Chicago Team of Big Law Veterans Form Actuate Law LLC
Actuate Law LLC co-founding partners Martin Tully, left, Phil Tortorich, Dara Tarkowski, Doug Albritton and Charles Chejfec.
Five lawyers have formed Chicago-based boutique Actuate Law LLC, the new firm announced in a release.
“Actuate Law offers Big Law-caliber talent while proactively identifying innovative legal solutions for our clients, free from the restrictions of the traditional law firm model,” said Martin Tully, one of Actuate Law’s five founding partners. “Like the clients we serve, we constantly work toward achieving the triad of better, faster, and less costly. In that sense, we relish showing our clients why we are definitely not your grandfather’s law firm.”
In a release, the firm said members of the firm have experience in litigation, transactional and compliance services for businesses and individuals. Actuate Law’s primary practice areas include commercial litigation, class action defense, data security & privacy, electronic discovery, financial services, information governance, private client services/trusts & estates, white-collar investigations and litigation, and trade secret and non-compete litigation, the firm said.
“We chose the name Actuate Law to indicate our philosophy of moving our clients’ business goals to action and also to motivate needed change in the legal industry,” said Dara Tarkowski, co-founding partner of the firm. “As a ‘future-forward’ firm, we are primed to embrace the new technologies and innovative artificial intelligence approaches that are rapidly changing the marketplace. Our customized approach to legal services is decidedly different and evolved compared to the majority of Big Law firms.”
Actuate Law’s leadership includes co-founding partners:
Doug Albritton represents plaintiffs and defendants in commercial disputes throughout the country. A portion of his practice involves the prosecution and defense of trade secret and restrictive covenant cases, helping employers and employees navigate the myriad jurisdictional, legal and strategic issues in industries including accounting, software, healthcare, shipping logistics, natural resources, food, manufacturing, biotechnology and service contracts, among others. Albritton also has recovered more than $50 million through settlements and trial verdicts for plaintiffs. Previously with Akerman LLP, he received his J.D. (magna cum laude) from the University of Illinois College of Law and his Bachelor of Science (cum laude) from Illinois State University.
Charles Chejfec concentrates his practice in the area of healthcare fraud, representing private and government insurers that have been victims of large-scale fraud schemes. He has successfully tried to verdict and arbitrated claims involving medically unnecessary services, kickbacks, self-referrals and licensure violations. He has handled cases involving intellectual property, contract, fiduciary duty, tax, class action, non-compete and bankruptcy-related matters, among others. Previously with Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, Mr. Chejfec received his J.D. from The John Marshall Law School and his Bachelor of Science from the University of Wisconsin—Madison.
Dara Tarkowski focuses her practice on complex litigation and consumer finance law, representing creditors in a range of litigation and regulatory matters. She serves as outside general counsel for a national debt buyer and collection agency. Tarkowski represents clients in matters pertaining to the FDCPA, FCRA and TCPA, as well as securities laws, state unfair and deceptive trade practices laws, state consumer protection laws, state licensing requirements, and state regulatory advocacy. Previously with Akerman LLP, she received her J.D. (cum laude) from Loyola University and her Bachelor of Science from Northwestern University.
Phil Tortorich concentrates his practice in the areas of taxes and estate planning, primarily representing ultra-high net worth individuals and their closely-held corporate groups and family offices (single and multi-family). In addition, he handlesplanning for captive insurance companies from concept and design to implementation, administration and ultimately winding down of the structure. Previously with Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, Tortorich received his J.D. (cum laude) from Loyola University Chicago School of Law and his Bachelor of Science from Loyola University.
Martin Tully has more than 25 years of national experience representing companies and individuals in complex commercial litigation concerning a broad array of fields and industries. Previously with Akerman LLP, he has experience in the fields of electronic discovery, information governance, and data security/data privacy. Tully is a Steering Committee member for The Sedona Conference Working Group 1 (Electronic Discovery Retention and Production). He also currently serves as the mayor of the Village of Downers Grove, Ill, a suburb of Chicago. He received his J.D. (cum laude) from DePaul University College of Law and his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Actuate Law currently is located at 901 West Jackson Blvd., Suite 204, in Chicago’s West Loop area. The firm soon will move to its permanent home in the Fulton Market area of Chicago.
The firm recently added three lawyers: Jeffrey Hansen, previously with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois; Andrea Halverson, previously with Vedder Price P.C.; and Lauren Cooper, previously with Akerman LLP, have each joined the firm.
