Richard J. Lofgren, Esq.
Rick formed The Entrepreneur’s Legal ResourceSM in 2008 to focus his legal experience exclusively on entrepreneurs and small businesses.
With over thirty-three years of legal experience working with businesses on the issues they face daily during their business cycles, he acts in the capacity of an outside general counsel assisting business owners to make smarter decisions, build stronger relationships, and make and save money. Rick stresses the importance of recognizing that correct legal answers alone do not necessarily translate into the correct best business decisions. He represents all types of businesses in every stage of their business cycles—from start up through eventual sale.
Prior to forming ELR, he founded a Chicago-based law firm, Keegan Laterza, Lofgren & Gleason, LLC in 2002, after practicing at some of Chicago’s largest and most prominent law firms: Clausen & Miller, Jenner & Block, and Freeborn & Peters.
As a corporate and transactional attorney, Rick assists entrepreneurs in initial business planning, startup, business formation, and all types of corporate transactions, including asset and stock sales and purchases.
As a trial advocate, Rick handles matters as both plaintiff and defense counsel relating to employment, discrimination, employee benefits, insurance coverage, construction, contracts, defamation, products liability, wage-and-hour claims, unfair competition claims, personal injury, and commercial litigation.
Rick has practiced in state and federal courts all over the country. He is admitted to practice in the State of Illinois, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan, and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana. Rick is also admitted to practice before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Additionally, Rick frequently practices before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, The Illinois Department of Human Rights, The Illinois Human Rights Commission, the Illinois Department of Labor, The Indiana Civil Rights Commission, The Ohio Civil Rights Commission, Cook County Human Rights Commission and Chicago Commission on Human Rights.
As an appellate advocate, Rick has argued cases before the Illinois Appellate Court and the Illinois Supreme Court.
Rick earned his J.D. with High Honors in 1985 from The John Marshall Law School, where he graduated 5th in his class, was a member of the Law Review, an oralist and brief writer for the Marshall-Wythe National Moot Court Competition and member of the Order of John Marshall.
Rick is an active member of the Illinois Bar Association, DuPage Bar Association, and Glen Ellyn Chamber of Commerce. He formerly served as the Vice President of Business & Professional Services of the Glen Ellyn Chamber of Commerce, Director of the Glen Ellyn Chamber of Commerce, President of the Glen Ellyn Business Leaders’ Forum, and was a member of Rotary One and Vistage International. Currently, Rick serves as a Director for the DuPage Bar Foundation and as Chair of the DuPage County Bar Association Business Law Council.
Specialties
The Supreme Court of Illinois does not recognize certifications of specialties in the practice of law, and I do not hold myself out as a specialist. However, I concentrate my practice in the following areas: formation, start up, employment issues, management, contracts, buy-sell agreements, shareholder issues, merger and acquisition and all forms of business transactions, disputes and litigation.
Read more about Rick on LinkedIn.