Robert Handley

Robert Handley is a Founding Partner of BURKE & HANDLEY, P.C. His practice is presently focused in Commercial Litigation, Real Estate, Collection Work, and Injury cases. Robert represents businesses and works with owners and senior management to formulate and implement strategies to meet their legal needs. He has extensive experience in all types of litigation including personal injury, foreclosures, collections, bankruptcy adversary proceedings, and priority disputes. Robert is experienced in alternative dispute resolution, including mediation and arbitration; case evaluation; and trial litigation, having tried numerous jury cases to verdict.

He has been in private practice since leaving the Du Page County State’s Attorney’s office. His experience includes representing both Plaintiffs and Defendants in a variety of cases. He is “AV Rated” (the highest peer review rating) by the prestigious Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review for his legal ability and ethics.

Prior to forming BURKE & HANDLEY, P.C., Robert was the principal of his own firm, Handley Law Offices; and was a partner in Moroni & Handley, located in the Chicago suburb of Carol Stream, Illinois.

In addition to his practice, Robert is a Hearing Board Member with the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission hearing and deciding disciplinary actions. Robert is also a Chair-Qualified Arbitrator for the Circuit Court of the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit, Mandatory Court-Annexed Arbitration. As an active member of the Illinois State Bar Association, he presently serves on its Civil Practice and Procedure Section Council (1994, Chair), the Commercial Banking and Banking Section Council, and is a past member of the Judicial Evaluation Committee; and has Chaired and served on many other State and County Bar Committees and Councils. He is frequently a featured speaker at seminars on a variety of legal topics and is regularly published in numerous Bar Publications. He also authored a Chapter in a West Publications legal practice guide on Insurance Law.

Practice Areas

• Commercial Litigation
• Foreclosures
• Creditor Bankruptcy Claims
• Real Estate Transactions and Litigation
• Personal Injury (Plaintiff and Defense)
• General Civil Litigation
• Estate Litigation
• Traffic

Education

• University of Illinois, Chicago, B.A.
• Northern Illinois University, J.D.

Memberships & Appointments

• DuPage County Bar Association
• Illinois State Bar Association
• Illinois Trial Lawyers Association

Bar Activities

ILLINOIS STATE BAR ASSOCIATION:

• Civil Practice and Procedure Section Council, Chair, 1993 (Member 1985 - 1996 and 2001 to 2007 and 2009 - present)
• Commercial Banking and Bankruptcy Section Council (2012 - present)
• Judicial Evaluation Committee (2005 - 2012)
• Co-chair Bar Leadership Conference (2002)
• Insurance Law Section Council, Chair, 2007 (2001 - 2008)
• Tort Law Section Council, Newsletter Co-Editor (1995 - 2001)
• Committee on Membership and Bar activities (1994 - 2001)
• Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission Liaison (1994 - 2000) and Committee, Chair, 1998 (1994 -1999)
• Assembly Representative (1983 - 1989 and 1992 – 1994 and 2009 - 2015)
• Public Relations Committee (1986 - 1990)
• Insurance Standing Committee (1980 - 1986)

ILLINOIS TRIAL LAWYERS ASSOCIATION:

• Legislative Committee (1986 - 1989 and 1998 – 2000)
• Public Relations Committee (1984)
• Young Lawyers Committee (1984)
• Member since 1979

DUPAGE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION:

• Public Relations Committee, Chairman (1986)

Admission to Practice

• Illinois State Courts
• United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
• United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
• Federal Trial Bar
• Supreme Court of the United States of America

Law Related Activities

• Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois: Member Hearing Board (2016 - present); Inquiry Panel and Hearing Board (1986 - 1994) & (2016 - present)
• Chair-qualified Arbitrator, Circuit Court of the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit, Mandatory Court-Annexed Arbitration (1989 - present)
• Arbitrator, American Arbitration Association (1982 - present)

Academic

• Adjunct Professor, Aurora University (1979 - 1981)

Speaking Engagements

• Speaker: Illinois State Bar Association – Real Estate Law Update (2018)
• Speaker: Illinois State Bar Association – Litigation and Enforcement of Judgments – Issues Within a Foreclosure (2016)
• Speaker: Representing the Second Mortgage Holder, Priority Questions, etc.: Illinois State Bar Association - Commercial Banking Section (2013)
• Moderator: Illinois State Bar Association - Insurance Law Update (2009)
• Speaker: Illinois State Bar Association - Civil Practice Update: Opening Statements (2007)
• Speaker: Insurance Law: Everything You Want to Know - and Should Ask (2006)
• Speaker: Illinois State Bar Association – Successfully Navigating Civil Litigation: Update (2004)
• Co-Chairman: Illinois State Bar Association – The Small But Dynamic Law Firm (1999)
• Speaker: Illinois State Bar Association Civil Practice and Procedure Section Council, Civil Practice Update (1994)
• Speaker: Illinois State Bar Association Seminar Anatomy of a Trial II (11/11/94)
• Speaker: Illinois State Bar Association Seminar Anatomy of a Trial I (4/18/94)
• Speaker/Panelist: Illinois State Bar Association Allerton House Conference (1992)
• Speaker: Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education Course - Negotiation of Personal Injury Settlements (1989)
• Speaker: Illinois Trial Lawyers Association Insurance Law: Insights and Update (1986)

Publications

• Appellate Court Dodges an Interesting Question: Kallal v. Lyons (2022)
• Defense Attorney’s Closing Argument Went Too Far, Case Reversed & Remanded: Michael Konewko v. Advocate Health & Hospitals Corp. (2021)
• Plaintiff Lacks Capacity to Sue - Is The Judgment Void? (2020)
• With a Suggestion that the Defendant is Legally Blind, Can Plaintiff Get Defendant’s Medical Records? (2019)
• Appellate Court lacks jurisdiction because Notice of Appeal was untimely filed (2017)
• Sheriff sale purchasers keep the property despite void judgment of foreclosure and sale (2016)
• Suing certain governmental entities for willful and wanton misconduct just became easier—Illinois abandons the public duty rule (2016)
• Can a spouse who occupies a property as his/her residence but is not on title claim a homestead exemption? (2014)
• The Illinois Supreme Court Clarifies Appellate Jurisdiction During Pendency of Foreclosure: EMC Mortgage v. Kemp Illinois State Bar Association, Trial Briefs (2013)
• When Dispositive Motions Are Not Served on Counsel of Record But That Counsel Failed to Obtain Leave of Court to Appear - What Happens? Illinois State Bar Association, Trial Briefs (2012)
• How Do You Calculate Two Years For A Section 2-1401 Motion To Vacate? Court Ignores 1918 Case, Illinois State Bar Association, Trial Briefs (2011)
• Mortgage Foreclosures: In Rem Or Quasi-In Rem? -- The Distinction That Makes A Difference, Illinois State Bar Association, Trial Briefs (2010)
• Clerk Hands Back Complaint -- Case Barred by Statute of Limitations, Illinois State Bar Association, Trial Briefs, (2006)
• Release Unenforceable – Plaintiff Was A Minor, Illinois State Bar Association Insurance Law Section Council, The Policy, (2006)
• Soto Restates The Law Governing Opinion Testimony As To Permanency Of Injury, Illinois State Bar Association, Trial Briefs, (2001)
• Editor, Tort Trends, Illinois State Bar Association, Tort Law Section Council Newsletter (1995 - 2001)
• Best v. Taylor Machine Works, Illinois State Bar Association Tort Trends, (1998)
• Subrogation, Attorney's Fees and Costs, Illinois State Bar Association Trial Briefs, (1995)
• Has Illinois Modified Contributory Fault in Strict Products Liability Cases? The Plaintiff's Perspective, Illinois State Bar Association Trial Briefs, (1992)

Civic Activities

• Village of Wayne Police Pension Board (2018 - present)
• Trustee/President, Fox River & Countryside Fire/Rescue District (2001 - 2021)
• Village of Wayne Plan Commission, Chair 1996 - 1999 (Member, 1994 – present)
• St. Patrick Catholic School Education Commission, (1998 – 2002) President, 2001-2002
• Precinct Committeeman, DuPage County, Wayne Township (1997 - 2004)
• Treasurer, Wayne Community Association (1992 - 2004)
• President, Pre du Chevaux Homeowners Association (President, 1989 - 1996)
• Village of Wayne Zoning Board of Appeals (1994)
• Village of Roselle Zoning Board of Appeals (1988 - 1990)
• Precinct Committeeman, DuPage County, Bloomingdale Township (1982 - 1984)