Craig R. Thorstenson

Craig R. Thorstenson

Employment Law - Management

3.0 (1 reviews)
Chicago, Illinois
37+ years experience
FordHarrison
Updated:

Contact Information

180 North Stetson Avenue, Suite 1660, Chicago, IL 60601
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Bio

Craig Thorstenson concentrates his practice in the litigation of employment disputes and providing related counseling.Craig Thorstenson concentrates his practice in the litigation of employment disputes and providing related counseling. His experience includes defending numerous WARN Act, FLSA and Title VII class actions, prosecuting and defending actions over restrictive covenants, and handling complex labor arbitrations. He regularly acts as "in-house" employment counsel for several companies that elect to outsource their employment work.Craig also provides day-to-day, proactive and common sense counseling to employers on every aspect of the employer-employee relationship. In conjunction with counseling, he conducts targeted client training for human resources professionals and company managers, including training on LGBT issues.Earlier in his career, Craig formed a partnership specializing in employment discrimination, primarily from the plaintiff's side, an experience that gives him a unique perspective when counseling and litigating.Craig is a member of FordHarrison's Executive Committee, oversees the firm's offices in the Upper Midwest, and serves as the Managing Partner of the firm's Chicago office.https://www.fordharrison.com/CraigThorstenson Craig Thorstenson concentrates his practice in the litigation of employment disputes and providing related counseling.Craig Thorstenson concentrates his practice in the litigation of employment disputes and providing related counseling. His experience includes defending numerous WARN Act, FLSA and Title VII class actions, prosecuting and defending actions over restrictive covenants, and handling complex labor arbitrations. He regularly acts as "in-house" employment counsel for several companies that elect to outsource their employment work.Craig also provides day-to-day, proactive and common sense counseling to employers on every aspect of the employer-employee relationship. In conjunction with counseling, he conducts targeted client training for human resources professionals and company managers, including training on LGBT issues.Earlier in his career, Craig formed a partnership specializing in employment discrimination, primarily from the plaintiff's side, an experience that gives him a unique perspective when counseling and litigating.Craig is a member of FordHarrison's Executive Committee, oversees the firm's offices in the Upper Midwest, and serves as the Managing Partner of the firm's Chicago office.https://www.fordharrison.com/CraigThorstenson Craig Thorstenson concentrates his practice in the litigation of employment disputes and providing related counseling. Craig Thorstenson concentrates his practice in the litigation of employment disputes and providing related counseling. His experience includes defending numerous WARN Act, FLSA and Title VII class actions, prosecuting and defending actions over restrictive covenants, and handling complex labor arbitrations. He regularly acts as "in-house" employment counsel for several companies that elect to outsource their employment work. Craig also provides day-to-day, proactive and common sense counseling to employers on every aspect of the employer-employee relationship. In conjunction with counseling, he conducts targeted client training for human resources professionals and company managers, including training on LGBT issues. Earlier in his career, Craig formed a partnership specializing in employment discrimination, primarily from the plaintiff's side, an experience that gives him a unique perspective when counseling and litigating. Craig is a member of FordHarrison's Executive Committee, oversees the firm's offices in the Upper Midwest, and serves as the Managing Partner of the firm's Chicago office. https://www.fordharrison.com/CraigThorstenson

Practice Areas

Employment Law - Management

Awards & Recognition

  • Lawyer of the Year: Litigation - Labor and Employment, Chicago (2022)
  • Recognized: Employment Law - Management
  • Recognized: Litigation - Labor and Employment
  • Special Focus: Management

Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2012

Education

  • University of Illinois Chicago, John Marshall Law School, J.D., graduated 1988

Reviews

L

Laura Stewart

2 weeks ago

A solid, experienced attorney with some communication lapses

I engaged Craig Thorstenson at FordHarrison for a complex severance negotiation after a significant role elimination at my former company in Chicago. Given his 37 years of experience and his recognition in Employment Law - Management, I felt confident in his deep knowledge of the field. His analysis of my agreement was thorough, and he identified several non-compete clauses that were overly restrictive, which he successfully negotiated to a more reasonable scope. However, my experience was mixed. While his legal strategy was sound, communication was sometimes inconsistent. There were periods of several days where I received no updates, requiring me to follow up with his assistant. For a process that was personally stressful, this lack of proactive communication was a drawback. Additionally, the billing reflected his senior status and "Lawyer of the Year" caliber, which felt steep for the amount of direct interaction. In the end, he achieved a good result on paper, and his litigation background in employment disputes was evident in his firm negotiation stance. He is undoubtedly competent, but the client service experience didn't fully match the expertise highlighted in his profile.

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