Privacy Agreement Lawyers for Chicago, Illinois

Trusted legal counsel and business advisor to businesses and executive teams in the software, financial, and technology industries. Practice areas include commercial transactions, licensing, SaaS/PaaS/IaaS delivery models, software product development, regulatory compliance, new business formation, employment matters, and general corporate matters.

A seasoned attorney with deep General Counsel experience and a flexible, business-minded approach to legal leadership. Skilled in collaborating with product, sales, operations, finance, and executive teams — not just to mitigate risk or ensure compliance, but to enable growth, innovation, and efficient deal execution. In my current practice at GCBench, I offer scalable, on-demand counsel tailored to organizations’ changing needs. Legal rigor is combined with operational sensibility, making guidance a facilitator rather than a hurdle. Whether structuring transactions, advising on regulatory matters, or shaping policies, legal strategy is aligned tightly with business objectives.

Creative, results driven business & technology executive with 27 years of experience (17+ as a business/corporate lawyer). A problem solver with a passion for business, technology, and law. I bring a thorough understanding of the intersection of the law and business needs to any endeavor, having founded multiple startups myself with successful exits. I provide professional business and legal consulting. Throughout my career I've represented a number large corporations (including some of the top Fortune 500 companies) but the vast majority of my clients these days are startups and small businesses. Having represented hundreds of successful crowdfunded startups, I'm one of the most well known attorneys for startups seeking CF funds. I hold a Juris Doctor degree with a focus on Business/Corporate Law, a Master of Business Administration degree in Entrepreneurship, A Master of Education degree and dual Bachelor of Science degrees. I look forward to working with any parties that have a need for my skill sets.

I am a U.S.-licensed attorney with more than a decade of experience in complex litigation and intellectual property matters. I have practiced at leading Am Law firms including Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, Arent Fox, and Sughrue Mion, and I currently operate my own law practice. I have extensive experience handling high-stakes patent litigation, drafting pleadings and briefs, managing large-scale discovery, preparing and defending depositions, and appearing before federal courts and administrative bodies such as the PTAB and ITC. I hold a J.D., cum laude, from The George Washington University Law School and advanced technical degrees in chemistry and chemical engineering, which allow me to efficiently handle technically complex matters. I am admitted in multiple jurisdictions, including New York, Virginia, New Jersey, and the District of Columbia, and I regularly provide high-quality remote legal support to clients nationwide.

I am an accomplished attorney with more than 19 years of experience and extensive expertise in business negotiations, commercial contracts, and technology transactions. With a proven track record of providing strategic legal advice and delivering exceptional results, I have successfully assisted numerous clients in drafting, reviewing, and negotiating various business arrangements. My experience encompasses a wide range of areas, including intellectual property, data privacy and security, SaaS agreements, and software licenses. I co-founded a reputable general corporate law firm with three offices in Aspen, Atlanta, and New York. As a partner and attorney, I represented diverse clients, including start-ups, public corporations, investors, financial institutions, educational institutions, and non-profit entities. With a focus on delivering comprehensive legal solutions, I provided general counsel, expert dispute resolution, efficient litigation management, and skillful contract drafting and negotiations for businesses across industries.

I attended the University of Illinois- College of Law on a full merit scholarship. While in law school, I was a 711 Attorney at the Lake County State's Attorney's Office, specializing in traffic and misdemeanor cases. After graduation, I served as in-house counsel for one of the largest insurance companies in the world, managing thousands of cases from initial intake to trial. Upon leaving this position, I accepted a role as Legal Counsel to the Illinois Senate Minority Leader. There, I advised Senators on legislative matters, labor and employment law, and complex constitutional questions. After leaving public service, I accepted a role at a mid-size Chicago-based law firm, where I practice insurance defense and litigation. In addition to this, I also serve as outside general counsel to a food brokerage business, where I handle all of their labor and employment matters.

My practice focuses on business and commercial litigation. I have worked with companies of all sizes from sole member LLCs to those in the Fortune 500. I've advised clients on mergers, equity issuances, commercial transactions, joint ventures, employment issues, and non-competition. I've also drafted and negotiated the underlying agreements for these transactions and more.

My solo attorney law office is focused heavily on Family Law, but I also do residential real estate, and prepare Wills & Trusts.

During my tenure as VP & Division General Counsel of PepsiCo Inc. in Chicago, I built upon my diverse career overseeing legal matters for both the domestic and international businesses of PepsiCo and The Quaker Oats Co. My extensive practice areas included M&A, contracts, competition, NDAs, regulatory compliance, consumer product & protection, environmental, patents, and advertising regulations. Throughout my professional journey, I navigated legal complexities associated with an eclectic range of products, spanning juices, sports drinks, cereals, snacks, needlepoint kits, canned goods, eyeglasses, men's suits, car seats and toys. For further information, see my LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/karen-hunter-a700179

Mr. McElvenny has extensive experience handling and developing strategy for complex commercial and real estate cases. He’s drafted hundreds of complaints ranging from simple breaches of contract to complex commercial claims including breach of fiduciary duty, constructive trusts and misappropriation of trade secrets. He has an excellent record in trial, arbitration and mediation. He also has significant experience in motion practice in both state and federal court. Through his work in corporate law, Mr. McElvenny has developed considerable experience with Limited Liability Company member disputes and general corporate governance. He’s drafted a number of industry-specific documents such as Operating Agreements (for Limited Liability Companies), commercial leases, settlement agreements and employment contracts. Mr. McElvenny has also represented criminal defendants in felony matters and assisted in the defense of civil matters arising from alleged SEC violations. He has represented individuals appearing before the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation as a result of SEC proceedings. After graduating with a B.A. in Philosophy, Mr. McElvenny proceeded from Loyola University-Chicago to DePaul University College of Law, receiving his JD from that institution in 2002. In 2010, he earned his Master’s of Science in Accounting from Loyola University-Chicago’s Graduate School of Business. Mr. McElvenny was selected to Illinois’ Super Lawyers Rising Stars in 2010, 2012 and 2013.