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The driver for everything we do is understanding our clients’ business objectives. That is and will always be our number one priority.

Practice Areas

  • Compliance
  • Antitrust
  • Corporate
  • Food
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Pay Equity

Education

  • J.D., University of Denver Sturm College of Law, 1975

  • B.A., Beloit College, 1972

Admissions and Qualifications

  • Illinois
  • Colorado
  • Supreme Court of the United States
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

Prior Experience

  • Kraft Foods (1976-2008)
  • Schoeman, Updike, Kaufman & Scharf — Of Counsel (2009-2012)

Theodore L. Banks

312-662-4897

Attorney Tabs

Publishing & Speaking

PUBLICATIONS

Treatises

  • "Corporate Legal Compliance Handbook," Aspen Law & Business, with F. Banks, Editor, 2002, Supplements through 2020.
  • "Distribution Law for the Practitioner," Antitrust Principles & Practice, 1993, Supp. 1994-98, Second Edition 1999, Third Edition 2020.
  • Antitrust Compliance Handbook:  A Practitioner’s Guide, Co-editor and Chapter Author, “An In-House Counsel’s View,” American Bar Association, November 2019.
  • "Antitrust Law and Economics of Product Distribution," American Bar Association Section of Antitrust Law, co-editor, forthcoming, 2016.   

Antitrust and Compliance

  • "Compliance via Smartphone - Stop Fighting It!," Co-authored by Andy Hinton, In-house Access newsletter of the Association of Corporate Counsel, May 12, 2016.
  • "Compliance: The New International law," 1 Compliance Eliance Journal 21, 2015.
  • "Why You Should Love Your Antitrust Compliance Monitor," Competition Policy International Antitrust Chronicle, 2015.
  • "The Dominant CEO: Great for Business and Terrible for Compliance?" Compliance & Ethics Professional, March 2015.
  • "The Biggest Compliance Mistake That Lawyers Make," Co-Authored by Eric Hinton, In-House Access blog, Association of Corporate Counsel, April 4, 2015. 
  • "Is Your Antitrust Compliance Program Effective?" with J. Murphy ABA Antitrust Section Compliance and Ethics Spotlight, March 20, 2014.
  • "Why Your Organization Needs a Cybersecurity Compliance Plan," Law Technology News, December 2013.
  • "The International Law of Antitrust Compliance," 40 Denver J. Int. L. & Policy 368, June 2012. 
  • "Best Practices for Compliance Programs: Results of an International Survey," Co-Authored by Nathalie Jalabert-Doury, Concurrences: Revue de droits de la concurrence, May 2012.
    Click here to read.
  • "The Trouble with Antitrust Compliance and 10 Ways to Fix It," Corporate Counsel, April 30, 2012  Click here to read.
  • "Bill Kovacic and the Global Evolution of Antitrust," Concurrences, March 2012.
  • "Preventive Measures in a New Age: Social Media & Dodd-Frank Provisions Necessitate New Awareness, Policies & Procedures," Law Bulletin Employment Law Conference, Chicago, Sept. 2011
  • "Are You Ready for the Behavioral Antitrust Approach?" Co-Authored by U. BenOliel, Bloomberg Law Quarterly 655, 2011 Click here to read.
  • "Antitrust Analysis of Category Management, Antitrust Implications of Category Management," ABA Section of Antitrust Law, 2010.
  • "The Law of Antitrust Conspiracy in Trouble," Bloomberg Law Reports: Antitrust & Trade, July 2010 Click here to read.
  • "Sentencing Commission Proposals and Business Reality: Records Management Does Matter in Compliance - and Business - Risk," Bloomberg Law Reports: Risk & Compliance, May 2010.  Click here to read.
  • "Why Your Company Should Embrace Social Media, Now!" Law Technology News, May 2010.
  • "Are you a Competitive Wannabe? If So, The Robinson-Patman Act Probably Is Not Going to Help You," Bloomberg Law Reports: Antitrust & Trade, April 2010. Click here to read.
  • "Dominant-Firm Counseling in the Internet Era: Are You A Daredevil or A Fuddy-Duddy?," The Antitrust Counselor (ABA Antitrust Section), March 2010.
  • "Keep It Simple: Take The Perspectives of Employees, Not Lawyers," Law Technology News, February 2010.
  • "General Counsel as CCEO? Not an Obvious Answer," Compliance and Ethics Magazine, June 2009.
  • "Compliance in Times of Crisis," Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics, April 2009.
  • "Compliance On-Screen," with G. Stavrou, Compliance and Ethics Magazine, October 2007. 
  • "Recent Trends in Internal Investigations," with S. Lassar and T. Giller, ACC Docket, winner of Apex Award of Excellence for Feature Writing, April 2007.  click here to read.
  • "Getting Your Client Prepared for That Deal," 22 The Antitrust Counselor 3, April 2005.
  • "The Pros & Cons of Using Computer-Based Training for Antitrust Compliance," Antitrust Compliance: Perspectives and Resources for Corporate Counselors, American Bar Association, 2005.
  • "On-Line Antitrust Compliance Training," (edited transcript), The Antitrust Source, January 2004.
  • "Antitrust Liability for Category Management and Other New Merchandising Techniques: Have You Updated Your Counseling?" The Antitrust Source 1, March 2003.
  • "Are You Still Using the "Blunderbuss" Approach to Antitrust Compliance? ABA Corporate Counseling Report, Summer 2002.
  • "A Robinson-Patman Case Study," 10 Antitrust 11, Summer 1996.
  • "On-Line Antitrust Forum Moderator,"  Counsel Connect, 1993- 1998.
  • "Using Technology to Teach Effective Antitrust Compliance," 9 Antitrust 37, Summer 1995.
  • "The Biggest Compliance Mistake That Lawyers Make,"  Co-Authored by Eric Hinton CECO 7-11.  In-House Access. 

Automation

  • "ABA Cyberserity Handbok," Chapter Author (2d ed. 2018)
  • "Perfect Fit?" Co-Authored by Christian Liipfort, Law Technology News, October 2011.
  • "Why Your Company Should Embrace Social Media, Now!," Law Technology News, May 2010.
  • "Call to Disarm," Co-Authored by Jim Mittenthal, Law Technology News, October 2009.
  • "I Hate Technology," Law Technology News, February 2009.
  • "Are You on Top of Your Electronic Communications?" 1 In-House Practice & Management 8, November 1997.
  • "Computers Can Help You to Manage Outside Counsel," 39 Prac. Law. 25, September 1993.
  • "The Computer in the Corporate Law Department,"Yellow Pads to Computer" -- the Lawyer in Control, American Bar Association1st ed. 1987; 2d ed. 1991.
  • "Time to Upgrade Your Setup?" ABA Business Lawyer's Computer News, Spring/Summer 1990.
  • "Is PBX for You?" ABA Corporate Dispatch, Spring 1990.
  • "Communications: The Next Step for Law Department Automation," ABA Business Lawyer's Computer News, Fall 1989. 
  • "Laptops in the Air," ABA Corporate Dispatch, July 1989. 
  • "Keeping Those Old PCs Alive," ABA Business Lawyer's Computer News. Summer 1989.
  • "New Product Reviews," ABA Corporate Law Department User Group Newsletter, Spring 1988; Fall 1987.
  • "Making the Most of the Small or Solo Department," ABA Corporate Law Department Handbook,1987.

Legal Management

  • "What Really Should Be in General Counsel’s Skill Set," Law Technology News, Aug. 4, 2014.
  • "Landing New Business: The ABCs of Making the Sale," Center for Competitive Management Webinar, July 2009.
  • "What We Wish We Could Get from a Law Firm," Marketing Success Stories, American Bar Association. 2004.
  • "Work Product and Attorney Client Privilege, Co-Authored by Murray Bring, Successful Partnering Between Inside and Outside Counsel,West Publishing/American Corporate Counsel Association, 2000.
  • "BMW of North America v. Gore: More Than Just a Car Case," BMW Car Club of America Roundel, June 1996.
  • "Making Your Corporate Law Department 'Hot'," 6 Counselor's Computer & Management Report 4, Summer 1995.
  • "Computers Can Help You Manage Outside Counsel," 39 Practical Lawyer No. 6, Sept. 1993.
  • "Orienting Outside Counsel,"  ABA Counselor's Computer & Management Report, Fall 1992.
  • "Wage Assignments and Wage Deduction Orders in Illinois," Editor, Chicago Council of Lawyers, 1978.

International

  • "Compliance: The New International Law," 1 Compliance Eliance Journal 21, 2015.
  • "International Antitrust Law in The Law of Transnational Business Transactions," West Publishing, 1981; revised through 2016, [cited, Mitsubishi Motors Corp. v. Soler Chrysler-Plymouth, Inc., 473 U.S. 614, 634 n.18 1985].
  • "EC Law After 1992: A Practical Guide for Lawyers Outside the Community," Book review,  22 Denver J. Int. L. & Policy 541, 1994.
  • "EC Competition Law: Commentary," 59 Antitrust L.J. 465, 1990.
  • "International Activities & Criminal Considerations Under U.S. Antitrust Laws, in International Criminal Law: A Guide to U.S. Practice and Procedure,"  Practicing Law Institute, 1987.
  • "Task Force Report: The Antitrust Guide for International Operations Revisited," 54 Antitrust L.J. 839, [editor and section author] 1985.
  • "Review of Foreign Merger and Acquisition Laws," 52 Antitrust L.J. 965, [editor and section author] 1984.
  • "Current Developments in Foreign Antitrust," ABA Section of Antitrust Law, March 1984.
  • "Trade or Commerce with Foreign Nations, Antitrust Law Developments," Chapter IX, Editor, American Bar Association, 1984.
  • Book Reviews, The International Lawyer, 1979.
  • "International Court of Justice Opinion Briefs," American Bar Association1978.
  • GATT, Altered Economics, and DISC, 5 Denver J. Int. L. & Policy 121, 1975.
  • "Political Terror and International Law," Revista da Faculdade de Direito (U.F.M.G., Brasil) 1975.
  • "The Difficulty of Consensus in the Middle East," 5 Denver J. Int. L. & Policy 419, 1975.

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

  • "Northwestern University Law Review 2022 Symposium on Fraud and the Erosion of Trust," Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, Chicago, IL, October 28, 2022.
  • "Ethical Considerations for Compliance and Ethics Officers," Compliance Perspectives Podcast, September 4, 2018.
  • "The Intersection Between Antitrust, Ethics, and Compliance," PLI’s Antitrust Law & Regulation Program, New York, April 16, 2018.
  • "Criminal Antitrust Compliance," Department of Justice Public Roundtable Discussion, Washington, D.C., April, 09, 2018.
  • "Moving from a Legal Role into Compliance," Society of Corporate Compliance & Ethics Podcast, January 19, 2018.
  • "Ethical Considerations in Consumer Fraud Class Action Settlements," American Bar Association Section of Litigation Food & Supplements Sixth Annual Workshop, Purchase New York, June 14, 2016.
  • PLI Compliance & Ethics Institute, Chair, Chicago, Illinois, May 4-5, 2015.
  • "Antitrust Compliance Programs and the AU Optronics Case,"  ABA Antitrust Section, March 2015.
  • "Avoiding Legal Problems in the Food and Consumer Packaged Goods Businesses, Hot Topics for Food Industry/Consumer Packaged Goods Entrepreneurs Seminar," Scharf Banks Marmor LLC, February 5, 2015.
  • "Antitrust Compliance - What You Need to Know Today in Dealing with DOJ," Fordham Corporate Law Center, October 30, 2014.
  • "Antitrust Compliance? How and Why You Can Make It Work,"  Fordham University Law School, New York, New York, October 2014.
  • "Government Approaches to Antitrust Compliance in the US and Elsewhere and Why You Should Ignore Them and Just Make a Good Compliance Program," Canadian Bar Association 2014 Annual Fall Competition Law Conference, Ottawa, Canada, September 2014.
  • "Agile Compliance Using Big Data," Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics Compliance and Ethics Institute, Chicago, Illinois, September 2014.
  • "Compliance Update: Lessons from the Cases," ABA Antitrust Section, September 2014.
  • "Ethical Considerations for In-House Employment Lawyers," North Shore Labor Counsel, Deerfield, Illinios, June 2014.
  • "Why Your Antitrust Compliance Program Doesn't Work," ABA Section of Litigation, Scottsdale, Arizona, April 2014.
  • "No Good Deed Goes Unpunished, or How to Avoid the Antitrust Traps in Corporate Social Responsibility," ABA Section of International Law Annual Meeting, New York, New York, April 2014.
  • "Is Your Antitrust Compliance Program Effective?" Antitrust Section Compliance & Ethics Spotlight, American Bar Association, March 20, 2014.
  • "Antitrust Compliance: What Should Businesses Know?"  College of Law, University of Illinois Law 792 - Compliance, Ethics & Professional Responsibility, Chicago, Illinois, March 2014, Corporate Compliance & Ethics, PLI Antitrust Institute New York, May 2014, May 2013, May 2012; Chicago, Illinois, June 2013, June 2012.
  • "Money for Lunch,"  November 2013
  • “Automating Your Compliance Program,” 2013 Compliance & Ethics Institute of the Society of Corporate Compliance & Ethics, Washington, District of Columbia, October 6-9, 2013.
  • "Training Your Dragons," Compliance Programs for the Board of Directors, Ethics & Compliance Officer Association, Chicago, Illinois, September 2013.
  • "Conducting Employee Disciplinary Investigations," Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education. Video, June 2013.
  • "Discrimination in Price & Promotions," PLI Antitrust Institute, New York, New York, May 2014; May 2013; Chicago, Illinois, June 2013; June 2012.
  • "Practicing Law Institute Corporate Compliance and Ethics Institute," Chair, 2013, Chicago, Illinois, May 9-10, 2013.
  • "Antitrust Compliance Programs and the AU Optronics Case," ABA Section of Antitrust Law, Compliance & Ethics Committee, March 2013.
  • "Red-light Cameras, Risk Assessments, and Compliance Programs," University of Denver Sturm College of Law, Denver, Coloado, March 2013.
  • "Building & Maintaining an Effective Compliance Program," Chicago-Kent College of Law Compliance Boot Camp, Chicago, Illinois, January 2013.
  • "Automating Compliance in the iPhone Age, Society of Corporate Compliance & Ethics,"  Las Vegas, Nevada, October 2012.
  • "iPad Mini: Yes, No, Maybe?" Law Technology News, October 2012. 
  • "Practical Compliance for Companies of All Sizes," Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, September 2012.
  • "How Does Your Position Align with Your Corporation's Risk Appetite?" RIMS Regional Risk Management Conference, Wheeling, Illinois, September 2012.
  • "Corporate Culture and Compliance", Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics Midwest Regional Compliance Conference, Chicago, Illinois, April 2012.
  • "Why Your 20th-Century Antitrust Compliance Program Doesn't Work," ABA Antitrust Section Spring Meeting, Washington, District of Columbia, March 2012.
  • "Antitrust Compliance: Will Your Complacency Be Fatal?"  Ethics & Compliance Officers Association, March 2012.
  • "Implementing an Efficient and Effective Ethics and Compliance Program," Corporate Counsel (ALM) General Counsel Conference West Coast, San Francisco, California, November 2011.
  • "The Patent-Antitrust Interface," Chicago-Kent School of Law, Chicago, Illinois, November 2011.
  • "Antitrust Compliance for the Mid-Market: Because There is No Such Thing as Flying Under the Radar," American Bar Association Section of Business Law, Fall Meeting, Washington, District of Columbia, November 2011.
  • "Corporate Compliance Programs: Where Outside Counsel Can Help or Make a Bad Situation Worse," New York City Bar Association, New York, New York, October 2011.
  • "Using Automation for Compliance, Advanced Discussion Group Leader, Society of Corporate Compliance & Ethics", Las Vegas, Nevada, September 2011.
  • "Effective Antitrust Compliance," Society of Corporate Compliance & Ethics, Las Vegas, Nevada, September 2011.
  • "Management," ABA Antitrust Section, May 2011.
  • "Smoothing the Distribution Path: Advising Clients on Antitrust Concern in Channel Management," ABA Antitrust Section, May 2011.
  • "Insider Trading and Compliance," Law Bulletin White Collar + Corporate Governance Conference, Chicago, Illinois, April 2011.
  • "Deception, Monopolization & Category Management," ABA Antitrust Section Spring Meeting, March 2011.
  • "Corporate Culture and International Compliance," University of Denver Sturm College of Law, Denver, Colorado, March 2011.
  • "Discrimination in Price and Promotions," PLI Antitrust Institute, Chicago, Illinois, March 2011, June 2010.
  • "Antitrust Counseling for Firms with Large Market Share: "Navigating the Antitrust Minefield in the Current Era of Uncertainty," Illinois State Bar Association Antitrust & Competition Law Council, Chicago, Illinois, February 2011.
  • "Antitrust Compliance for Corporate Counselors," ABA Section of Antitrust Law, January 2011.
  • "PLI Corporate Compliance and Ethics Institute," Chicago, Illinois, May 2014, May 2013, May 2012, May 2011, May 2010.
  • "Smoothing the Distribution Path: Advising Clients on Antitrust Concerns in Channel Chairman," PLI Corporate Compliance and Ethics Institute, Chicago, Illinois, May 2011, May 2010.
  • "Corporate Compliance Seminar," Loyola University Law School, Chicago, Illinois, Fall 2011, 2010.
  • "Corporate Leadership"  Green Legal Matters Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana, October 2010.
  • "Integrating Legal Requirements into Business Procedures," Annual Ethics & Compliance Conference, Ethics & Compliance Officer Association, Anaheim, California, September 2010.
  • "Modern Antitrust Compliance," Society of Corporate Compliance & Ethics Annual Conference, Annual Compliance Institute, Chicago, Illinois, September 2010.
  • "Corporate Compliance and Ethics," PLI Antitrust Institute, Chicago, Illinois, June 2010.
  • "PLI Corporate Compliance and Ethics Institute," Chicago, Illinois, May 2010.
  • "Ethics Issues in Global Antitrust Compliance," Chicago Forum on International Antitrust Issues, Northwestern University Law School, May 2010.
  • "Why Corporate Culture is the Only Thing that Matters in Compliance & Ethics," Compliance and Ethics Conference, Blue Cross & Blue Shield Association Anti-Fraud, New Orleans, Louisiana, May 2010.
  • "Setting the Stage for Your New Compliance Program," Society of Corporate Compliance & Ethics Regional Conference, Chicago, Illinois, April 2010.
  • "Up the Ladder Reporting and SOX: Not Enough," University of Denver Sturm College of Law, Denver, Colorado, April 2010.
  • "Behavioral Exploitation and Antitrust," 10th Annual Antitrust Colloquium, Loyola University School of Law, Chicago, Illinois, April 2010.
  • "Risks and Benefits of Social Networking in Corporations," Legal Tech, New York, New York, February 2010.
  • "Creating the Ethical Corporate Culture," PLI Advanced Compliance Workshop, San Francisco, California, December 2009.
  • "The Patent-Antitrust Interface," Intellectual Property Law Association of Chicago, John Marshall Law School, Chicago, Illinois, November 2009.
  • "Managing Ethics and Compliance During a Recession," Society of Corporate Compliance & Ethics 8th Annual Compliance and Ethics Institute, Las Vegas, Nevada, September 2009.
  • "Managing Compliance & Ethics in Tough Economic Times," Institute of Internal Auditors GRC Conference, San Diego, California, August 2009.
  • "Landing New Business: The ABCs of Making the Sale," Center for Competitive Management, Webinar, July 2009.
  • "New Requirements & Concerns for Nonprofits," Keep America Beautiful State Leaders Conference, Chicago, Illinois, July 2009.
  • "The Role of Lawyers in a Company's Compliance Program," Association of Corporate Counsel, July 2009.
  • "Why Should I Hire You?" Legal Tech West, June 2009.
  • "Robinson-Patman Act," PLI 50th Annual Antitrust Institute, Chicago, Illinois, June 2009.
  • "Doing Ethical Business in Europe," Incisive Media General Counsel Conference, New York, New York, June 2009.
  • "Implementing Antitrust Compliance Programs," PLI 50th Annual Antitrust Institute, Chicago, Illinois, June 2009.
  • "The Obama Administration and New Enforcement Risks," Incisive Media General Counsel Conference, New York, New York, June 2009.
  • "PLI Corporate Compliance and Ethics Institute," Chicago, Illinois, May 2009.
  • "Practical Issues in Business Law," Northwestern University School of Law, Chicago, Illinois, April 2009.
  • "Corporate Collapse: Regulatory and Criminal Issues in Corporate America," In-House Counsel, Compliance Officers & Ethical and Practical Obligations, University of Denver Seminar,  Denver, Colorado, April 2009.
  • "Corporate Governance That Works," University of Denver College of Law Masters Lecture, Denver, Colorado, April 2009.
  • "Corporate Legal Compliance in 2009: Are You Ready to Deal with Today's Risks?" Aspen Publishers/Wolters Kluwer, March 2009.