Practice Areas
Industries
Education
Northeastern University, J.D., 1991
Boston College, B.A., 1988
Admissions
Illinois
Massachusetts (retired)
Carlos has been practicing law for more than 20 years and still enjoys it as much as when he first started. His goal in practice is to not merely meet, but to consistently exceed his client’s expectations. Carlos represents public and private sector clients ranging from municipalities to corporations in the areas of labor and employment and local government law.
He advocates for his clients in court at the state and federal level and administrative proceedings before the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission, Illinois Department of Human Rights, Illinois Labor Relations Board, Illinois Department of Labor and Illinois Department of Employment Security.
Additionally, he has represented public sector entities as corporate counsel dealing with issues related to governance, statutory compliance and transactional matters as well as matters involving labor and employment issues dealing with benefits, termination, discipline, labor arbitration and collective bargaining. He also advises clients on growth and development matters and provides day-to-day advice and counsel.
A true believer in the value of service, Carlos served as president of the McHenry County Bar Association. He is active in leadership for the Illinois State Bar Association’s labor and employment and local government related committees. He also served as president and president-elect of the Stateline SHRM Chapter. Currently, Carlos sits on the Regional Board of the MercyHealth System and the Board of Directors of the Friends of McHenry County College Foundation. Carlos is a member of the Leadership Greater McHenry County Class of 2013. He frequently speaks on labor and employment issues at the state and local level.
Born in El Salvador, Carlos moved to Rhode Island as a teen and went to college and law school in Boston. He is a fluent Spanish speaker.
Memberships & Involvement
- Stateline SHRM: President-Elect 2017, President 2018, Past-President 2019; Illinois SHRM State Council 2018
- Illinois State Bar Association: Cannabis Law Section Council 2020-2021; Labor & Employment Section Council Chair 2016-2017, Vice Chair 2015-2016, Secretary 2014-2015; Local Government Law Section Council, Member 2020-2021, Chair 2009 - 2010, Vice Chair 2008 - 2009, Secretary 2007 - 2008
- Regional Community Board: Mercy Health System
- Board of Directors: Friends of McHenry County College Foundation
- Member: Illinois Public Employer Labor Relations Association, Legislative Committee
- McHenry County Bar Association: President 2014-2015
Experience
- Won arbitration award limiting the scope of the Firefighters Substitutes Act and allowing a municipality to close its ambulance service. The award was subsequently affirmed in circuit court.
- Won an arbitration that arose from a grievance filed by the union alleging that the municipality violated the parties’ CBA when it made changes to the health insurance benefits provided to bargaining unit employees. The union argued that the municipality violated the CBA by charging employees more than 17.5% of the premiums for multiple plan options. Municipality argued that its changes complied with the CBA – arguing that the CBA gives municipality the right to make changes to health insurance, as long as the changes are made to the insurance offered to non-represented employees. The arbitrator denied the union’s grievance, and stated that the municipality did not violate the CBA when it made changes to the health insurance benefits provided to bargaining unit employees. The award also had the impact of expediting collective bargaining for the next set of CBAs for the municipality.
- Obtained dismissal of unfair labor practice charges related to union’s claims that the municipality should not be able to discontinue certain municipal services.
- Successfully defended against attorney’s fee petition in a case in Lake County where the plaintiff not only pursued a declaratory judgment that she should be reinstated to her status as an “officer on disability status” after being terminated by the employing municipality, but sought claims that included legal fees for all of her efforts to secure reinstatement. There were no legal fees or any other monetary judgment or obligation awarded to the plaintiff.
- Defended a municipality’s exclusion of confidential employee in unit clarification proceedings.
- Successfully defended a case in McHenry County where the plaintiff was claiming water damages resulting from a sewer line back up into the plaintiff’s office. We successfully moved to have the case dismissed based on tort immunity grounds.
- Obtained summary judgment in litigation of severance provisions in employment agreement.
News & Press Releases
- BiometricUpdate.com, April 28, 2020
- Cook County Record, October 21, 2019
- Business Insurance, August 20, 2019
- Cook County Record, October 9, 2018
- October 5, 2017
- Northwest Herald, September 27, 2017
- May 28, 2015
- New law nixes criminal question from job applications - Carlos Arévalo Quoted in Northwest HeraldNorthwest Herald, September 6, 2014
- Tattoo policies vary based on industry, culture - Carlos Arévalo Quoted in Northwest HeraldNorthwest Herald, August 3, 2014
- A fast learner and riser - Chicago Daily Law Bulletin Highlights Carlos ArévaloChicago Daily Law Bulletin, July 14, 2014
- First minority elected to lead McHenry County Bar - Northwest Herald Highlights Carlos ArévaloNorthwest Herald, July 6, 2014
Blog
Contributing Author, SmithAmundsen's Labor & Employment Law Update, a labor and employment advisory blog.
Contributing Author, Illinois Chamber of Commerce's Chamber Dispatch, an HR advisory blog.
Alerts
- December 4, 2020
- November 18, 2020
- October 9, 2020
- May 18, 2020
- May 5, 2020
- April 17, 2020
- April 13, 2020
- April 7, 2020
- April 1, 2020
- March 30, 2020
- March 20, 2020
- March 20, 2020
- December 30, 2019
- May 23, 2018
- March 9, 2018
- November 17, 2017
- July 7, 2017
- March 29, 2017
- January 10, 2017
- September 14, 2016
- September 14, 2016
Publications
- Illinois Chamber of Commerce, 2021
- Illinois Chamber of Commerce, 2019
- The Newsletter of the Illinois State Bar Association's Section on Local Government Law, September 2018
- The Newsletter of the Illinois State Bar Association’s Section on Local Government Law, December 8, 2016
- ISBA's Labor & Employment Law Newsletter, April 2016
- Managers Must Keep Up with New OSHA Reporting RulesNorthwest Herald, March 8, 2015
Presentations & Events
- Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce; Crystal Lake, IL, February 11, 2021
- 36th Annual Illinois Public Sector Labor Relations Law Conference, Webcast, December 4, 2020
- Better Business Bureau, Webcast, December 2, 2020
- Illinois Manufacturers’ Association, Webcast, November 5, 2020
- SmithAmundsen, Webcast, October 29, 2020
- SmithAmundsen, Webcast, September 23, 2020
- Diversity & Inclusion: Diversity Trends in the ProfessionIllinois State Bar Association, Leadership Academy; Chicago, IL, February 21, 2020
- Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development- Depaul Univeristy, Webcast, February 20, 2020
- Cannabis Enforcement & Employment: Is Your City Ready?Illinois Local Government Lawyers Association 27th Annual Conference; Naperville, IL, February 17, 2020
- The Harvard Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Seminar; Harvard, IL, December 13, 2019
- Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce, Seminar; Crystal Lake, IL, December 12, 2019
- McHenry, IL; Seminar, December 4, 2019
- Social Media and MunicipalitiesThe Illinois Municipal Treasurers Association Institute, Seminar; Bloomington, IL, November 21, 2019
- Marijuana and Corporate Policies: What Employers Need to KnowThe CPE Club, Seminar; Crystal Lake, IL, November 20, 2019
- Marijuana and Corporate Policies: What Employers Need to KnowThe Horton Group, Webinar, November 19, 2019
- Hot Topics in Discipline and Discharge: A Review of Current Trends and Development in Arbitration Awards and Examining Punitive v. Remedial Approaches to Discipline35th Annual Illinois Public Sector Labor Relations Law Conference; Chicago, IL, November 15, 2019
- Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce; Crystal Lake, IL, October 17, 2019
- IML Annual Conference; Chicago, IL, September 20, 2019
- Chicago, IL, June 27, 2019
- National Business Institute, Seminar; Naperville, IL, April 8, 2019
- Chicago, IL; Illinois Municipal League Annual Conference, September 20, 2018
- SmithAmundsen, Webinar, July 9, 2018
- Illinois Public Employer Labor Relations Association (IPELRA) Conference; Normal, IL, October 24, 2017
- Northwest Herald; Crystal Lake, IL, September 26, 2017
- Illinois Municipal League Annual Conference; Chicago, IL, September 22, 2017
- Illinois Municipal League Annual Conference; Chicago, IL, September 21, 2017
- SmithAmundsen Seminar; Lombard, IL, September 13, 2017
- Brando's Speakeasy, June 21, 2017
- Illinois Chamber of Commerce, Seminar; Peoria, IL, January 26, 2017
- Illinois Chamber of Commerce, Webinar, January 19, 2017
- Chicago-Kent College of Law, Conference; Chicago, IL, December 2, 2016
- Illinois Public Employer Labor Relations Association, October 24, 2016
- Illinois Municipal League Annual Conference, Chicago, IL, September 22, 2016