Nabil Foster focuses his practice primarily in the defense of attorneys in professional liability and disciplinary matters. He also practices in the area of commercial litigation and represents business entities in contract disputes and other commercial matters.
Mr. Foster handles all phases of litigation and case management, including briefing and arguing motions, taking and defending depositions, responding to discovery, counseling clients and conducting settlement negotiations.
He has substantial experience in commercial and civil litigation, and has represented clients in both state and federal courts on matters including breach of contract, ERISA, employment discrimination, consumer fraud class actions, products liability matters, insurance coverage, professional liability, eminent domain and Section 1983 civil rights cases.
Mr. Foster joined Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP in December 2007. For three years prior to joining Hinshaw, he was an associate at Pugh, Jones, Johnson & Quandt, P.C. Prior to his tenure at Pugh Jones, he was an associate at Christensen & Ehret for several years where he focused on insurance coverage litigation. He began his legal career as appellate law clerk with the Illinois Court of Appeals for the First District.
Throughout law school, Mr. Foster served a series of clerkships. In 1998, he clerked for the Public Corruption and Special Prosecution Unit of the United States Attorney’s Office, District of Massachusetts in Boston. Also in 1998, he clerked for the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Illinois in Chicago. In 1999, he clerked in the Enforcement Division of the Securities and Exchange Commission Regional Office in Chicago; and in 2000, Mr. Foster clerked as an extern to the Honorable Robert W. Gettleman, United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois. Finally, from 2000 to 2001, he was a law clerk at the white collar criminal defense firm of Cotsirilos, Tighe & Streicker, Ltd.
Mr. Foster’s law school achievements included serving as the Business Editor of the
Journal of International Law and Business. In addition, he was Vice President of the Black Law Student Association.
Prior to his legal career, Mr. Foster designed and consulted on logistical operations and procedures for transportation companies. In addition, he trained to be a chef in Europe.
Mr. Foster is an adjunct faculty member at Northwestern University School of Law in its Trial Advocacy program. His professional memberships include the Illinois State Bar Association and the American Bar Association.
He speaks conversational French.
Mr. Foster’s presentations include:
- “The Code of Ethics,” Mandatory Training for Exempt Employees of The Clerk of The Circuit Court of Cook County, January 2013.
- “Communications with Law Firm General Counsel – Latest Developments Regarding In-Firm Privilege,” Hinshaw University, January 2013.
Mr. Foster is the President for Northwestern University’s Alumni Club of Chicago. He is also a former member of the board of directors and an instructor for Minority Legal Education Resources Inc.
Since 2000, Mr. Foster has volunteered as an alumni college admissions interviewer for the Harvard Club of Chicago. While in law school, he volunteered at the Northwestern University Legal Clinic, where he represented an African political asylee from the Democratic Republic of Congo (Brazzaville).
Mr. Foster provides pro bono consulting services to the Phelps Stokes Fund and its work in Africa on the application of information communication technologies to reduce illiteracy and poverty. He also provides pro bono consulting services to economic development projects for Afro-Colombian populations in Chocó, Colombia, and the Pacific Coastal region of Colombia, South America.
Mr. Foster serves on the advisory board for the National Homecomers Academy, a model reentry program for formerly incarcerated individuals, i.e., a "Homecomer."