Courtney Nottage maintains a governmental affairs practice that reflects his work and vast experience in
Illinois state government.
He is well-versed in strategic plan development and implementation on policy matters affecting individuals, officials and the State of
Illinois. He has worked closely with the Governor of Illinois, other legislative leaders, and both public and private third parties to develop policy and negotiate legislation.
As Chief of Staff to Illinois State Senate President, Emil Jones Jr., Mr. Nottage managed the Illinois State Senate’s day-to-day activities and procedures.
Mr. Nottage handles cases in many areas of law, including:
- Arbitration Law: Stoller v. Stoller, 222 Ill.App.3d 22, 582 N.E.2d 1323 (1st Dist. 1991), cert. denied, 587 N.E.2d 1025 (1992). Counsel for defendants to a review of an arbitration award.
- Civil Rights: Tuite, et. al. v. Henry, et. al., 98 F.3d 1411 (D.C. Cir. 1996), on remand 181 F.R.D. 175, aff. 203 F.3d 53 (D.C. Cir. 1999). Counsel for lawyers who requested the FBI to disclose, pursuant to subpoena, its reports in relation to the FBI’s investigation into the taping of conversations between the lawyers and their clients while in a court ordered attorney/client conference room within a Federal prison.
- Contract Law: Muhammad Ali v. The Muhammad Ali Foundation and Jabir Herbert Muhammad, No. 93 CH 11393 (Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, Chancery Division). Counsel for plaintiff in an action for declaratory judgment and injunctive relief from a contract allegedly entered into in Syria purporting to apply Islamic law and to give defendants unrestricted use of plaintiff's image and likeness.
- Constitutional Law:
- Johnson v. Edgar, 176 Ill.2d 499, 680 N.E.2d 1372 (1997). Counsel for amicus curiae in a case where a legislative measure was struck down as unconstitutional because its focus went from a narrow subject to many different issues and subjects, thereby violating the single subject rule of the Illinois Constitution.
- Tucker v. U.S.Department of Commerce, et. al., 958 F.2d 1411 (7th Cir. 1992), cert. denied, 113 S.Ct. 407 (1992). Counsel for the plaintiffs and plaintiffs' class in this action concerning attempted relief for the chronically undercounted in the Decennial Census of 1990.
- Election Law:
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Woehrmann v. Davlin, No. 2007 – MOEB – 5 (Municipal Officers Electoral Board – City of Springfield, Illinois). Counsel for sitting mayor in the defense of his mayoral nomination papers filed for his re-election.
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Rita v. Mayden, et. al., 364 Ill.App.3d 913, 847 N.E.2d 578 (1st Dist. 2006). Counsel for petitioner in his quest to remove a candidate’s name from the ballot as a result of the candidate using an improper name designation.
- Ferguson, et. al. v. Ryan, et. al., (251 Ill.App.3d 1042, 623 N.E.2d 1004 (3rd Dist. 1993), cert. denied, 633 N.E.2d 4 (1994). Counsel for petitioners challenging nomination papers arising out of a township caucus, and the constitutionality of the caucus process.
- McDunn v. Williams, 247 Ill.App.3d 935, 618 N.E.2d 262 (1st Dist. 1992), 156 Ill.2d 288, 620 N.E.2d 385 (1993). Counsel for respondent in a Chicago city-wide judicial primary contest.
- Employment Law: Galvin v. City of Chicago, et al., No. 96 CH 249 consolidated with No. 96 CH 2620 (Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, Chancery Division). Counsel for plaintiff who was discharged for allegedly falsifying work related records, but was ultimately reinstated, awarded backpay and attorney's fees.
- Human Rights: Hastalis v. Human Rights Commission, 205 Ill.App.3d 50, 562 N.E.2d 1272 (3rd Dist. 1990), cert. denied, 567 N.E.2d 332 (1991). Counsel for blind person refused entry on an airplane.
- Negligence:
- Byron Boll v. Chicago Park District, 249 Ill.App.3d 952, 620 N.E.2d 1082 (1st Dist. 1991), reh'g denied, (1992), cert. denied, 602 N.E.2d 447 (1992). Counsel for plaintiff who experienced injuries as a result of a fall at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois resulting in a recovery of $6.6 million.
- Frazier v. Norfolk & Western, et. al., 996 F.2d 922 (7th Cir. 1993). Counsel for plaintiff who experienced injuries as a result of a fall in a railway yard resulting in a recovery of $2.3 million.
- Reapportionment: Mr. Nottage was counsel for defendant-intervenor, Senator Emil Jones, Jr. in multiple reapportionment cases in Illinois stemming from the Decennial Census in 2000, including:
- Cole-Randazzo, et al. v. Ryan, et al., 198 Ill.2d 233, 762 N.E.2d 485 (2001) (Illinois State Districts).
- Beaubien, et al. v. Ryan, et al., 198 Ill.2d 294, 762 N.E.2d 501 (2001) (Illinois State Districts).
- Campuzano v. IllinoisStateBoard of Elections, 200 F.Supp.2d 905 (N.D. Ill. 2002) (Illinois State Districts).
He was also counsel for plaintiffs and defendants in reapportionment matters in Illinois arising from the Decennial Census in 1990. Those matters include:
- Hastert v. State Board of Elections, 777 F.Supp. 634 (N.D. Ill. 1991) (Illinois Congressional Districts)
- People ex rel. Burris v. Ryan, 147 Ill.2d 270, 588 N.E.2d 1023 (1991); 147 Ill.2d 270, 588 N.E.2d 1033 (1992), cert. denied, 112 S.Ct. 294 (1992) (Illinois State Districts)
- IllinoisLegislative Redistricting Commission v. LaPaille, 782 F.Supp. 1267 (N.D. Ill. 1991); 782 F.Supp. 1272 (N.D. Ill. 1992); 786 F.Supp. 704 (N.D. Ill. 1992); 792 F.Supp. 1110 (N.D. Ill. 1992), aff'd., 113 S.Ct. 399 (1992) (Illinois State Districts).
Mr. Nottage is a partner in the firm of Fletcher, O’Brien, Kasper & Nottage, P.C., which became of counsel to Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP in 1997 and which he joined in 2005.
From 1993 to 1998, Mr. Nottage was Chief Legal Counsel to then Illinois State Senate Minority Leader, Emil Jones, Jr. In 1999 he became Chief of Staff to Mr. Jones, a position he held until joining Fletcher, O'Brien. During his years of service with President Jones, Mr. Nottage also served as Ethics Officer for the Senate Democratic Caucus, and as the Freedom on Information Act Officer for the Illinois Senate.
Earlier in his career, while in private law practice, Mr. Nottage was an associate for seven years at the Chicago law firm of William J. Harte, Ltd. During his tenure with the firm, he was a technical review lawyer for the Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, Michael J. Madigan, during the 1991-1992 legislative sessions.
Mr. Nottage has been described as an “election law expert” by Springfield’s
The State Journal Register in a story that appeared on the front page of the paper in January 2007.