Atty. Paul E. Slater
A firm founder, visionary leader, and skilled litigator, Paul Slater handles high-stakes antitrust cases for private and public enterprises, including Fortune 500 companies. He pioneered the opt-out practice, representing companies as individual plaintiffs in industry-wide multidistrict antitrust litigation.
Litigation - Antitrust Attorney · Serving Chicago, IL · 56+ Years Experience
Profile Summary
About Paul E. Slater at a Glance
Paul E. Slater is a litigation attorney based in Chicago, Illinois, practicing at Sperling Kenny Nachwalter PA. They have 56+ years of legal experience, licensed to practice since 1970. Admitted to practice in Illinois, Illinois State Bar Association (1970). Educated at Northwestern University (J.D., 1970). Recognitions include Best Lawyers in America — Litigation - Antitrust (2026), Best Lawyers in America — Awards: (2026), and Best Lawyers in America — Illinois Super Lawyers (2026). Serves clients in Chicago, IL and the surrounding metropolitan area.
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About Paul E. Slater
- A firm founder, visionary leader, and skilled litigator, Paul Slater handles high-stakes antitrust cases for private and public enterprises, including Fortune 500 companies
- He pioneered the opt-out practice, representing companies as individual plaintiffs in industry-wide multidistrict antitrust litigation
- This practice enables clients to tailor their claims and maximize their recoveries outside of class action proceedings, which often fail to meet individual client needs
- Mr. Slater represents clients in wide-ranging industries, including national drugstore, grocery store, and restaurant chains
- domestic and international airlines
- the leading air freight service provider
- national car rental companies
- and major shopping, internet, and media marketing companies
- He has successfully resolved price-fixing, monopolies, customer allocation, anticompetitive vertical agreements, and other restraint-on-trade cases
- Among his many successes are first-of-their-kind antitrust cases, including ones against credit card companies, and industry-impacting actions against pharma giants for drug overcharging
- Clients appreciate Mr. Slater’s ability to optimize their recoveries while working out resolutions that improve the parties’ relationship and results in better business terms for the future
- Before founding the firm, Mr. Slater taught at the University of California School of Law at Berkeley (Boalt Hall) and then at Northwestern University School of Law, where he was a professor of antitrust law and then an adjunct professor teaching an advanced antitrust law course for 35 years
- Highly respected for his legal acumen and insight, he has been cited by the U.S
- Supreme Court on several occasions
- His exceptional knowledge of antitrust laws is rare, if not unrivaled
Practice Areas Explained
Paul E. Slater's Areas of Legal Practice
Each practice area below reflects the types of cases Paul E. Slater handles, with a practical overview of what that area of law involves and how it may apply to your situation in Chicago.
Civil Litigation in Chicago
Civil litigation attorneys for breach of contract, business disputes, civil rights, and class action lawsuits.
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Jurisdictional Context
Why Local Counsel Matters in Chicago
Practicing law in Illinois. Legal matters in Illinois are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in Chicago are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate Illinois state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in Illinois brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this venue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in Illinois courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.
Chicago Courts and Legal Process
Choosing a Chicago-based attorney means your counsel already knows the local docketing timelines, preferred filing formats, and how individual judges typically rule on procedural motions — details that only come from practicing in this jurisdiction day after day. That local familiarity can translate to better strategy, faster filings, and fewer costly surprises.
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Professional Profile
Why Clients in Chicago Choose Paul E. Slater
Selecting an attorney is one of the most consequential decisions you can make when a legal matter arises. Below are the core qualities that distinguish Paul E. Slater's practice in the field of litigation.
Decade-Tested Legal Experience
Paul E. Slater brings 56+ years of hands-on legal practice — enough to have navigated the recurring fact patterns, procedural traps, and negotiation dynamics that shape case outcomes.
Focused Litigation Practice
Concentrating on litigation means Paul E. Slater's knowledge of relevant statutes, case law, and procedural nuances stays current — unlike generalist practices that spread attention across unrelated fields.
Local Presence in Chicago
A Chicago-based practice means Paul E. Slater attends hearings in the same courthouses, knows the local clerks, and understands the unwritten scheduling norms that affect every case filed here.
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