John McGinnis focuses his practice on all levels of commercial litigation, including land title and commercial real estate financing disputes, construction and mechanics lien disputes, commercial mortgage foreclosures, intellectual property and trade secret disputes, and enforcement of creditor’s rights in bankruptcy and otherwise.
John was a partner in an international law firm for 21 years, and has more than 30 years of experience in all levels of commercial litigation. Some recent highlights in John’s practice include the following matters:
» Dismissal of a $1.4 million warranty of habitability claim against an architect for defective roofs, which was a case of first impression and was affirmed on appeal.
» Vacation of a sheriff’s execution sale of commercial property on behalf of a judgment creditor, which was affirmed in the first appellate case of its kind in over sixty years.
» Directed verdict on behalf of the owner of a hospital in a six-figure mechanics lien suit by a construction manager, which was affirmed on appeal.
» Arbitration award for over $500,000 in favor of a general contractor against the owner of a church, which involved first-of-their-kind construction issues;
» Dismissal of $8.0 million claim against an architect and engineer for cost-overruns on the construction of a marina.
» Dismissal of copyright and unfair competition suit by one architect against another for alleged unlawful use of the original plans on a subsequent remodeling project.
John was awarded his Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School, where he graduated cum laude. He earned a Bachelor of Science with highest honors from Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville.
John is a member of the American Bankers Association, ACA International, the International Association of Privacy Professionals, the Mortgage Bankers Association, the Receivables Management Association International (RMAI), and the American Bar Association’s Litigation Section, its Construction Forum, and its Business Law Section. He is also a member of the Civil Practice, Commercial and Bankruptcy Sections of the Illinois State Bar Association, and a member of the Chicago Bar Association.
John is admitted to practice in Illinois, as well as in the United States Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, and the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, and has been admitted pro hac vice in various jurisdictions around the country.