Heidi Dalenberg is a partner who concentrates her practice in class actions and complex civil litigation.

She has assisted in the defense of clients in numerous class actions involving a variety of claims, including federal and state antitrust claims, RICO claims, product liability claims under environmental laws, consumer fraud claims, and alleged civil rights violations. She has also assisted in the defense of non-class product liability litigation in Illinois, New York, and Wisconsin, and in various other commercial litigation matters.

Her experience at trial includes prosecution of a design defect construction claim brought by a municipal authority, defense at trial in a case involving alleged theft of trade secrets and confidential information, and defense of a multi-million dollar breach of contract case. In addition, she has participated in evidentiary proceedings opposing class certification in several jurisdictions. She presently chairs Schiff Hardin's Professional Personnel Committee.

Experience

Recent class actions that Ms. Dalenberg has litigated to conclusion have involved state and federal claims including:

• Consumer fraud
• Common law fraud
• Breach of contract
• Product liability / design defect
• Violations of state and federal fair housing laws
• Race discrimination
• Alleged securities fraud, antitrust price fixing or other conspiracies
• RICO
• Environmental

Those matters where the client chose to oppose class certification were resolved successfully, either through entry of summary judgment in favor of the client prior to a class certification order, dismissal of proposed class claims prior to certification, dismissal of the action following denial of class certification, reversal of an order of class certification on appeal, or through settlement.  In some instances, cases were settled on an individual basis for a nominal payment following an adverse certification or merits ruling.

Ms. Dalenberg is presently representing clients in asserted class actions pending in state and federal court involving alleged breach of contract, consumer fraud, and common law fraud, and in various individual suits involving multi-million dollar breach of contract and tort claims. 

Awards and Honors

Edwin A. Rothschild Civil Liberties Award - American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois