Hal R. Morris

Partner

Mr. Morris is a partner in the Litigation Practice Group of Arnstein & Lehr LLP, where he has worked since 1985. His practice is focused in the areas of commercial, municipal, real estate and class action litigation and appellate law. He has substantial expertise representing publicly and privately held businesses and government entities in complex commercial, municipal and land use matters. He has significant trial and appellate experience and has obtained on behalf of his clients numerous precedent establishing appellate opinions in the areas of municipal law, insurance coverage, federal and state procedure, securities law and arbitrability.

Mr. Morris is recognized as an Illinois Leading Lawyer and Illinois Super Lawyer. He is also an adjunct Professor of Law at Chicago-Kent College of Law teaching an advanced senior honors seminar on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. He founded Chicago-Kent’s “Seventh Circuit Review,” a scholarly journal discussing recent Seventh Circuit cases, and continues as the professor in charge of that journal. Mr. Morris  chairs the firm’s Appellate Practice Group, co-chairs the Municipal & Governmental Litigation Group, chairs Continuing Legal Education and serves on the firm’s Litigation Management Committee.

Professional Activities and Achievements

Mr. Morris serves as chair of the planning and zoning commission of the Village of Vernon Hills, Illinois and is a past member and past president of Illinois School District 76’s Board of Education. He is a member of the Appellate Lawyers Bar Association (Publications Committee), the American Bar Association, and its sections of litigation, appellate practice and dispute resolution, and the Illinois Home Rule Attorney’s Section of the Illinois Municipal League.

Publications and Speaking Engagements

Mr. Morris has spoken extensively on various aspects of appellate practice, litigation, procedure, alternative dispute resolution, insurance coverage, municipal law, and corporate governance. He has addressed continuing legal education seminars, client groups, community organizations, trade associations and local government groups. He has authored and contributed to numerous publications including: The Illinois State Bar Journal; Illinois State Bar Association’s Real Property Journal; Community Association Institute Journal; Illinois Law and Litigation, published by NBI; Attorneys Guide to Negotiations and Real Estate Litigation, published by Clark Boardman; Illinois Appellate Procedure and Insurance Coverage, published by Lorman Business, and the Chicago- Kent Law Review.

Education

Chicago-Kent College of Law (J.D. with high honors, 1985)
The University of Chicago (M.B.A., 1979)
The University of Chicago (B.A., 1978)

Bar Admissions

State of Illinois
U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Sixth, Seventh and Ninth Federal Circuits
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (Trial Bar)
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
U.S. Supreme Court