Paul Denham

Paul Denham is a Partner with Clark Baird Smith LLP and represents management clients in all

areas of labor and employment law, including collective bargaining negotiations, arbitration,

federal and state litigation, appellate review, unfair labor practice charges, internal investigations, and matters before pension boards and administrative agencies.


Prior to joining Clark Baird Smith, Paul worked as an in-house labor and employment attorney

for the City of Rockford, in which ultimately, the City also appointed him to serve as its Director

of Human Resources. His experiences in this context give Paul a unique perspective when

advising and counseling clients over incidents related to discipline, workplace investigations,

termination, potential accommodations, health and employee benefits, pension, labor disputes,

and other employment issues.


Paul has briefed and argued cases before the Illinois Appellate and Supreme Courts. Most

notably, in December of 2016, Paul received a successful outcome for his client before the

Illinois Supreme Court involving a claim for benefits under the Public Safety Employees

Benefits Act (“PSEBA”). Paul is also an experienced litigator and negotiator who has received

summary dismissal for his clients in federal court, successfully appeared before the Illinois Labor

Relations Board, and has served as lead negotiator for collective bargaining for fire, police and

staff union contracts.


Prior to law school, Paul served as a Congressional staffer for the U.S. House of Representatives

Committee on Small Business. For the first eight years of his career as an attorney, Paul

represented public and private sector clients in labor and employment both at a law firm and as

in-house counsel.

J.D., Northwestern University School of Law (2004)


B.A., The George Washington University (1999)


Admissions: 

  • Illinois
  • Northern District of Illinois



Representative Cases:


Bremer v. City of Rockford, 2016 IL 119889.  

Illinois Supreme Court decision reversing the

lower courts’ findings and establishing that individuals who receive occupational disease

disability cannot show they are catastrophically injured under PSEBA.


Masterton v. Vill. of Glenview Police Pension Bd., 2022 IL App (1st) 220307, 1, appeal denied, 210 N.E.3d 779 (Ill. 2023). 

Successfully dismissed applicant’s request to increase disability pension on jurisdictional grounds.


Vill. of Hanover Park v. Bd. of Trustees of Vill. of Hanover Park Police Pension Fund, 2021 IL

App (2d) 200380. 

Successfully argued that police pension board improperly treated holiday as “salary” for pension purposes.


Village of Skokie and IAFF (Arb. Sinclair Kossoff, 2020).  

Grievance arbitration where arbitrator ruled that municipal client handled leave request appropriately.


People v. Gliniewicz, 2019 IL App (2d) 190401-U. Successfully argued that criminal court’s gag

order against municipality during pension proceedings was improper, and that defendant waived her arguments.


City of Sparta and Teamsters Local 50, 138 LA 1931 (Arb. Mark W. Suardi, 2018).

Successfully briefed arguments utilized by arbitrator in upholding termination decision based on dishonesty and performance issues.


City of Rockford and IAFF, 33 PERI 108 (2017). Illinois Labor Relations Board decision

agreeing with municipality’s exceptions to ALJ’s recommended decision and order after

administrative trial.


City of Rockford and IAFF, 137 LA 431 (Arb. Sinclair Kossoff, 2017).  

Grievance arbitration where arbitrator ruled that Union could not re-litigate overtime/manning issues as a matter of res judicata.


Rainer v. City of Rockford, No. 3:12-CV-50441 (N.D. Ill.). 

Summary judgment in favor of City

effectively dismissing Plaintiff’s federal lawsuit (race).


Tomasino v. City of Rockford, No. 3:12-CV-50255 (N.D. Ill.).  

Successfully filed motion for

reconsideration that resulted in summary dismissal of Plaintiff’s federal lawsuit (retaliation).


Naud v. City of Rockford, No. 3:09-CV-50074 (N.D. Ill.).  

Co-counsel during federal trial (age discrimination) where jury found in favor of City on all counts.


Arbisi v. City of Rockford, No. 3:13-CV-50004 (N.D. Ill.).  

Settled case on terms favorable to client after federal judge opined in summary judgment decision that Plaintiff most likely could

not show damages at trial (FMLA).


City of Rockford.  

In 2015 and 2016, as a labor negotiator in a historically contentious union environment, successfully negotiated collective bargaining agreements with the City’s police, fire and staff unions.


In re Marriage of Salvador and Columbia College Chicago, No. 10 D 6753, 2012 IL App (1st)

112675-U.  

First District Court of Appeals decision that denied petitioner’s claim for damages under the Illinois Income Withholding for Support Act.


  • Counseling & Litigation
  • Arbitration (Interest & Grievance)
  • Collective Bargaining
  • Discipline/Due Process
  • Appellate Litigation
  • Public Safety Disability Issues

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