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Leonard Trial Lawyers Files Whistleblower Lawsuit on behalf of terminated employee

by | Jan 31, 2025 | Firm News

Leonard Trial Lawyers Files Whistleblower Lawsuit on behalf of terminated employee. The suit was filed in the Circuit of Cook County, Illinois. The case is captioned as Claude Cimino v. Ben Lalez, LLC. Circuit Court of Cook County, County Department, Law Division, Case No. 2025L000229.

As the part of the factual background, the lawsuit alleges that the Plaintiff was formerly employed by the Defendant, his former employer, in the real estate business.

The lawsuit further alleges, as the factual background, that the Plaintiff became aware of violations of law that allegedly had, and were, being committed by the Defendant employer. The lawsuit additionally alleges that the Plaintiff complained internally to the Defendant employer regarding those purportedly illegal activities, and that the Plaintiff refused to participate in them and opposed them. The Plaintiff furthermore alleges that, as a direct and proximate result of his internal whistleblowing, he was fired.

In Count I of the lawsuit, the Plaintiff seeks monetary recovery under Illinois common law for retaliatory discharge. In Count II of the lawsuit, the Plaintiff further seeks monetary recovery pursuant to the provisions of the Illinois Whistleblower Act.

Of course, the allegations in any lawsuit, including in this one, constitute just that – allegations – that the Plaintiff and his counsel must prove by a preponderance of the evidence. The preponderance of the evidence legally equates to a “more likely than not standard,” in other words greater than 50 percent.

The attorneys at Leonard Trial Lawyer look forward to litigating and taking to a jury trial this lawsuit.

Michael Leonard

Matthew Chivari 

Leonard Trial Lawyers

 January 31, 2025