James Vlahakis practices primarily in federal court on a variety of matters, including commercial litigation, civil rights and employment law. Mr. Vlahakis has successfully defended cases before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

His commercial litigation practice is concentrated in the representation of corporations involved in business disputes and class action lawsuits involving federal and state consumer rights statutes. Many of these cases involve claims for injunctive relief and temporary restraining orders.

Mr. Vlahakis' federal civil rights practice is focused on the defense of governmental and corporate entities in all types of constitutional law claims, including, but not limited to, false arrest, housing discrimination, wrongful death claims and First Amendment issues.

He represents and counsels employers in all types of discrimination claims and business disputes.

In addition, Mr. Vlahakis defends claims brought under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, as well as the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act.

He also represents local governmental entities in issues involving municipal law and zoning. He has served as a Special Assistant Illinois Attorney General and as an advisor for law firms representing local governmental agencies. Mr. Vlahakis successfully defended the Illinois Department of Human Services and a private corporation in a class action brought by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of a class of individuals committed by the State of Illinois pursuant to the Sexually Violent Persons Act. Mr. Vlahakis’ clients prevailed on all aspects of the class members' broad request for injunctive relief in a comprehensive ruling issued in January 13, 2005. He has advised other similar treatment programs across the country facing similar litigation.

On January 9, 2008, Mr. Vlahakis succeeded in reversing a federal trial court ruling which had held that a psychologist was not entitled to the dismissal of a case on the basis of the defense of qualified immunity. In reversing the district court, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals held that the underlying facts did not demonstrate the existence of a constitutional violation, and held that the psychologist acted within the bounds of accepted professional judgment. This case is notable for the fact that the psychologist was able to assert qualified immunity as an employee of a private contractor with the State of Illinois.

Early in his career in a rare appearance as a plaintiff’s attorney, Mr. Vlahakis prevailed in a civil rights case in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, which resulted in a jury award of approximately $1.1 million in favor of his client, a former Assistant Police Chief who had been demoted and issued an 11-day suspension with pay. Mr. Vlahakis joined Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP in February 1998.

In 2008, Mr. Vlahakis was selected by his peers and named by the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin and Chicago Lawyer Magazine as one of the top "40 Illinois Attorneys Under Forty to Watch."

In 2008 and again in 2009, Illinois Super Lawyers magazine named Mr. Vlahakis to its Rising Star list. Recipients of this award have practiced law for less than 10 years or are 40 years old or younger.

Mr. Vlahakis is a member of the Leading Lawyers Network, where he was selected by his peers as a Leading Lawyer in the areas of Commercial Litigation and Governmental, Municipal, Lobbing & Administrative Law.

Mr. Vlahakis’s professional memberships include the Federal Bar Association.

In 2000, Mr. Vlahakis was a visiting scholar at Cambridge University in England. Mr. Vlahakis is the co-author of the Illinois Continuing Legal Education's 1997 chapter on “Civil Rights Liability and Immunities.” His presentations include:

• “Civil Commitment Legal Issues,” Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers, Annual Conference, Atlanta, Georgia, October 2008.
• “Current Legal Issues,” Sex Offender Civil Commitment Programs Network, Tenth Annual Summit, Atlanta, Georgia, October 2008.
• “Operations at the Treatment & Detention Facility,” Chicago-Kent College of Law seminar “Navigating the ILSVP Process,” Chicago, Illinois, February 2008.
• “Class Action / Civil Rights,” part of the round table discussions at “Shaken Not Stirred,” and American Bar Association Law Student Networking Event, Chicago, Illinois, February 2008.