Alfred Y. Kirkland Jr.
PERSONAL BACKGROUND AND EDUCATION
Alfred Y. Kirkland, Jr. was born in Elgin, Illinois on September 21, 1944. He has lived in Elgin all of his life, as have the past generations on both sides of the family. Al was admitted to the bar in 1974 in Illinois and Indiana and in the federal courts in Illinois and Indiana. Al went to law school at Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, Indiana where he was editor-in-chief of the Law Review and graduated at the top of his class. He spent the next year as clerk to the Honorable Luther M. Swygert, the chief judge of the United States Court of Appeals, 7th Circuit, Chicago, Illinois. Al received his bachelor's degree from Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts, with honors. Al practiced in Chicago, with Jenner & Block, before coming home to Elgin.
Al and his wife, Janine, have 9 children.
PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS AND EXPERIENCE
Al concentrates his practice in civil trial work, including business and commercial, family law, injury cases and a variety of miscellaneous special remedies matters. Al was a member of the MCI trial team which tried the original MCI vs. AT&T case in 1980 and again in 1986. Al also represented the Concerned Citizens for Education in connection with a successful election recount effort in which, upon recount, it was determined that an apparently defeated School District U-46 Referendum involving over $170,000,000.00 of school construction had actually passed by a scant 3.06 votes out of over 15,000 cast.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Al and Janine are active in various local charitable organizations.
Areas of Practice
- Age Discrimination
- Americans with Disabilities Act -- Employee
- Americans with Disabilities Act -- Employer
- Animal Bites -- Plaintiff
- Arbitration
- Assault & Battery -- Plaintiff
- Bad Faith
- Commercial Banks
- Contracts
- Defamation & Privacy -- Plaintiff
- Dental Malpractice
- Disability & Illness Discrimination
- Discrimination
- Divorce
- Election & Campaign Law
- Eminent Domain
- Employee Rights -- Employer
- Employment Contracts -- Employee
- Employment Contracts -- Employer
- Employment Discrimination -- Employee
- Employment Discrimination -- Employer
- Federal Appellate Practice
- Federal Trial Practice
- Machinery & Tools
- Medical Malpractice
- Medical Products & Devices
- Motor Vehicle Accidents -- Plaintiff
- National Origin Discrimination
- Other Professionals Malpractice
- Premises Liability -- Plaintiff
- Prenuptial Agreements
- Property Damage -- Plaintiff
- Race Discrimination
- Sex Discrimination
- Sexual Harassment
- Sexual Harassment -- Employee
- Sexual Harassment -- Employer
- Slip and Fall -- Plaintiff
- State Appellate Practice
- State Trial Practice
- Trade Secrets
- Wage & Hour Laws -- Employee
- Wage & Hour Laws -- Employer
- Wrongful Death -- Plaintiff
- Wrongful Termination -- Employee
- Wrongful Termination -- Employer
Bar Admissions
- Illinois, 1974
- Indiana, 1974
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois, 1975
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Indiana, 1975
- U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit, 1975
Education
- Valparaiso University School of Law, Valparaiso, Indiana
- J.D. (Summa Cum Laude) - 1974
- Law Review: Valparaiso Law Review, Editor-in-Chief, 1972 - 1974
- Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts
- B.A.
- Honors: With Honors
- Major: Psychology
Representative Cases
References
- First National Bank of Elgin
- Larkin Bank of Elgin
Honors and Awards
- Kane County Bar Association Public Service Award, 1997
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Elgin Breakfast Rotary, President, 2000 - 2001
- Easter Seals Jayne Shover Center, Chairman, 2002 - 2003
- Elgin YMCA, Operations and Corporate Boards, 1982 - 1999
- Larkin Home for Children, Chairman, 1980 - 1985
- Elgin Youth Football League, Board and League Counsel, 1986 - 2002
- Greater Elgin Family Care Center, Board, 2001 - Present
- American Association for Justice, 1980 - Present
- American Bar Association, 1980 - Present
- Illinois Bar Association, 1980 - Present
Past Employment Positions
- Luther M. Swygert, Chief Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Cir., Clerk, 1974 - 1975
- Jenner G. Block, Chicago Illinois, Associate, 1975 - 1977
Pro Bono Activities
- Concerned Citizens for Education Election Recount), 1994 - 1995
- Volunteer, Prarie State Legal Services, 2001 - Present
Fraternities/Sororities
- Delta Upsilon










