Firm Overview & Experience

Clark Baird Smith LLP was formed in 2010 because the economic climate demanded a new approach to serving clients in need of high-quality counsel. Our name partners left downtown Chicago for the suburbs and established CBS LLP based on the principle that clients facing complex challenges in a difficult or declining economy should not have to sacrifice quality, value or results in the name of cutting costs.

Clark Baird Smith LLP is home to some of the Midwest's most highly regarded and respected attorneys. Our lawyers, with a collective of more than 200 years of experience, have shaped the landscape of modern labor relations. In fact, Ted Clark wrote the most definitive textbook on public sector labor law – one that is still used in law schools today. The attorneys of CBS LLP have represented hundreds of municipalities, units of state and federal government, and private sector corporations and entities in Illinois and throughout the nation on matters ranging from collective bargaining and interest arbitration to grievance arbitration proceedings, disciplinary hearings, EEO charges, day-to-day employee counseling issues, investigations, and trials. We have also successfully handled numerous bargaining unit petitions and unfair labor practice hearings. In addition, we regularly advise our clients on FLSA and wage and hour matters, ADA and FMLA, pension issues, and engage in all types of EEO and labor relations training.

Community and professional involvement are two pillars of the CBS LLP values. Our attorneys have direct experience working at the National Labor Relations Board and have authored or edited several books for the American Bar Association, as well as authored hundreds of articles on labor and employment law. Three of our senior lawyers are Fellows in the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers. Furthermore, our lawyers are exceedingly active in various American Bar Association labor and employment law committees, and serve as general counsel to state and national employer associations. CBS LLP has proudly supported a number of charitable causes, including PAWS, Wounded Warrior, American Cancer Society, Ravinia's Reach, Teach, Play, Special Olympics, Big Brothers & Big Sisters of America, to name a few.