Overview

About Gail Reich

Gail Reich heads the firm’s litigation practice and represents public and private sector clients in complex civil matters in state and federal courts.  With a career spanning public service and private practice, Gail is known for her strategic advocacy, meticulous preparation, and practical approach to resolving disputes. She partners with clients to assess risk, develop effective litigation strategies, and guide matters from pre-suit evaluation through trial and appeal.

Gail has extensive experience handling all phases of civil litigation, including case investigation, pleadings, discovery, dispositive motions, trial, and appellate practice. Her practice includes the defense of private sector and governmental entities and individuals, as well as advising clients on risk management, compliance, Freedom of Information Act matters, and internal policies and procedures. Whether defending complex litigation or helping clients proactively avoid it, Gail focuses on delivering thoughtful legal counsel tailored to each client’s objectives.

Before joining Elrod Friedman, Gail built a distinguished litigation career representing governmental entities and their employees. She began her legal career as an Assistant Corporation Counsel with the City of Chicago Department of Law, first in the Building and Land Use Litigation Division, where she prosecuted code enforcement matters and defended administrative review actions. She later joined the Individual Defense Litigation Division, serving as lead counsel in the defense of Illinois tort claims and federal civil rights actions brought under Section 1983. In 2015, she transitioned to private practice, where she continued representing governmental clients while expanding her litigation practice.

Gail’s experience also includes serving as an Administrative Adjudication Hearing Officer in Will County and conducting workplace investigations involving allegations of discrimination, harassment, and employee misconduct. These roles have strengthened her ability to evaluate complex factual and legal issues from multiple perspectives, allowing her to provide balanced, strategic advice to clients facing challenging situations.

Before entering the legal profession, Gail lived in Milan, Italy, where she worked as an English teacher, translator, and Director of Studies at a foreign language school. Her international experience fostered the communication skills, adaptability, and cultural perspective that continue to inform her practice today.

Credentials

Education

• University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, Juris Doctor
• Michigan State University, Bachelor of Arts in Communication

Bar Admissions

• Illinois
• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (General and Trial Bar)
• U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois (General and Trial Bar)
• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois (General and Trial Bar)
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit

Memberships

• Chicago Bar Association
• Illinois State Bar Association