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Freeborn Attorneys Mentioned in Law360 Pension Reform Story

In a closely watched lawsuit regarding city employee pensions, the City of Chicago is hoping that the Illinois Supreme Court will come to a different decision than it did in a similar matter involving the State of Illinois earlier this year. In that case, the Court ruled in favor of the coalition of unions that argued that the state's plan to alter public employee pension benefits violated the state constitution. According to the city, its plan to increase its payments to two retirement funds, while reducing employee cost-of-living adjustments and increasing employee contribution amounts, provides a net benefit to the funds and does not violate the constitution. 

Freeborn attorneys Michael Freeborn, John Shapiro, Dylan Smith, Terrence Sheahan and John Stevens represent the city employees in the matter. In an article published by Law360 on Nov. 17 titled "Chicago Urges State High Court to Back Pension Reform," Shapiro, a partner in the Litigation Practice Group, disputed the city's claim, telling the publication that "putting aside money for what is already a constitutional guaranteed benefit is not a benefit."

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