Steven Blonder

Practice Areas

Steve is a valued legal and business counselor who focuses on complex business litigation. Steve has argued successfully before the federal and state appellate courts as well as the Illinois Supreme Court. He possesses a record of success in motion and trial practice in state and federal courts and in arbitration. His clients range from Fortune 500 companies and government entities to small businesses and entrepreneurs in a variety of industries, including gaming, consumer packaged goods, financial services, insurance, and real estate. He has represented a market-leading food company for more than five years, advising on labeling claims, class action defense, consumer claims, Prop 65, and slack fill issues.

As a strategic counselor, Steve learns the economic, financial, and human drivers affecting a client’s business. He helps them identify and overcome obstacles and design plans to accomplish their business objectives. Drawing on his skills as a litigator, he solves problems related to class action defense, corporate governance and control, securities, insurance, real estate, regulatory compliance, and other business issues.

In addition, Steve serves as the first line of defense for clients responding to inquiries from state attorneys general and in qui tam litigation, with experience representing clients before state and federal regulatory and governmental bodies. He also leads internal investigations regarding alleged corporate misconduct and represents parties in trust disputes and other probate matters.

Professional Memberships

American Bar Association

Illinois State Bar Association

Chicago Bar Association

American Bar Foundation, Life Fellow

Publications

Steve is a speaker and commentator to the media on a range of topics, including trade secrets, environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues, financial services, civil procedure, and corporate governance. He writes about financial services, health care, securities, real estate, insurance, regulatory compliance, arbitration, qui tam litigation, the use of expert witnesses, and class actions.

Steve has also been selected to serve on Law360’s Illinois Editorial Advisory Board in 2023. The editorial advisory board provides crucial feedback on Law360’s legal news coverage and insight on how to best shape future analysis and reporting.

Personal

Steve serves as chair of Much Community, the firm’s social responsibility initiative. He is chairman of the board of directors for The Ark, a Chicago-based organization dedicated to poverty relief, after serving as president of the board for nearly three years. He was first elected to The ARK’s board in 2016, then served as treasurer and vice president. Steve also serves as vice chair of the Chicago Bar Foundation’s Investing in Justice Campaign, a position he has held since 2010.

Steve previously completed two terms on the Board of Trustees and the Audit Committee for Chicago public television station WTTW11 and its sister radio station 98.7WFMT.

He served on the Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago (JUF) board of directors for eight years and on various committees for nearly 20 years. Steve held multiple leadership positions within JUF’s Young Leadership Division, including president of the division. He is a past recipient of JUF’s Young Leadership Award.

Steve served on the board of directors for the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (Midwest Region) and the Jewish Community Centers of Chicago. He also served for 10 years as a board member of the Jewish Children’s Bureau. He spent three years as chairman of The Hillels of Illinois and was president of Ezra Habonim, the Niles Township Jewish Congregation in Skokie, Illinois, for four years.

He is a former Executive Committee member of the Midwest Region of the Anti-Defamation League and a former member of the United Jewish Communities National Young Leadership Cabinet. Steve also served as an officer of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society. Additionally, he has served as a national officer and campaign cabinet member of the United Jewish Appeal, as a national board member of the Jewish Commission of Public Affairs and Hillel, and as a member of Kol Dor.

Steve has successfully chaired judicial campaigns for a Cook County Circuit Court Judge and an Illinois Appellate Court Justice. Presently, he serves as a co-chair of the judicial campaign for the first Asian American presiding judge in Cook County.

Awards