Business Attorney in Chicago
Commercial Legal Counsel Grounded in Litigation & Financial Markets Experience
De Silva Law Offices represents businesses and business owners across Chicago in matters spanning commercial contracts, entity formation, partnership and shareholder disputes, trade secrets, and federal court litigation. Attorney R. Tamara de Silva brings over 20 years of legal experience to each engagement, and her background as a former floor trader and brokerage executive gives the firm a working knowledge of how commercial disputes arise in practice, not merely in theory. The firm’s litigation team carries nearly four combined decades of experience in commercial litigation.
For Chicago businesses whose legal needs cross transactional, dispute, and regulatory lines, that combination reflects a depth of experience that is uncommon among general business law firms in the city.
To discuss a business law matter with De Silva Law Offices, call (312) 500-8424 or use the online contact form to schedule a consultation.
Business Law Matters De Silva Law Offices Handles
The firm’s work for business clients covers both transactional counsel and litigation. On the dispute side, De Silva Law Offices handles commercial litigation involving contract breaches, partnership conflicts, and shareholder disputes, as well as white-collar defense matters for business clients. Attorney de Silva is a member of the federal trial bar and is admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, among other federal and state courts.
Trade secret protection is a core part of that litigation practice. In 2025, Attorney de Silva secured a substantial confidential settlement in a high-stakes Defend Trade Secrets Act federal dispute. The federal Defend Trade Secrets Act and the Illinois Trade Secrets Act both give Chicago businesses legal tools to protect proprietary information when misappropriation occurs.
On the transactional side, the firm provides corporate law guidance and strategic counsel for businesses navigating formation decisions, contractual risk, and commercial relationships. The firm also advises on business structure, commercial contracts, operating and partnership agreements, and non-compete and confidentiality arrangements.
Why Chicago Businesses Work with De Silva Law Offices
Attorney de Silva’s credentials reach into territory many business lawyers in Chicago don’t occupy. She was lead counsel on the first class action involving market manipulation and spoofing in the futures markets under the Dodd-Frank Act, a matter that required both financial markets fluency and command of complex federal litigation. In 2025, the firm secured substantial confidential settlements in complex federal litigation, including a class action against one of the largest trading platforms in the world.
Her admissions include the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, the Supreme Court of Illinois, and the Supreme Court of the United States. She earned her JD from Loyola University Chicago School of Law and her undergraduate degree with Special Honors from the University of Chicago. The firm has also represented elected officials and high-profile clients in sensitive federal matters.
For business clients whose disputes carry a financial, regulatory, or federal dimension, that record reflects a business attorney with courtroom and commercial experience that extends beyond standard business litigation.
Contact De Silva Law Offices for Business Legal Counsel in Chicago
De Silva Law Offices serves clients in Chicago and Harwood Heights. Whether the matter involves a contract dispute, a shareholder conflict, trade secret protection, or building the legal foundation for a growing business, the firm is available to discuss the specifics of your situation.
Past results in complex federal litigation reflect the depth of the firm’s experience. They don’t predict outcomes in any individual case.
Call (312) 500-8424 to speak with a business lawyer at De Silva Law Offices, or reach out through the online contact form to get started.
When Chicago Businesses Need a Business Attorney
Illinois law creates a specific set of obligations and risks for business owners at every stage of operation. The entity structure a business chooses, an LLC versus a corporation versus another form, carries tax and liability consequences that affect owners personally. Most Illinois business entities must register with the Illinois Secretary of State, and that structural choice shapes how ownership, governance, and liability are allocated from day one.
Contract risk is a consistent pressure point. Business owners who sign commercial agreements without counsel can find themselves bound to unenforceable terms, without adequate remedies if the other party defaults, or personally liable in ways a properly drafted agreement could help prevent.
Illinois-specific rules add another layer of complexity:
- Non-compete agreements: Under the Illinois Freedom to Work Act, non-compete agreements entered into after January 1, 2022, are subject to salary thresholds and advance notice requirements before they’re enforceable. Agreements that don’t meet those standards may not hold up in court.
- Trade secret protection: Both the Illinois Trade Secrets Act and the federal Defend Trade Secrets Act give Chicago businesses causes of action when confidential business information is misappropriated.
- Employment compliance: Illinois is an at-will employment state, but federal and state anti-discrimination laws, wage and hour requirements, and non-compete rules create ongoing compliance obligations for Chicago employers.
- Dispute resolution venues: Business disputes in Cook County are typically filed in the Law or Chancery Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County. Federal claims, including those under the Defend Trade Secrets Act, may be heard in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
A business lawyer who handles both transactional work and litigation brings a practical lens to these situations. Contracts drafted with enforcement in mind are built differently than contracts drafted for the deal alone, and understanding where a dispute might end up in court shapes how the underlying agreements and structures are built from the start.
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ExperienceWith a robust professional journey spanning over two decades, R Tamara de Silva has fostered an extensive repertoire of legal insights, finely honed strategies, and a profound understanding of intricate legal nuances.
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Proven Track RecordLead counsel on the first class action involving market manipulation and spoofing in the futures markets under Dodd-Frank.
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Specialization
Specialization in the law governing the trading markets, combined with an industry insider’s understanding equal unparalleled expertise.