Vincent M. Rizzo

Vincent Rizzo is an Illinois and California licensed attorney representing private and public entities in litigation involving employment disputes, tort defense, and constitutional violations. His clients include Fortune 500 companies, school districts, and other state and local governmental entities. He has extensive experience litigating Title VII, Section 1983, ADA, FMLA, personal injury, and property damage claims, including successfully trying numerous civil jury trials to defense verdicts and obtaining multiple summary judgments.

Vincent provides training to a number of entities regarding workplace compliance and best practices. He further advises employers and employees on all aspects of the employment relationship—including employee misconduct and other disciplinary matters—spanning from hire through termination. He also regularly conducts internal investigations of entities for alleged violations of the whistleblower statute, harassment, discrimination, and retaliation.

Vincent is also an active member of the legal community and a zealous advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. A committed member of Hinshaw's LGBTQ affinity group, he helped the firm obtain a 100% rating in the Corporate Equality Index from the Human Rights Campaign. He also holds various other firm leadership positions, including faculty for Hinshaw University, a member of the Associate Interviewing Committee, and a member of the Mentoring Committee. In addition, Vincent holds a position as adjunct faculty at the Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, teaching Introduction to Trial Advocacy.

Before joining Hinshaw, Vincent was an Assistant Corporation Counsel for the City of Chicago Department of Law. While there, he represented the City of Chicago and its employees in state and federal litigation involving civil rights violations, municipal prosecutions, and appeals.

During law school, Vincent was a public interest law intern for the Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights. He also interned for the general counsel of Accident Fund Insurance Company. In addition to his academic accomplishments, Vincent was a teaching assistant for "Legal Research, Writing and Advocacy," "Torts," and "Street Law." Vincent was also an active member of his law school's International Law Review.

• Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago
  • Executive Board, Vice President, and Former Secretary
• Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD), Fellow, 2022

• Selected by his peers for inclusion in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for Commercial Litigation, 2022 – 2025; Litigation – Labor and Employment, 2022 – 2025
• Recognized on the Rising Stars list by Illinois Super Lawyers magazine, 2023
• Named to the "40 Under Forty - Illinois Attorneys to Watch" list by Chicago Daily Law Bulletin and Chicago Lawyer Magazine, 2022
• Recognized as a "Notable LGBTQ Executive" by Crain's Chicago Business, 2021

• Obtained defense jury verdicts in multiple civil rights discrimination cases. The plaintiffs sought in excess of $2 million in damages. The jury returned a verdict of not guilty.
• Secured judgment as a matter of law during a jury trial in a civil rights discrimination case.
• Obtained multiple summary judgments in Title VII, ADA, and Section 1983 civil rights discrimination cases.
• Negotiated favorably low settlement on behalf of a client in a wrongful death case.
• Successfully defended Fortune 500 company in numerous personal injury cases alleging in excess of $1 million in damages for negligence and premises liability.
• Counseled a Fortune 500 company in the hospitality industry on workplace compliance and best practices by updating all policies and procedures and providing training to all employees.
• Obtained summary judgment reversal on behalf of a client in a high-profile, complex appeal in front of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.
• Successfully resolved a high-profile bullying case brought under Section 1983 and ADA for a school district.
• Received hundreds of favorable judgments at administrative hearings in matters relating to public health, safety, and welfare.

• Co-Presenter, "Legal Updates: Employment and Contracts," LGBTQI CFO Network Annual Conference, Chicago, Illinois, December 6, 2024
• "Human Resources Strategies for LGBTQ+ Elder Support: Employee Training and Proactive Policies and Procedures," National Honor Our LGBTQ+ Elders Day Forum, Alzheimer's Los Angeles and the Los Angeles LGBT Center, Los Angeles, California, May 16, 2024
• Co-Presenter, "Legal Jeopardy," Illinois Association of School Personnel Administrators Annual Conference, Lisle, Illinois, January 27, 2023
• "LGBTQ+ Issues in the Workplace," Real Time with IPELRA podcast, November 13, 2022
• Presenter, "LGBTQ+ Issues in the Workplace," Annual Training Conference, Illinois Public Employer Labor Relations Association (IPELRA), Galena, Illinois, October 24, 2022
• Co-Moderator, "LGBTQ+ Employment Law Roundup," Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP, CLE Webinar, June 28, 2022
• Co-Presenter, "Navigating the Changing Landscape of Law Enforcement Liability," Munich Re Specialty Insurance, Webinar, May 17, 2022
• Panelist, "Advancing LGBTQIA+ Diversity & Inclusion in the Law," CLE hosted by the Women's Bar Association of Illinois (WBAI) Diversity Committee, Virtual Event, March 29, 2022

• Co-Presenter, “Legal Hot Topics,” Illinois Association of School Personnel Administrators (IASPA) Fifteenth Annual Conference, Lisle, Illinois, January 21, 2022

• Co-Presenter, “Supporting LGBTQ+ Employees,” Illinois Association of School Personnel Administrators (IASPA) Fifteenth Annual Conference, Lisle, Illinois, January 21, 2022

• Co-Presenter, “A Practical Guide to Navigating the Open Meetings Act,” Illinois Association of School Administrators Legal Workshops, Virtual Event, December 9, 2021
• Co-Moderator, “LGBTQ+ Youth and Bullying: Understanding Issues and Addressing Solutions,” National Stop Bullying Day Event, Hinshaw and LAGBAC Webinar, October 13, 2021
• Panelist, "A Comprehensive Look at Privacy Issues Affecting LGBTQ+ Employees," 2021 Lavender Law® Conference and Career Fair, Webinar, July 12, 2021
• Panelist, "LGBTQ+ Employment Law Roundup," CLE Program by Hinshaw and the LGBTQ+ Lawyers Association of Los Angeles, Virtual Event, June 23, 2021
• Panelist, "Coming Out in the Workplace Seminar," Chicago Bar Association, Chicago, Illinois, December 2, 2020
• Host, "World AIDS Day: A Conversation with Author Rebecca Makkai," Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP, Chicago, Illinois, December 1, 2020
• Moderator, "National Coming Out Day: A View from the Trenches Panel Discussion," CLE hosted by Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP, Virtual Event, October 7, 2020
• Speaker, "Workplace Civility & Inclusion," Chicago Federal Executive Board, September 24, 2020
• "LGBTQ+ Issues in the Workplace: Legal Obligations and Best Practices," CLE hosted by Hinshaw's LGBTQ Affinity Group, Chicago, Illinois, June 18, 2020
• Host, "Transgender Day of Remembrance with Jill Rose-Quinn," Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP, Chicago, Illinois, November 20, 2019
• Panelist, "Bringing Your Authentic Self to Work: A Generational Perspective," CLE hosted by Hinshaw's LGBTQ Affinity Group, Chicago, Illinois, October 9, 2019
• Panelist, "A Comprehensive Look at Transgender Equality in the Workplace" 2019 Lavender Law® Conference and Career Fair, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, August 7, 2019
• "Can LGBTQ People Have their Cake and Eat it, Too? What the Supreme Court REALLY said," CLE hosted by Hinshaw's LGBTQ Affinity Group, Chicago, Illinois, June 28, 2018
• "Recent Supreme Court Decisions Affecting First Amendment," CLE hosted by Regina Dominican Law Society, Chicago, Illinois, June 18, 2018
• Host, "The Lavender Bench: Experiences of LGBTQ Judges in Illinois," Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP, Chicago, Illinois, March 8, 2018

• "Overview of Laws Concerning Animals in Film Media," Animal Legal & Historical Center, June 2012

• Chicago Lawyer's Committee for Civil Rights, Pro Bono Volunteer
• Heartland Alliance, Volunteer
• Judicial Evaluation Committee, Evaluator
• Lawline, Civil Rights Litigation, Faculty Member
• Name Change Project, Pro Bono Volunteer