James P. Looby litigates cases involving individual claims and class and collective actions arising under federal, state, and local employment laws. His work includes high-stakes and complex cases throughout the United States involving wage and hour disputes, independent contractor and joint employment issues, discrimination, and retaliation. As a result of his work and the recognition of peers and clients, James was named to the Daily Law Bulletin’s Forty Lawyers Under 40 to watch in the state of Illinois for 2022.
James’s litigation experience includes advising clients during all stages of litigation, from presuit allegations to postjudgment proceedings. He has handled matters arising under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), and similar state and local laws across the United States. James also regularly counsels clients on wage and hour compliance, independent contractor and joint employment issues, compliance with laws prohibiting employment discrimination and retaliation, and other day-to-day employment issues.
James has worked with clients in the automotive, business services, gaming, financial services, food and beverage, pharmaceutical, retail, and telecommunications industries. His recent representative matters include serving as the lead associate in multiple American Arbitration Association (AAA) mass arbitration proceedings involving misclassification claims, multiple nationwide collective action and statewide class action matters involving allegations of unpaid or untimely paid straight and overtime wages, and in a putative disability discrimination class action brought by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) relating to leave of absence and attendance policies.
In addition to his employment litigation work, James maintains an active pro bono practice and is a past recipient of the Chicago office’s annual pro bono practice award.
James has served as a member of Morgan Lewis’s Chicago office Hiring Committee and Associates Committee as well as the ML Well Global Working Group. He is also an active member of the Chicago Inn of Court and contributes to the American Bar Association’s annual publication of FMLA case summaries.
Before joining Morgan Lewis, James served as a law clerk to Judge William J. Bauer of the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and Judge Thomas M. Durkin of the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
Named, 40 Under 40 - Illinois Attorneys to Watch, Chicago Daily Law Bulletin (2022)
Ones to Watch, Litigation – Labor and Employment , Chicago, The Best Lawyers in America (2022–2024)
Member, Practice Group of the Year, Employment, Law360 (2017, 2019)
Member, Chicago Inn of Court
Member, Chicago Bar Association
Member, American Bar Association
Eagle Scout, Boy Scouts of America