Penelope Lechtenberg represents management in labor and employment law matters before federal and state courts and administrative agencies, including the National Labor Relations Board, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, OSHA, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Department of Labor, Board of Alien Labor Certification Appeals, Illinois Department of Human Rights, Illinois Department of Labor, Illinois Human Rights Commission and Illinois Department of Employment Security.

Ms. Lechtenberg counsels employers on a wide range of issues, including:

• Union campaigns and strategy
• Collective bargaining negotiations
• Grievance procedures
• Discipline and discharge
• Discrimination and harassment charges
• Wage and hour issues
• ERISA compliance and COBRA matters
• All contract issues and disputes
• Restrictive covenants
• OSHA investigations and related safety matters
• OFCCP compliance issues
• Affirmative action requirements
• Immigration rules and regulations

Ms. Lechtenberg provides employers with practical advice on all day-to-day employment-related issues. In addition to those listed above, she counsels on effective implementation of ADA and FMLA requirements, employee benefits programs, unemployment compensation procedures and hearings, and questions arising under the federal and state wage and hour laws. She regularly prepares employment agreements, separation agreements and all other forms of business contracts.

Ms. Lechtenberg also maintains a substantial business and personal immigration practice. She leads the firm’s immigration practice, advising corporate and individual clients in immigration matters involving U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services, Department of Labor and Department of State, from immigration petitions to audits and workplace investigations. In addition to her extensive client representation, Ms. Lechtenberg serves as an Arbitrator for the Circuit Court of the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit, Winnebago County, Illinois. She is a member of the Winnebago County Bar Association, the Illinois State Bar Association and the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

In July 2011, Ms. Lechtenberg was included in the ranks of the country’s top employment lawyers on “The Nation’s Most Powerful Employment Attorneys – Up-and-Comers” list, which was prepared by Lawdragon and appeared in the June 16, 2011 edition of Human Resource Executive magazine.

Ms. Lechtenberg serves on the board of directors of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce (since 2006) and the Stateline World Trade Association (since 2008).

Ms. Lechtenberg is a member of the Leading Lawyers Network, where she was selected by her peers as a Leading Lawyer in Employment Law: Management and Labor Law: Management. She was profiled in “Helping Workers and Employers Live the American Dream,” in the July 2009 Women’s Edition of Leading Lawyers Magazine. In 2010, she was included in the Leading Lawyers Magazine Women’s Edition list of Top 50 Women Downstate lawyers.
In addition, she has been rated by Martindale-Hubbell for ethics and legal ability.

Ms. Lechtenberg joined Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP in December 1995. She is a member of the firm’s Executive Committee and leads the firm’s Immigration practice. Ms. Lechtenberg is the author of:

• "E-Verify: Should We or Shouldn't We?" The Voice, a publication of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce, October 2011.
• “Federal Contractors Beware: Final Rule of E-Verify Now in Effect,” The Voice, a publication of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce, October 2009.
• “Updated I-9 Form Now Required for Every New Hire,” The Voice, a publication of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce, December 2007.

She is a frequent public speaker, presenting employer training and informative programs about labor, employment and immigration law. Her presentations include:

• “Hiring Scenario,” an interactive workshop session, Hinshaw’s Annual Labor & Employment Seminar, Hoffman Estates, Illinois, October 2011.
• “Annual Employment Law Update,” AAIM Employers’ Association, Rockford, Illinois, September 2011.
• “Keeping the Workers at Work,” DRI’s Strictly Hospitality Seminar, Scottsdale, Arizona, September 2011.
• “The Human Resource Institute Seminar,” Aurora University, Aurora, Illinois, June 2011.
• “Managing International Human Resources,” Go Global IV Conference: Kiss, Bow or Shake Hands, Rockford, Illinois, April 2011.
• “Business Immigration Compliance Tips: Anticipating Workplace Enforcement Actions,” Hinshaw’s 2010 Annual Labor & Employment Seminar, Hoffman Estates, Illinois, October 2010.
• “Annual Employment Law Update,” AAIM Employers’ Association, Rockford, Illinois, September 2010.
• “Immigration Compliance Tips for Manufacturers: Are You Ready for a Surprise Visit or Government Audit?” Women of Today’s Manufacturing, Rockford, Illinois, September 2010.
• “Employment Law Update for Human Resources Professionals,” Aurora University / Human Resources Institute, Aurora, Illinois, June 2010.
• “Immigration Compliance Tips in an Atmosphere of Increased Workplace Enforcement,” Hinshaw Breakfast Briefing, Chicago, Illinois, June 2010.
• “Managing Background Checks for Foreign-Born Workers both in the U.S. and Abroad,” National Diocesan Attorneys Association 46th Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C., April 2010.
• “Immigration Options and Procedures for Nurses and Physical Therapists,” American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) Annual Midwest Conference, Chicago, Illinois, April 2010.
• “Immigration Compliance Tips in an Atmosphere of Increased Workplace Enforcement,” Valley Industrial Association, Aurora, Illinois, November 2009.
• “Hiring Issues for Small Business Owners,” Sugar Grove Chamber of Commerce, Sugar Grove, Illinois, October 2009.
• “Immigration Compliance Tips in an Atmosphere of Increased Workplace Enforcement,” Hinshaw’s 2009 Annual Labor & Employment Seminar, Hoffman Estates, Illinois, October 2009.
• “Immigration Compliance Tips for Employers,” Rotary Club, Rochelle, Illinois, August 2009.
• “Employment Law Update for Human Resources Professionals,” Aurora University/Human Resources Institute, Aurora, Illinois, June 2009.
• “Family and Medical Leave Act Update,” Society for Human Resource Management, Rockford, Illinois, December 2008.
• “Immigration Matters,” Rockford Area Association of Realtors, Rockford, Illinois, November 2008.
• “Immigration Update,” Hinshaw’s 2008 Annual Labor & Employment Seminar, Oak Brook, Illinois, November 2008.
• “Employment Law Developments” and “Stay Out of Jail – Immigration Compliance Issues for Employers,” Sterling Education Services, Rockford, Illinois, October 2008.
• “Immigration Update – Why Immigration is Important to Your Business,” Rockford Chamber of Commerce, Rockford, Illinois, October 2008.
• “No-Recruitment Categories – Schedule A Cases,” American Immigration Lawyers Association 2008 PERM CLE Conference, Chicago, Illinois, August 2008.
• “Immigration Compliance Update: Recent Developments,” Aurora University/Human Resources Institute, Aurora, Illinois, June 2008.
• “Recruiting Foreign Healthcare Professionals and Navigating the Immigration Maze,” Illinois Association of Healthcare Attorneys’ Quarterly Lecture, Chicago, Illinois, May 2008.
• “Employment Authorization Verification Compliance,” National Diocesan Attorneys Association 44th Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C., April 2008.
• “10 HR Issues All Employers Should Know,” Employers’ Association of Illinois, Rockford, Illinois, April 2008.
• “Navigating U.S. Immigration Laws in a Global Marketplace,” Stateline World Trade Association, Beloit, Wisconsin, February 2008.
• “Hot Topics: The Latest Interpretations of Current Employment Law,” and “Avoiding Liability When Hiring and Terminating Foreign Nationals,” Sterling Education Services, Inc., Rockford, Illinois, February 2008.
• “Immigration Law and the Construction Industry,” Finishing Contractors Association of Illinois conference, St. Charles, Illinois, February 2008.
• “Employment Discrimination Law,” guest lecturer, Rockford Business College, Rockford, Illinois, November 2007.
• “Employment Law (Discrimination) Update,” Hinshaw’s 2007 Effectively Dealing with Current Labor & Employment Issues seminar, Chicago, Illinois, September 2007.
• “Immigration 2007: New Issues and Regulations,” Employer’s Association of Illinois, Rockford, Illinois, April 2007.
• “2007 Immigration Update,” Life Services Network, 2007 Annual Convention & Exposition, Chicago, Illinois, March 2007.
• “Basics of Employment Immigration Law,” Aurora University’s Human Resources Institute, Aurora, Illinois, February 2007.
• “Triple Trouble – Overlapping HR Program Changes,” DuPage Society of Human Resources Management, Naperville, Illinois, January 2007.
• “Annual Employment Law Update,” Employers Association of Illinois, Rockford, Illinois, September 2006.
• “Banking the Unbanked,” Community Bankers Association of Illinois, Indianapolis, Indiana, September 2006.
• “Human Resources Legal Update,” Aurora University’s Human Resources Institute, Aurora, Illinois, June 2006.
• “Recent Illinois Developments” and “Hiring and Recruiting,” Lorman Education Services’ seminar, “State and Federal Personnel Laws in Illinois,” Rockford, Illinois, June 2006.
• "Employment-Based Immigration Law Today," Hinshaw-sponsored seminar “Effectively Dealing with Current Labor & Employment Issues,” Lisle, Illinois, November 2005.
• “Wage and Hour,” Lorman Education Services seminar “Illinois State and Federal Personnel Laws,” Rockford, Illinois, March 2005.
• “Labor and Employment Law Update,” Hinshaw-sponsored breakfast seminar series, Rockford, Illinois, March 2005.
• "Awareness of Harassment in the Workplace," Rockford Network, Rockford, Illinois, January 2005.

Ms. Lechtenberg is a member of the Order of Saint Francis (OSF) Saint Anthony Foundation Council, and a former member of the Board of Directors of the OSF Saint Anthony College of Nursing in Rockford, Illinois (2005-2011).