Sara Stertz Zorich
Associate
Sara is an associate attorney in the St. Charles, IL office of SmithAmundsen. She is a member of the firm’s Labor & Employment Practice Group where she focuses her practice on various employment and labor law matters including employment discrimination, retaliation claims, employment related tort actions, unfair labor practices, governmental wage and hour audits, wage and hour single Plaintiff claims and class action claims and immigration issues including I-9 audits, I-9 and E-Verify compliance, workplace enforcement counseling, defense of governmental immigration related audits and defense of discrimination claims relating to immigration status.
Sara has prepared numerous motions and has been successful in transferring cases to alternate venues and forums for her clients. She second chaired a lengthy trial with complex agency issues to verdict and assisted with trying another case to verdict in her first year of practice. Sara has also contributed to many trials and mediations resulting in beneficial outcomes for her clients.
Prior to joining the firm as an attorney, Sara was a paralegal and concentrated on preparing complex medical issues for presentation at trial. Sara has also handled cases in a variety of areas including bodily injury matters involving complicated medical issues, premises liability, and products liability. Sara’s diverse background and experience is a tremendous asset to employers in virtually every industry.
Sara is licensed to practice in the State of Illinois, United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois, United States District Court of the Northern District of Indiana, and is also admitted to the Trial Bar in the Northern District of Illinois.
Sara was named to the Illinois Super Lawyers “Rising Stars*” list in 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013; a peer review designation published by Thomson Reuters.
*The selection of attorneys to the Rising Stars list does not guarantee a positive client outcome in any specific legal matter or engagement nor constitute a representation by the firm of SmithAmundsen about the caliber of legal work performed by any other attorney not selected as part of this list.
Michigan State University, B.A., 2000
IIT/Chicago-Kent College of Law, J.D., 2006
Contributing Author, SmithAmundsen's The Labor & Employment Law Update, a labor and employment advisory blog.
Contributing Author, Illinois Chamber of Commerce's Chamber Dispatch, an HR advisory blog.
Contributing Author, Illinois Employment Law Handbook, 3rd Edition, Illinois Chamber of Commerce, June 2013.
Presenter, “Records Retention and Information Management,” Illinois Chamber of Commerce Webinar, February 26, 2013.
Co-presenter, “How to Lawfully Pay Hourly Employees: Compensable vs. Non-Compensable Time & Other Issues,” Illinois Chamber of Commerce Webinar, September 19, 2012.
Co-presenter, “Establishing and Maintaining Exempt Employee Status,” Illinois Chamber of Commerce Webinar, August 29, 2012.
Co-presenter, “Workplace Immigration: 2012 Updates,” Illinois Chamber of Commerce Webinar, July 31, 2012.
Co-author, "Chapter 14: Mediation," Business and Commercial Litigation 2012, Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education (IILCE), April 30, 2012.
Co-presenter, “Employment Law Update,” Monitor Insurance Seminar, Rolling Meadows, IL, February 22, 2012.
Co-presenter,"Meal Periods, Rest Periods and Breaks in Illinois: How to Do It Right," Illinois Chamber of Commerce webinar, November 2, 2011.
Co-presenter, "Surviving the HR Audit," Lorman Education Services seminar, Naperville, IL, September 21, 2011.
Presenter, "Valley Industrial Association Immigration Seminar - Avoiding the Issues of Improper I-9 Documentation," Aurora, IL, May 13, 2011.
Co-presenter, "Fair Labor Standards Act in Illinois," Lorman Education Services, Naperville, IL, May 6, 2011.
Author, "New DHS and DOL Memorandum of Understanding Confirms Information Sharing Between Departments," Illinois Chamber of Commerce HR Advisory Blog, April 1, 2011.
Co-author, Illinois Chamber of Commerce’s Illinois Guide to Hiring and Firing, 2011.
Author, "Employer I-9 Audits Continues to be DHS Focus in 2011," Illinois Chamber of Commerce HR Advisory Blog, February 15, 2011.
Author, "7th Circuit Paves Way for More Wage and Hour Class Actions," Illinois Chamber of Commerce HR Advisory Blog, February 14, 2011.
Author, "Revised “How To” Handbook for Completing I-9’s," Illinois Chamber of Commerce HR Advisory Blog, January 14, 2011.
Co-author, "EEOC’s Final Rules and Interpretation of Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) Effective November 9, 2010," Illinois Chamber of Commerce HR Advisory Blog, November 9, 2010.
Co-author, "I-9 Audits, E-Verify and Electronic I-9’s." Office Moving Alliance Conference, October 2010.
Author, "I-9 ALERT – Puerto Rico is Issuing New Birth Certificates," Illinois Chamber of Commerce HR Advisory Blog, September 29, 2010.
Author, "DHS Clarifies the Rules Governing Electronic I-9 Forms," Illinois Chamber of Commerce HR Advisory Blog, July 23, 2010.
Co-author, “DOL Changes the Rules for Mortgage Loan Originators – No Longer Administratively Exempt,” Illinois Chamber of Commerce HR Advisory Blog, March 29, 2010.
Co-author, "Immigration Alert: New Requirements for Illinois Employers Enrolled in E-Verify – Have you filled out the New Form?" Illinois Chamber of Commerce HR Advisory Blog, February 16, 2010.
Co-presenter, "Labor & Employment Law Forum," Valley Industrial Association, Aurora, IL, February 4, 2010.
Co-author, "ICE Continues to Knock on Employer Doors & Implements New Fine Guidelines," Illinois Chamber of Commerce HR Advisory Blog, November 30, 2009.
Author, "Updates: E-Verify Finalized, No-Match Rule Recinded, I-9 Requirements Enforced," Illinois Chamber of Commerce HR Advisory Blog, November 17, 2009.
Co-presenter, "Immigration and E-Verify Update 2010," Illinois Chamber of Commerce webinar, November 10, 2009.
Author, "E-Verify Can Assist in ICE Audits," Illinois Chamber of Commerce HR Blog, October 6, 2009.
Speaker, “Saving Yourself – From Yourself: Properly and Intelligently Managing Electronically Stored Information,” Chicago Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel, September 2, 2009.
Co-author, “Understanding and Taking Advantage of the Electronic Discovery Rules,” Association of Corporate Counsel, September 2009.
Co-author, “Electronic Media Discovery Applications to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26,” American Trucking Association Forum for Motor Carrier General Counsels, August 2007.
Co-author, “Chapter 14 - Mediation, 2007 Business and Commercial Litigation Practice Handbook,” Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education.
Co-author, “Avian Bird Flu: Practical and Legal Ramifications,” Planning for Bird Flu Pandemic: SmithAmundsen Health Care and Aviation Practice Seminar, Chicago, Illinois, 2006.
Member: American Immigration Lawyers Association; Defense Research Institute; and Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel.
3815 East Main Street
St. Charles, IL 60174
312.894.3265 (telephone)
312.997.1884 (fax)
szorich@salawus.com
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