Profile
Caesar A. Tabet is a trial and appellate attorney who concentrates his practice in the area of complex business litigation and counseling. His practice includes corporate and class-action litigation, intellectual property, insurance recovery, and executive compensation. He has been lead trial counsel in many high-stakes cases for a wide range of corporations, partnerships, joint ventures, and individuals. His clients include some of the most prominent businesses and individuals in the Chicagoland area.
Mr. Tabet is on the adjunct faculty at the Loyola University of Chicago School of Law, where he has taught Advanced Trial Advocacy for many years. He also has taught trial practice at the National Institute for Trial Advocacy. Mr. Tabet has been selected as an Illinois Super Lawyer each year from 2008 through present, and he also has received the AV-Preeminent Peer Review Rating, which is Martindale-Hubbell’s highest rating for ethical standards and legal ability.
Representative Experience
Mr. Tabet has been lead trial counsel on numerous cases that have been the subject of extensive media coverage. Some of his cases that have been resolved by jury verdict, trial judgment, arbitration award, or appeal are reflected in published decisions. Set forth below are some examples of his cases that are reflected in published decisions:
- Maxxam Partners, LLC v. County of Kane, et al., No. 17-CV-5707 (N.D. Ill. 2018) (granting Consent Decree in favor of client Maxxam Partners in multi-million dollar constitutional and federal discrimination claims related to commercial zoning dispute).
- Derolf v. Risinger Bros. Transfer, Inc., 16-cv-1298 (ILCD) (April 21, 2017) (granting dismissal of multi-million dollar putative class action against client Risinger, alleging misclassification claims under federal and state statutes, including FLSA, TILA, and the Internal Revenue Code)
- Beeler, Schad and Diamond, P.C. v. Relax The Back Corp., 2016 IL App. (1st) 151580 (2016) (affirming trial judgment in favor of client Relax The Back Corporation on claims under the False Claims Act relating to tax on internet sales and reversing judgment relating to tax on mail catalog sales).
- BorgWarner Inc. v. Kuhlman Electric Corp., 2014 IL App (1st) 131824 (affirming interlocutory order in favor of client BorgWarner in multi-million dollar corporate indemnification litigation related to underlying environmental toxic tort lawsuits).
- American Economy Insurance Co. v. Haley Mansion, Inc., 2013 IL App. (3d) 120368-U (2013) (affirming summary judgment in favor of client Haley Mansion in an insurance recovery action).
- Cooper v. Suppes, No. 08 CH 47482 (Cir. Ct. Cook County, Ch. Div.) (June 27, 2013) (entering trial judgment in favor of client trustee and awarding attorneys’ fees in complex breach of trust and breach of fiduciary duty lawsuit).
- Leyshon v. Diehl Controls North America, Inc., 407 Ill. App. 3d 1 (1st Dist. 2010), petition for leave to appeal denied (2011) (affirming multi-million dollar jury verdict in favor of client Wallace Leyshon in executive compensation and defamation lawsuit, and affirming award of compensatory damages, punitive damages, and attorney fees).
- Fix v. Quantum Industrial Partners LDC, 374 F.3d 549 (7th Cir. 2004) (affirming multi-million dollar judgment in favor of client Roger Fix in executive compensation/breach of contract dispute).
- US Cellular Corp. v. Illinois Department of Central Management Services, 348 Ill. App. 3d 72 (1st Dist. 2004) (affirming judgment in favor of client US Cellular and invalidating Illinois administrative rules relating to cellular telephone regulations).
- Baker v. Kingsley, et al., 387 F.3d 649 (7th Cir. 2004) (affirming dismissal of majority of multi-million dollar class action claims against client under ERISA and state law claims).
- PrimeCo Personal Communications v. Illinois Commerce Commission, 196 Ill. 2d 70 (2001) (affirming judgment in favor of client PrimeCo and declaring statutes and administrative rules relating to taxation of cellular telephone operations unconstitutional and invalid).
Education, Professional Activities, and Recognition
In 1982, Mr. Tabet received his Bachelor of Arts degree with honors from St. John’s University in Minnesota. In 1987, he received his Juris Doctor degree with honors from the University of Minnesota Law School, where he served as Editor of the Law Review. Upon graduation from law school, he served as a law clerk to the Honorable John A. Nordberg of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
Mr. Tabet has achieved significant recognition within the profession. Each year from 2008 through present, he has been selected as an Illinois Super Lawyer. He also has achieved the AV-Preeminent Peer Review Rating, which is the highest rating for ethical standards and legal ability by Martindale-Hubbell.
Many lawyers and law firms have recognized Mr. Tabet as a leading member of the Chicago legal community by retaining him to represent their law firms in a variety of disputes. He is regularly retained by law firms and law partners to represent their interests in law partnership disputes, legal malpractice, and a wide variety of other disputes.
For many years Mr. Tabet has served as a Director of the Illinois Bar Foundation, which is the charitable arm of the Illinois State Bar Association. He is an active member of the Chicago Bar Association, the Illinois Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. He also is active in numerous other charitable endeavors.