston to Lake Forest.
BUSINESS DISPUTES · INSURANCE COVERAGE
Business Litigation and Insurance Coverage on the North Shore
The North Shore runs from Evanston to Lake Forest, and few stretches of suburban America hold as much business in as little space. Global headquarters line Lake Cook Road and the Edens corridor, from Walgreens in Deerfield and Grainger in Lake Forest to Illinois Tool Works in Glenview and Rotary International in Evanston. Manufacturers fill Northbrook’s Sky Harbor and the industrial corridors of Skokie, and the region’s shopping centers keep reinventing themselves, from Market Square, the country’s first planned shopping center, to the new Edens Plaza in Wilmette and the summer crowds of the Ravinia District in Highland Park. Family companies and professional practices fill the rest, from Winnetka’s three business districts to downtown storefronts in every village.
Allison Cho Law represents businesses, owners, directors and officers, and professional firms in Evanston, Skokie, Wilmette, Kenilworth, Winnetka, Glencoe, Northbrook, Glenview, Highland Park, Deerfield, and Lake Forest. We handle the dispute and the insurance question together: who is responsible, and which policy should pay for the defense or the loss.
Much of the region’s business is closely held. Family companies pass from one generation to the next, partners build practices together, and many residents serve on corporate, private, and nonprofit boards. Succession plans, buyout terms, operating agreements, and D&O coverage matter most when they are settled before anyone needs them.
Property here is valuable and often historic. Lakefront homes, century-old estates, and commercial buildings share the same questions about replacement cost, water and storm damage, and the contracts behind every renovation, and a clear record with the right policy limits makes a claim far easier to resolve.
Matters We Handle for North Shore Clients
Commercial disputes and the insurance coverage behind them.
Owner and Partner Disputes
Conflicts in closely held companies and professional practices over control, distributions, buyouts, and fiduciary duties.
Contract and Vendor Disputes
Breached agreements, failed projects, supplier conflicts, and technology and AI implementations that didn’t deliver.
Construction and Renovation
Contractor and architect disputes over defective work, delay, withheld payment, and plans that fail zoning review.
D&O and Professional Liability
Claims against directors, officers, and professional firms, and disputes over insured-versus-insured exclusions, notice, and related claims.
Duty to Defend
Lawsuits where the insurer refuses to defend, reserves its rights, or appoints counsel with a conflict.
Property and Business Interruption Claims
Property, business interruption, and cyber claims, including denials, delays, and underpayment.
Where North Shore Cases Are Heard
Cook County: Skokie Courthouse
Cases from Evanston, Wilmette, Kenilworth, Winnetka, Glencoe, Northbrook, and Glenview are usually filed at the Second Municipal District courthouse, 5600 Old Orchard Rd., Skokie.
WHERE CASES GO
Civil damages claims up to $100,000
Law Division cases above $100,000
Many chancery matters heard downtown
Includes the Cook County part of Deerfield
Lake County and Federal Court
Cases from Highland Park, Lake Forest, and other Lake County communities go to the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit in Waukegan. Federal cases from both counties are heard in Chicago.
WHAT TO KNOW
Nineteenth Judicial Circuit, Waukegan
Deerfield sits in both counties
Northern District of Illinois, Chicago
Coverage suits with out-of-state insurers
NORTH SHORE / Q&A
Frequently asked questions
Which court handles a dispute arising on the North Shore?
My business partner is shutting me out of the company. What can I do?
A former executive or co-owner sued our board. Will our D&O policy respond?
When should we notify our insurer about a claim?
Our insurer says the lawsuit isn’t covered. Does it still have to defend us?
WHERE WE SERVE / THE NORTH SHORE
Start with the matter at hand.
Whether it’s a partner who wants out, a project gone wrong, or a claim against your company or its leadership, a focused first conversation can clarify your options and deadlines.
Schedule a Consultation
FROM OUR INSIGHTS
Related Insights
D&O policies commonly exclude lawsuits brought by one insured against another, which can leave co-owners without coverage when they sue each other. The exclusion doesn’t require proof of collusion in Illinois, but exceptions for former officers, derivative suits, and bankruptcy trustees, along with mixed-plaintiff lawsuits, can preserve coverage.
ALLISONCHOLAW / BUSINESS LITIGATION & COUNSEL