Andrew Cripe concentrates his business litigation and counseling practice in the areas of employment law and traditional labor union law. He maintains a national practice, regularly representing clients before state and federal courts, administrative agencies and alternative dispute resolution forums nationwide.

Mr. Cripe’s employment law practice includes representing employers in lawsuits involving class actions, harassment and discrimination claims, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the enforcement of restrictive covenants. He regularly counsels employers, and provides manager and employee training, to minimize potential employment liabilities and ensure compliance with the myriad of state and federal laws governing the workplace. He also assists employers with international employment issues such as cross-border employment and severance agreements. His traditional labor law practice includes representing management in unfair labor practice charges, collective bargaining, mass layoffs and plant closings. Mr. Cripe is an adjunct professor at Loyola University of Chicago School of Law, where he teaches employment counseling and compliance and has taught legal writing and advocacy. Prior to joining Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP in January 2003, Mr. Cripe was a compensation and employment law attorney at Baker & McKenzie. Among other professional accomplishments, Mr. Cripe is proficient in Spanish. Mr. Cripe has authored several publications and frequently speaks on labor and employment topics, including:

• “The Pros and Cons of Mediation and Arbitration,” Hinshaw’s 2008 Annual Labor & Employment Seminar, Oak Brook, Illinois, November 2008.
• “Staffing and Legal Trends in Employee Leasing, Temporary Employees, etc.,” at Hinshaw’s “Effectively Dealing with Current Labor & Employment Issues,” Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois, November 2007.
• “Employee Relations,” Illinois Health Care Association live webinar, Chicago, Illinois, July 2007.
• “Investigation of Employee Misconduct,” presented at “Effectively Dealing with Current Labor & Employment Issues,” Chicago, Illinois, September 2006.
• “Preparing and Maintaining Appropriate Personnel Records,” presented at “Effectively Dealing with Current Labor & Employment Issues,” Chicago, Illinois, September 2005 and Lisle, Illinois, November 2005.
• “Surety Risk Management & Proactive Claims Handling,” presented at the National Association of Independent Sureties annual meeting, Chicago, Illinois, October 2005.
• "U.S. Supreme Court Finds Change in Early Retirement Entitlement Under Pension Plan Violated ERISA's "Anti-Cutback" Rule," author, YLD News, Illinois State Bar Association, August 2004.
• "Restrictive Covenants in Physician Contracts: An Emerging Public Policy Battleground," author, the Health Care Lawyer, June 2004.
• "Soliciting, Investigating & Responding to Complaints Under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act," author, Martindale.com Legal Articles, May 11, 2004.
• "Wisconsin Court Rejects Rule of Adverse Construction, Claim for Indirect Losses under Fidelity Bond," presented to the Surety Claims Association, Chicago, Illinois, May 4, 2004.
• "Restrictive Covenants in Physician Contracts: An Emerging Public Policy Battleground," paper and presentation for "Keeping Current 2004 – Health Transactions and Litigation," Sponsored by the Illinois State Bar Association Health Care Section, Southern Illinois University School of Law and Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Department of Humanities, April 2004.  
• "The Health Care Industry & The Fair Labor Standards Act: Complying With Existing & Proposed Overtime Rules," presented at "Employment Law Challenges in the Health Care Industry," March 2004.
• "Use of SAA Fidelity Bond Form Protects Carrier from Liability for Indirect Losses," ABA Tort and Insurance Practice Section Newsletter, March 2004.
• "Resolving Ambiguities In the Bond Form: Who Gets The Benefit of The Doubt?" IADC Fidelity and Surety Committee Newsletter, February 2004.
• ''School Law for Administrators: Risk Management in the Employment Termination Process," presented to the Independent Schools Association for the Central States, December 2003.
• "The Employment Practices Audit: A Value Added Client Service," author, Illinois Bar Association Young Lawyers Division Journal, October 2003.
• "Conducting an Employment Practices Audit," presented to Kingsway Financial Services, Inc. Group Companies, October 2003.
• "Employee & Director Accountability to Shareholders: Doing Business for Business Owners," author, DePaul Business & Commercial Law Journal, Winter 2003. 
• "Employment Claims: The First 30 Days," author, Illinois Bar Association Young Lawyers Division Journal, June 2003.
• "Illinois Supreme Court Rejects Tort of Bad Faith and Unfair Dealing in First Party Insurance Claims," co-author with Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP colleague Lawrence R. Moelmann, IADC Fidelity and Surety Committee Newsletter, January 1997.

In addition, Mr. Cripe contributed to the discussion of U.S. labor union issues in, "Employment Issues: The Forgotten Keystone in International Mergers and Acquisitions," DePaul Business & Commercial Law Journal, Fall/Spring 2001.