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Overview

Stefan Dandelles is a co-managing partner of the firm’s Chicago office and chair of the Fidelity & Crime Practice Group. He focuses his practice primarily on the financial services industry, representing domestic and London-based financial institution underwriters, as well as representing securities brokers, investment advisors and broker-dealers in regulatory investigations, arbitration proceedings before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), and the American Arbitration Association, and civil litigation in both state and federal courts throughout the country. Mr. Dandelles also regularly handles complex insurance coverage matters involving financial institution bonds, commercial crime policies, employment practices liability, directors and officers liability and bankers’ professional liability. His diverse practice also includes the defense of professional liability claims involving attorneys, directors and officers, and other miscellaneous professionals, employment practices, and commercial/consumer litigation involving the Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.

Mr. Dandelles is a frequent presenter at industry conferences and has been published numerous times.

Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Dandelles was a partner and practice team leader in the Chicago office of a large national firm. He also draws on his experience as an owner/operator of a restaurant, bar, and catering business. He instills in his practice an appreciation for the true value of time and money from a “client” perspective, as well as the attention to detail necessary on a daily basis in order to run a successful operation.

Admissions

  • Illinois
  • Wisconsin
  • U.S. District Court
    • Northern District of Illinois
    • Eastern District of Wisconsin
    • Northern District of Indiana
    • Eastern District of Michigan
    • District of Nebraska
    • Western District of Wisconsin

Education

  • University of Iowa College of Law – J.D., with distinction
  • University of Wisconsin–Madison – B.A.

Professional Memberships

  • American Bar Association, Fidelity and Surety Law Committee
  • Hellenic Bar Association
  • Professional Liability Underwriting Society (PLUS)
  • Fidelity Law Association
  • Claims & Litigation Management Alliance

Recognition

  • Illinois Super Lawyers Rising Stars (2009 – 2013)

Publications

Past Publications

  • “Recent Developments in Insurance Coverage Litigation,” (Winter 2011) ABA Tort Trial & Insurance Practice (TIPS) Law Journal.
  • Dandelles, S., Brown, D., Leone, B. “Funds Transfer Fraud: How Simplified Banking Impacts Financial Institution Bond Coverage,”(January 2011) , ABA, Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section.
  • Dandelles, S., Tranen, D. “Warehouse Lending Losses Due to Forged Promissory Notes – Are Financial Institution Bonds Susceptible?”(March 2009), DRIFor the Defense.
  • “Are Insurers Entitled to an Attorney-Client Privilege?”(Summer 2006), Fidelity Law Report.
  • Dandelles, S., Chittenden, W. “Alternative Dispute Resolution,” (1999) International Legal Strategy, Volume VIII.

Presentations

  • “Causation: When Does Direct Mean Direct?,” Bankers Underwriting Group, December 3, 2015, London, England.
  • “The Other ‘Agreements’ You Need to Know About,” ABA TIPS FLSC Fall 2013 Seminar: Everything You Need to Know About Modern Bond Claims, November 6 – 8, 2013, Boston, MA.
  • “FINRA Rule 4360 – Midyear Review,” Bankers Underwriting Group, June 27, 2012, London, England.
  • “Attorney Client Privilege,” Lloyd’s Market Association, May 23, 2012, New York, NY.
  • “Funds Transfer Fraud: How Simplified Banking Impacts Financial Institution Bond Coverage,” ABA, Fidelity and Surety Law Committee Midwinter Meeting, January 2011.
  • “Subprime Meltdown = Litigation Stimulus?,” Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel, September 11, 2009, Chicago, IL.
  • “Warehouse Lending Losses Due to Forged Promissory Notes – Are Financial Institution Bonds Susceptible?,” DRI Fidelity and Surety Roundtable, May 2009.
  • “Subprime Mortgage Crisis,” PLUS, Northwest Chapter, October 28, 2008, , Portland, OR.
  • “Subprime Meltdown and Worldwide Credit Crisis – Impact on U.S. Litigation,” Lloyd’s Market Association, October 6, 2008, New York, NY.
  • “Subprime Mortgage Crisis,” PLUS, Northwest Chapter, April 22, 2008, Seattle, WA.

News

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