Hon. Patrick J. Sherlock, (Ret.)
IllinoisNeutral AvailabilityJudge Sherlock has over 35 years of experience in specialized litigation matters, including commercial and all varieties of complex tort litigation. He is well respected for his work ethic, thoughtfulness and inventive approach to resolving cases. As an attorney, he was a successful litigator, representing clients in high-profile class actions and commercial cases in Cook County and around the country. While on the bench, Judge Sherlock was the supervising judge of the Commercial Calendar Section, the Cook County Asbestos Docket, and the Law Division Mandatory Arbitration Program. He presided over and settled many notable cases as a jurist, including the first baby powder mesothelioma case in Illinois and a multi-billion-dollar class action concerning shareholder rights. He has handled some of the largest cases in Cook County in all areas of the law and his rulings have been affirmed by more than 100 appellate court opinions. Judge Sherlock applies his wide-ranging legal knowledge and experience to his work as a senior mediator and arbitrator at ADR Systems.
Types of Cases Resolved
- Accounting Malpractice
- American Disability Act (ADA)
- Asbestos
- Auto Liability
- Bad Faith
- Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA)
- Business Dissolution
- Civil Rights
- Class Action
- Condominium Board Dispute
- Construction
- Construction Defect
- Contract
- Data Privacy
- Defamation
- Directors & Officers (D&O)
- Discrimination
- E-Discovery
- Eminent Domain
- Employment
- Engineering
- Environmental
- Errors & Omissions (E&O)
- Estates
- Family Business
- Fee Dispute
- Fiduciary Duty
- Finance
- Franchise
- Fraud
- Government
- Harassment
- Landlord-Tenant
- Legal Malpractice
- Lender Liability
- Mass Torts
- Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)
- Non-Compete
- Partnership Dispute
- Probate
- Product Liability
- Professional Malpractice
- Property Damage
- Qui Tam
- Real Estate
- Restrictive Covenants
- Retaliatory Discharge
- Securities
- Sexual Harassment
- Shareholder Dispute
- Stockholder Derivative Actions
- Storm Damage
- Subrogation
- Tax
- Temporary Restraining Order (TRO)
- Toxic Tort
- Trade Secrets
- Unfair Competition
- Whistleblower
- Wrongful Death
- Wrongful Termination
ADR Experience and Qualifications
- Since joining ADR Systems in 2025, Judge Sherlock has served as a full-time mediator and arbitrator
- 18-year judicial career in the Circuit Court of Cook County, including Circuit Judge, Law Division, 2013-2025, hearing cases for Asbestos Litigation, Commercial Calendar and Miscellaneous Remedies; initially assigned to the First Municipal District, 2007-2013
- 17-year legal career in private practice, concentrating on complex commercial litigation, securities fraud and class action litigation, 1994-2007; member of Beigel & Sandler, 1991-1994; associate at Huff & Gains, 1990-1991
Representative Cases
- Asbestos: as the supervising judge of the Cook County Asbestos docket, tried, settled and presided over a wide array of asbestos matters, including cutting edge cases involving talcum powder and professional liability exposure
- Business Dissolution & Shareholder Dispute: dozens of cases settled involving closely held businesses, hotels, legal and medical practices, and assisted in resolving issues related to valuation of partner or shareholder disputes
- Class Action: as attorney and judge, dealt with all aspects of these cases and a wide variety of case types including minimum wage laws, the Fair Labor Standards Act, environment laws, the Illinois Biometric Privacy Act, federal securities law claims, and consumer fraud
- Contract: resolved and presided over all varieties of commercial contract disputes, including real estate contracts, purchase-sale agreements, employment contracts, joint ventures, liquidated damage clauses and piercing corporate veil
- Employment: heard and resolved a wide variety of employment claims, including wage payment and collection act, wage and hour, overtime computation, whistleblower claims, racial and gender discrimination and hostile workplace cases
- Insurance Coverage: deep experience in attributes of insurance coverage including exclusions, contract terms, public policy and bad faith claims
- Intellectual Property: tried or settled numerous cases involving trade secrets, proprietary formulas, customer lists, protocols and research and development
- Landlord-Tenant: settled many cases involving claims of landlord responsibility for business interruption and disputed over claims for rent
- Mass Tort: cases included lead paint poisoning and pharmaceutical claims
- Non-Compete & Restrictive Covenant: as a trial judge, resolved numerous disputes relating to enforceability, limitations, damages and trade secrets
- Personal Injury: tried and settled numerous tort cases covering a wide variety of claims, including legal and medical negligence, workplace injuries, wrongful death, premises liability, automobile cases, among many others
- Professional Malpractice: tried and settled professional liability cases involving doctors, attorneys, accountants and insurance agents
- Real Estate: presided over and resolved many real estate disputes involving title issues, earnest money, eminent domain cases, property valuation disputes, easement issues and related real estate issues
- Stockholder Derivative Actions: resolved disputes relating to corporate governance and access to corporate records as a trial judge
Professional Activities and Awards
- Member, Illinois Judges Association
- Member, Chicago Bar Association (CBA)
- Former Member, Athletic Board, Christ the King
Presentations and Publications
- Panelist, “Commercial Calendar Judges Roundtable: How to Present a Bench Trial, How to Be Even More Effective in the Commercial Calendar and What Judges Want and Need,” CBA, Business, Divorce and Complex Ownership Issues Committee
- Panelist, “The Ramirez Trial: Key Takeaways and Highlights,” Perrin Talc Litigation Conference
- Panelist, “The Judicial Perspective,” Perrin Asbestos Litigation Conference
- Panelist, “Arbitration Discussed and Analyzed,” CBA, Advanced Workshop for Improved Negotiation and Mediation Skills
- Panelist, “Developments in Employer-Employee Liability: Martin v. Goodrich,” Perrin Conference
- Panelist, “Trends in the Law Division,” Chicago Daily Law Bulletin Law Symposium
- Panelist, “Tips for Practicing in the Commercial Section of the Law Division,” CBA Eight O’clock Call
- Panelist, “Effective Opening Statements,” CBA Trial Skills Workshop
- Panelist, “Civil Municipal/Small Claims/Collection Actions,” CBA and Illinois Judges Association Eight O’clock Call
- Moderator, “Social Media, Ethics and You,” Illinois Judges Association
- Panelist, “Civil Practice in the Municipal Division,” CBA and Illinois Judges Association Eight O’clock Call
- Panelist, “Consumer Plaintiff – Consumer Defendant, Illinois Families in a Tough Economy,” Illinois Judicial Education Conference
Education
- JD, University of Illinois College of Law
- BS, Quincy University
- Magna Cum Laude
Admissions
- Illinois State Bar
- US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
- US Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
- US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
- Trial Bar for the Northern District of Illinois
Disclosure
I was a sitting judge for over 18 years, practiced law and have been a mediator and arbitrator since 2025. Many attorneys have tried cases in my courtrooms or mediated or arbitrated a case with me.
I am related to Edward T. Joyce, an attorney handling commercial litigation.
The disclosures listed above will not affect my neutrality in this dispute.
