For over 40 years Mr. Hartmann has handled and served as lead trial attorney on a variety of complex business and employment litigation matters. He has successfully tried to verdict dozens of jury and non-jury commercial cases in federal and state courts throughout the country, as well as appeals, arbitrations and mediations.
- Commercial Loans: Mr. Hartmann represents secured lenders in the enforcement of commercial loan agreements in various contexts such as work-outs, foreclosures, receiverships, lender liability and prepayment premiums.
- Insurance: Mr. Hartmann represents life insurance companies in litigation involving sales practices, disputes with agents, and policies including claim disputes, rescissions and interpleaders.
- Employment: Mr. Hartmann represents employers in single-plaintiff and class action litigation involving claims alleging discrimination, retaliation, wrongful discharge, sexual harassment, whistle-blower retaliation and wage and hour He also represents companies in occupational safety and health investigations and OSHA enforcement actions.
- Bankruptcy: Mr. Hartmann represents bankruptcy trustees in investigations and fraud and director and officer litigation.
He also counsels company presidents, CFOs and other senior executives with respect to employment agreements, executive comp and separations, and serves as outside general counsel to a number of closely-held businesses.
While at Freeborn (now SGR), he was a member of the Firm’s Executive Committee and Alternative Fee Arrangements Committee. He also served as the Firm’s long-standing General Counsel, making him the proverbial “lawyer’s lawyer.”
Mr. Hartmann earned his J.D. from the University of Illinois College of Law where he graduated magna cum laude, member of the Order of the Coif and Honor Society, and served as Editor, Recent Decisions Section of the Illinois Bar Journal. He earned his B.A. from Northwestern University graduating with honors.
