Mr. Rock is a founding member of the firm and concentrates his practice in the areas of commercial litigation, real estate matters and municipal litigation. He represents individuals and corporate clients in a wide variety of litigation matters including commercial disputes, labor / employment law, construction litigation, real estate taxation. Mr. Rock handles all aspects of real estate matters: acquisition, disposition, leasing, tax incentives and real estate tax abatement. Mr. Rock advises and represents municipalities and governmental agencies in various issues including civil rights defense, labor and employment, eminent domain, and tax increment financing. Mr. Rock also represents condominium associations and its board members regarding various issues related to the Illinois Condominium Property Act.
Mr. Rock has significant experience in complex, high-stakes litigation matters and has taken many cases to verdict and defended successful verdicts at the appellate level. Mr. Rock is a member of the Federal Trial Bar and has successfully represented clients in hearings, bench trials and jury trials in both State and Federal Courts as well as before various administrative tribunals.
Prior to entering private practice, Mr. Rock was an Assistant State’s Attorney with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. Mr. Rock authored dozens of appeals on behalf of the People of the State of Illinois and prosecuted hundreds of misdemeanor and felony cases in both bench and jury trials.
In addition to his professional duties, Mr. Rock was a member of the Alumni Board of Governors for his alma mater, Loyola University School of Law for two terms, from 2011 to 2017. Additionally, Mr. Rock participates in the mentor program at Loyola University School of Law and has served as a coach to the mock trial and moot court teams at Loyola. He is a former member of the Chicago Bar Association’s Judicial Evaluation Committee and has served as a mentor to young lawyers through the Illinois State Bar Association.
Mr. Rock is active with GiGi’s Playhouse, Inc. a not-for-profit network of Down Syndrome awareness and educational centers that provide resources, specialized teaching, and support to individuals with Down Syndrome, their families and the community. Mr. Rock was also on the Board of Trustees for the Village of Clarendon Hills Police Pension Board. Mr. Rock is also a lifelong Cubs fan – but isn’t a hater and enjoys watching the Sox as well.
Mr. Rock has been named a “Super Lawyer” by Law and Politics Magazine and was honored by the Law Bulletin Publishing Company by being named one of the “40 Attorneys Under 40 in Illinois to Watch.”
Position
- Principal / Founder
Areas Of Practice
- Administrative Review Law
- Antitrust
- Appellate Law
- Business / Commercial Litigation
- Civil Rights Litigation
- Class Actions
- Complex Litigation
- Condominium / Cooperative
- Eminent Domain / Condemnation
- Insurance Litigation
- Labor and Employment Law
- Municipal / Governmental Law
- Real Estate / Construction Litigation
- Real Estate Taxation
- Transportation / Common Carrier Law
Bar Admissions
- Illinois, 1996
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois, 1996
- U.S. District Court, District of Columbia, 2015
- U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit, 2001
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois Trial Bar, 2002
- U.S. Supreme Court, 2005
Education
- Loyola University Chicago School of Law, Chicago, Illinois – J.D.
- Miami University, Oxford, Ohio – B.S.
- Major: Business/Finance
- Minor: Decision Sciences
Awards/Recognitions
Recognized as a Super Lawyer in Illinois for 2007 to 2023 by Law & Politics Magazine. Super Lawyers represent the top five percent of attorneys in more than 60 practice areas.
Visit SuperLawyers.com for details.
Named one of the “40 Attorneys Under 40 in Illinois to Watch” by the Law Bulletin Publishing Company.
Representative Cases
- Village of Bellwood v. American Nat’l Bank, et al., 2011 IL App. (1st) 093115, 952 N.E.2d 148
- Ty Inc. v. Softbelly’s, Inc., 517 F.3d 494 (7th Cir. 2008)
- Evans v. City of Chicago, et al., 513 F.3d 735 (7th Cir. 2008)
- Evans v. City of Chicago, et al., 445 F.3d 953 (7th Cir. 2006)
- Evans v. City of Chicago, et al., No. 04 C 3570, 2006 WL 463041 (N.D. Ill. 2006)
- Evans v. City of Chicago, et al., 231 FRD 302 (N.D. Ill. 2005)
- Ty Inc. v. Flood, 2005 WL 994579 (N.D. Ill. 2005)
- Ty Inc. v. Softbelly’s, Inc., 2005 WL 326974 (N.D. Ill. 2005)
- Baker v. Jewel, 355 Ill.App.3d 62 (Ill. App. Ct. 2005)
- Lunding v. Biocatalyst, 2004 WL 547250 (N.D. Ill. 2004)
- Ty Inc. v. Softbelly’s, Inc., 353 F.3d 528 (7th Cir. 2003)
- Lunding v. Biocatalyst, 2003 WL 22232831 (N.D. Ill 2003)
- Lunding v. Biocatalyst, 2003 WL 21310280 (N.D. Ill. 2003)
- Bosco v. CTA, 164 F.Supp.2d 1040 (N.D. Ill. 2001)
- Ty Inc. v. Softbelly’s, Inc., 2001 WL 125321 (N.D. Ill. 2001)
- Burns & Associates, Inc. v. Prestige Products Group, 2001 WL 830975 (N.D. Ill. 2001)
- People v. Valentine, 299 Ill.App.3d 1 (Ill. App. Ct. 1998)
- People v. Carlson, 293 Ill.App.3d 984 (Ill. App. Ct. 1997)
Legal Affiliations
- Federal Bar Association
- Illinois Bar Association – Member, Mentor Program
- Chicago Bar Association – Member, Judicial Evaluation Committee (2002-2010)
Other Associations
- Celtic Legal Society of Chicago – Board Member (2005 –present); President (2015-2016)
- International Municipal Lawyers Association
- City Club of Chicago
- Underground Contractors Association
- Illinois Trucking Association
- Community Association Institute (Illinois Chapter)
Past Employment Positions
- Rock Fusco, LLC, Principal, 2004-2011
- Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, Assistant State’s Attorney – 1997-2001
