Zachary Pestine is an experienced employment litigator and counselor who has achieved excellent results for clients, including grants of summary judgment and motions to dismiss with prejudice. Zac’s extensive federal and state court experience includes taking plaintiff and expert depositions, defending key witnesses in depositions, successfully arguing motions to dismiss and responses to motions for class certification in oral argument, and using beneficial deposition testimony and dispositive motion results to achieve favorable settlements.
Zac’s employment litigation experience includes:
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) class actions
- Title VII
- FLSA collective actions
- Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) class actions
- Retaliatory discharge
- Illinois Whistleblower Act
- Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act (IWPCA)
- Wrongful termination
- Section 1983, including the First Amendment
- Breach of contract (including covenants not to complete) and unjust enrichment suits
Zac also has extensive experience reviewing and drafting internal company documents for compliance with federal and state law and counseling clients to prevent litigation. Zac was named an Illinois Super Lawyers Rising Star for 2023 and US News Best Lawyers "One to Watch" for 2024.
Zac earned his J.D. cum laude from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law, where he served as an Executive Articles Editor for the school’s Jurisprudence Review. While in law school, he was also the Vice-President of the Labor and Employment Law Society. Zac earned his B.A. with distinction from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is a proud Badger. Outside of the courtroom, Zac serves on the Anti-Defamation League’s Midwest Regional Board, where he is a Co-Chair of the Engagement Committee.
