Overview

Elizabeth K. Hanford advises and defends employers in all aspects of labor and employment law including employee discipline, wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, whistleblowing, contract disputes, wage and hour, civil rights, leave management, and workplace accommodations. Elizabeth routinely appears before state and federal courts, as well as administrative agencies and arbitral tribunals.

Before joining Littler, Elizabeth provided advice and counsel on business formation, operating agreements, articles of incorporation, employment contracts, and employee handbooks while at a boutique law firm. She also worked in local government, obtaining favorable results in labor arbitrations and complex litigation in federal and state courts. Elizabeth has successfully handled numerous depositions, settlement conferences and negotiations, dispositive motions, and discovery disputes. 

While in law school, Elizabeth served as a judicial extern for the Hon. Samuel Der-Yeghiayan, U.S. District Judge for the Northern District of Illinois, interned for the City of Chicago and Illinois Attorney General’s Office, and held the positions of writer and editor for the Loyola Public Interest Law Reporter. She was a member of the Criminal Mock Trial Team, reaching the semifinals in a national competition. She was also a member of the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot Court team, receiving Honorable Mention for Best Oral Advocate in an international competition held in Hong Kong.

Professional & Community Affiliations

Secretary, Board of Directors

Filament Theatre

Member

Steppenwolf Associates

Member

Women's Bar Association of Illinois

Member

American Bar Association

Member

National Association of Women Lawyers

Recognition

Named, Ones to Watch

The Best Lawyers in America®

2024-2025

Dean's List

Loyola University Chicago School of Law

Certificate in Trial Advocacy

Loyola University Chicago School of Law

Recipient, CALI Award in Pre-Trial Litigation

Loyola University Chicago School of Law

Named, Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot Fellow

Loyola University Chicago School of Law

Named, London Advocacy Scholar

London Advocacy Scholar

Education

  • J.D., Loyola University Chicago School of Law, 2016
  • B.A., Loyola University Chicago, 2013With Honors

Bar Admission

Illinois

Courts

  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois