Kristen Hudson

Practice Areas

Kristen Hudson advises businesses and business people on legal strategies in bringing, defending, or avoiding litigation. When litigation becomes necessary, Kristen is a battle-tested trial lawyer who consistently delivers wins in high-stakes commercial litigation, including class action defense, breach of contract, employment disputes, fraud, RICO and other statutory tort claims across a variety of industries. She also advises clients on insurance issues and intellectual property matters involving trade secrets, trademarks, copyrights, patents, and privacy rights. Kristen participated in the first jury trial under Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act and secured decisive defense victories in competition-related disputes across state and federal courts.

Trusted as both advisor and advocate, Kristen has served as General Counsel for a multi-state law firm, as well as outside general counsel for her clients, guiding executive leadership teams through complex issues in corporate governance, litigation risk, privacy, insurance, employment, and intellectual property. Her secondments with major energy and UK-based insurance companies have sharpened her understanding of business-driven legal strategy, enabling her to align closely with client priorities.

Professional Memberships

American Bar Association, Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section (TIPS), Ethics and Professionalism Standing Committee, 2022-2023, Outreach to Young Lawyers Standing Committee, 2022-2023, Vice-Chair, Business Litigation General Committee, 2022-2023; American Bar Association, Litigation Section, Privacy and Data Security Committee, Newsletter Editor; Illinois Bar Association, Cook County Assembly, Alternative Dispute Resolution Section Council; UIC Law School, Adjunct Professor, International Means of Dispute Resolution, Alternative Means of Dispute Resolution, and Counseling and Negotiations, Co-Coach, Willem C. Vis International Moot Arbitration Team, Advanced to Elimination Rounds, Vis East Hong Kong, China, 2022; Honorable Mention Best Oralist, 2022, Advanced to Elimination Rounds, Vis East Hong Kong, China, 2021, Honorable Mention Best Oralist, Vienna, Austria, 2020, Honorable Mention Best Claimant’s Brief, Vis East Hong Kong, China, 2019, Honorable Mention Best Respondent’s Brief, Vis East Hong Kong, China, 2019, Third Place, the University of Houston Blakely Advocacy Institute’s “Write the Arbitration Award” Competition, 2019; Illinois Supreme Court’s Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission, Hearing Board, Member; Travis County Women Lawyers’ Association, Member

Publications

Author, "What’s New in the World of Arbitration: Hot Topics and Big Changes," In the Alternative, Vol. 31 No. 2, Illinois State Bar Association, September 2024; Co-Author, "Year in Review: Some Latest Supreme Court Decisions Involving Arbitration,” In the Alternative, Section on Alternative Dispute Resolution, Illinois State Bar, March 2023

Education

Awards