Richard T. Sikes Jr.

Of Counsel

Photo of Richard T. Sikes Jr.

Phone

Social

Office Location

200 W. Adams St.
Suite 2445
Chicago, IL 60606

Richard is an experienced lead trial and appellate attorney. For over 40 years, Richard has tried cases as a prosecutor and then as a civil practitioner in the areas of transportation (primarily for railroads), toxic torts, civil rights and general commercial litigation in Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Oregon and Wisconsin. Richard has also prepared appellate briefs and presented oral arguments in numerous cases including as lead attorney in 4 cases before the Illinois Supreme Court. 

Specialties: Transportation Litigation, Civil Rights Litigation, Toxic Torts, Appellate, Commercial Litigation, Casualty Litigation.

Practice Areas

  • Transportation Litigation
  • Civil Rights Litigation
  • Toxic Torts
  • Appellate
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Casualty Litigation

Education

  • DePaul University College of Law, Chicago, Illinois
    • Juris Doctor - 1980
    • Honors: Member, National Moot Court Team
  • Marquette University
    • Bachelor Science Business Administration - 1976
    • Major: Accounting

Bar Admissions

  • Illinois
  • Minnesota
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit
  • U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois Trial Bar
  • U.S. District Court Central District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court Eastern District of Michigan
  • U.S. District Court Middle District of Pennsylvania

Past Positions

  • Shaheen, Lundburg and Callahan, P.C., Law Clerk/Associate Attorney, 1978 to 1981
  • Cook County State's Attorney’s Office, Assistant State's Attorney, 1981 to 1989
  • Freeborn & Peters LLP, Partner, 1989 to 2009
  • Chicago Law Firm, Owning Partner, 2009 to 2017
  • Heyl, Royster, Voelker & Allen, Of Counsel, 2017 to 2019

Honors

Classes & Seminars

  • Presenter, Private Police Forces and Public Accountability, Annual Meeting of the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Agencies, 2016
  • Speaker, Event Recorders and Locomotive Camera Video and Audio in Litigation, Winter Meeting of National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel, 2014
  • Faculty Member, College of Trial Advocacy for National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel, 2013
  • Presenter, DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Law Enforcement Training Seminar, 2012 - Legal Issues Related to Protests and Crowd Control
  • Speaker, Seminar for executives of Triton Security Company on Legal Issues Arising from Protests and Crowd Control, 2012

Pro-Bono Activities

  • Helping Hand Foundation, Board Member 2020

Published Works

  • “OSHA V. FRA Regulations and Use of OSHA Regulations As A Basis For Negligence,” The Railroad Litigator’s Notebook, National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel, 4th Edition, 2010

Fraternities or Sororities

Representative Clients

Representative Cases

Certified Legal Specialties

Professional Associations

  • Chicago Bar Association, Member
  • National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel, Member

Current Employment Positions

  • Of Counsel

Ancillary Businesses

References 

Languages