Kevin F. Gaffney

Associate

Kevin Gaffney defends employers nationwide in high-stakes, complex employment disputes before courts and administrative agencies. He has significant experience defending class and collective wage-and-hour claims under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and similar state laws in matters challenging timekeeping practices, off-the-clock work, misclassification, break practices, and prompt wage payment. He also litigates class action fiduciary-breach claims under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) concerning retirement plan investment performance, administrative fees, and alleged conflicts of interest.

Additionally, Kevin routinely handles difficult single-plaintiff discrimination, retaliation, whistleblowing, harassment, breach of contract, and wrongful termination claims under various laws, including the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act ADEA, and similar state laws. Kevin often devises creative litigation strategies for high-value cases that raise novel theories of liability, including union-management RICO conspiracies and challenges to long-term incentive program practices.

Kevin also maintains a robust pro bono practice and is a current member of the Young Professionals Board of the Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI). He has held many leadership positions within the firm, including chair of the Chicago Associates’ Committee, vice chair of the Chicago Pro Bono Committee, and the workflow coordinator for the Chicago summer associates.

Kevin graduated cum laude from the Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, where he received the J.H. Wigmore Scholarship, a merit-based, full-tuition scholarship, for all three years.

Northwestern University School of Law, 2014, J.D., Cum Laude
University of Notre Dame, 2009, B.A., Magna Cum Laude

Illinois
US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, Ones to Watch, Litigation - Labor and Employment, Chicago (2025)

Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, Ones to Watch, Litigation - Labor and Employment, Washington DC (2023, 2024)

Member, Practice Group of the Year, Employment, Law360 (2017, 2019)