Protecting Employers Since 1985
Richard H. Wessels
Founder, Senior Shareholder
Chairman of the Board
(630) 377-1554
RICHARD WESSELS is the founder of Wessels Sherman. He has practiced management-side labor and employment law since 1967.
Location
St. Charles, Illinois
Bar Admissions
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Wisconsin
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois
- U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit
Since its founding in 1985, Wessels Sherman has represented management exclusively in labor and employment law matters. The firm’s client base is nationwide and covers a wide spectrum of industries. Offices are maintained in Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa.
Richard Wessels’ professional highlights include:
- Top officer-level labor law positions with two major corporations.
- Former chairman of labor committee for Washington D.C. based Associated General Merchandise Chains (AGMC).
- Founder of Wessels Sherman in 1985.
- Listed annually in numerous “top attorney” and “super lawyer” publications including the highest level Martindale-Hubbell rating.
- Named by national publication as a “Leading Illinois Attorney” through peer selection. This distinction is awarded to less than five percent of all attorneys in the state of Illinois.
- Undergraduate degree from Knox College. Law school at both Northwestern University and DePaul University with a J.D. degree from DePaul in 1967. Admitted to practice in Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa.
- Past President and Board Member of numerous civic and social organizations.
Mr. Wessels is particularly proud of the recognition of Wessels Sherman as an entity by the prestigious Martindale-Hubbell Legal Directory. Beginning in 1999 and each year thereafter, Martindale-Hubbell has given Wessels Sherman its highest rating and included the firm in their Bar Register. The Bar Register is limited to only the country’s most distinguished law practices.
Although Mr. Wessels handles a variety of labor and employment law cases, his primary focus is dealing with labor unions, either on behalf of union-free companies or where unions already have representation rights. Mr. Wessels has handled cases involving nearly all international unions for companies throughout the United States
Areas of Practice
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Education
DePaul University College of Law, Chicago, Illinois
- Juris Doctor
Northwestern University School of Law, Chicago, Illinois
Knox College, Galesburg, Illinois
- Bachelor’s Degree
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Washington, DC-Based Association of General Merchandise Chains (AGMC), Former Chairman of Labor Committee
- Chicago Bar Association, Labor and Employment Law Committee, National Labor Relations Board Liaison Subcommittee
- DuPage County Bar Association
- Kane County Bar Association
- Illinois State Bar Association
- State Bar of Wisconsin
- Iowa State Bar Association
- American Bar Association, Committee on Labor and Employment Law
Classes and Seminars
Mr. Wessels regularly does client seminars on various labor law issues, primarily issues involving labor unions. Here is a partial listing:
- Staying Union Free
- Do’s and Don’ts for Supervisors in a Union Campaign
- Stopping Union Card Signing
- Dealing with Union Trust Fund Audits
- Prevailing Wage Law
- Unfunded Pension Liability Issues
- Best Practices for Handling Labor Arbitration Cases
- Dealing with Construction Industry Picketing
- Ousting a Union Under Either 9(a) or 8(f) Contracts
Contact us at any of our four Midwest locations
The Midwest's Premier Labor and Employment Law Firm
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Contact Wessels Sherman if you would like to speak with one of our experienced labor and workplace attorneys, contact any of our four office locations and schedule a consultation.