Business Litigation

Litigation and Legal Ethics, Chicago Loop

We welcome the opportunity to discuss our experience and approach.

At Collins Bargione & Vuckovich, we provide the following legal services.

We work with entities and individuals involved in complex commercial matters to obtain measurable results. Although each case is different, our clients regularly prevail during motion practice. Other matters are often resolved satisfactorily by agreement or trial. We also have a strong appellate record of success.

Lawyers for Lawyers and Legal Malpractice

Founding partner George B. Collins (1931 - 2016) spent his career defending lawyers. Today, the firm continues prioritizing the counsel of lawyers. We serve as outside counsel for many law firms and lawyers and provide guidance and direction on issues facing lawyers including ethical issues, fee disputes, issues relating to sanctions, and other issues. We regularly provide opinion letters. We also respond on behalf of lawyers to complaints to ARDC and represent lawyers facing disciplinary charges. Many disciplinary matters are resolved by agreement and we have succeeded at trial and on appeal.

Real Estate

Commercial property sales transactions
Commercial landlord-tenant matters
Residential home sales
Eminent domain
Zoning, land-use and building permits
Boundary and easement disputes
Title disputes

Personal Injury

We accept certain serious injury cases.

Civil Litigation

Commercial breach of contract
Commercial property damage
Insurance claims
Construction litigation

Probate Litigation

Breach of fiduciary claims
Disputes regarding ownership and distribution of assets
Trustee litigation

Estate Planning

Bespoke estate planning services.

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Litigation and Legal Ethics Lawyer

About Collins Bargione & Vuckovich

Collins Bargione & Vuckovich counsels individuals, businesses, and attorneys in a variety of matters including litigation, business matters and defense of professionals. We work with clients to evaluate all avenues of success to align with our client's goals and objectives.

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Litigation and Legal Ethics Legal Team

Meet the team

Our firm has experience handling complex matters. We are trusted counsel for businesses and professionals.

Adrian Vuckovich

Partner

Adrian Vuckovich is an accomplished trial lawyer with over 30 years of experience. (Admitted to practice in Illinois on November 7, 1991.) He has successfully represented numerous clients in bench trials, jury trials, arbitration and at hearings before various administrative agencies.

Although he handles a range of matters for individuals and businesses, Mr. Vuckovich concentrates his practice in business and real estate litigation, disputes between shareholders, disputes between business partners, complex family disputes, and also attorney and judicial disciplinary matters, legal ethics/professional responsibility and legal malpractice. Additionally, Mr. Vuckovich represents individuals in trust and probate litigation, employment disputes, family law matters, foreclosure defense, and many different kinds of business, real estate and personal matters. Mr. Vuckovich also handles certain personal injury matters on behalf of injured individuals.

While Mr. Vuckovich represents clients at trial, he is also a skilled negotiator and works to accomplish the goals of clients in the most efficient manner possible. By guiding clients into a strong pre-trial position, Mr. Vuckovich has been able to satisfactorily conclude contentious disputes by way of settlement involving pre-trial conference and by assisting clients at professional mediation venues to accomplish an early result with the client’s participation.

Mr. Vuckovich also advises professionals on a variety of matters.

Mr. Vuckovich provides ethics advice and professional direction to attorneys and law firms. He also regularly represents lawyers before the Illinois Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission. He also represents members of the Illinois Judiciary before the Inquiry Board and Illinois Courts Commission. Mr. Vuckovich has acted as an expert witness in legal malpractice cases and matters involving attorney ethics. Mr. Vuckovich also defends professionals before the Illinois Department of Professional Responsibility.

Mr. Vuckovich also has a significant appellate practice. He has represented individuals and businesses in a variety of appeals. He has argued before the First District Appellate Court of Illinois and also the Second District Appellate Court of Illinois. He is also admitted to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals as well as the United States Supreme Court. Mr. Vuckovich is often retained post-trial to represent a client before the appellate court.

Representative matters include:

Successful defense of complex shareholder dispute involving numerous breach of fiduciary and corporate fraud claims and involving hundreds of millions of dollars.
Successful defense and settlement of multimillion dollar lawsuit filed by large bank against large real estate developer.
Directed verdict following bench trial involving action brought by lender against homeowner; upheld on appeal.
On appeal, reversed trial court order disqualifying attorney based on prior representation.
Obtained dismissal of condemnation action by demonstrating that governmental authority did not pass ordinance authorizing action.
Settled property damage claim for hundreds of thousands of dollars for building damaged by collapse of neighbor’s building.
Representation of numerous attorneys in investigation (investigation closed; no public complaint filed) and defense of charges at Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission leading to satisfactory discipline on consent or successful resolution at trial.
Representation of members of judiciary before Judicial Inquiry Board and Courts Commission including confidential closures and public matters.
Expert witness in various malpractice and fee dispute matters.
Mr. Vuckovich is the co-author of the Conflicts chapter of IICLE's Attorneys' Legal Liability Chapter (2025 and 2022 Editions).

2017 Vanguard Award recipient.

Panelist at Law Bulletin ethics seminar: 2023, 2022; 2021; 2020; 2019; 2018

Recipient, Best Petitioner’s Brief Award. Niagara Moot Court Team, 1990. Judicial Conference Symposium Editor, Loyola Law Journal, 1990 – 1991. Author: “Diminskis v. CTA: Circumventing Expert Witness Discovery,” Vol. 21:3 Loyola Law Journal.

Kathryne Hayes

Partner

Kathryne Hayes’ practice includes civil and commercial litigation, ARDC defense, legal malpractice defense, and ethics counseling for lawyers and law firms. She serves as outside ethics counsel to solo practitioners and law firms in Chicago in various matters relating to professional responsibility and liability.

Ms. Hayes has also handled various matters before the Illinois ARDC from the investigative stage through trial and appeal. Many investigations are concluded without further action and remain confidential. Formal complaints have been satisfactorily concluded by discipline on consent or following a hearing. Ms. Hayes has also obtained directed finding at trial as well as dismissal following contested hearing.

Ms. Hayes also represents individuals and businesses in a variety of disputes in state and federal court as well as civil appeals in a variety of matters.

Ms. Hayes was named one of the Forty Under 40 Illinois Lawyers to Watch, Law Bulletin Media, 2024. You can read more about Forty Under 40 here https://digitaleditions.lawbul...

She was also peer selected as a Leading Lawyer (2026) Emerging Lawyer (2022-2025) in the areas of Commercial Litigation and Professional Malpractice Defense Law: Including Legal/Technical/Financial.

Ms. Hayes is the co-author of the Conflicts chapter of IICLE's Attorneys' Legal Liability Chapter (2025 and 2022 Editions).

In 2025, Ms. Hayes was appointed to serve on the Illinois Judicial Ethics Committee.

Ms. Hayes previously served as the Chair of the ISBA Standing Committee on Professional Conduct (2023-2024) and as the Chair of the ISBA Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission Committee for (2023-2024). Ms. Hayes previously served as the Vice-Chair and secretary of both committees. Prior to serving as secretary, Ms. Hayes was a member of both committees and continues to serve on both committees as a member. Ms. Hayes previously served as the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 co-chair of the Chicago Bar Association’s YLS Professional Responsibility Committee.

In 2025, Ms. Hayes was a panelist on the CBA Professional Responsibility Committee's March 20, 2025 panel (Ethical Issues in the Use of Local or 'Coverage' Counsel) (March 20, 2025); the Law Bulletin's Ethics 2025 seminar (May 13, 2025); and the CBA's One-And-Done All Day Ethics Program (May 21, 2025).

In 2024, Ms. Hayes was a panelist on the Chicago Bar Association's One-and-Done: 6-Hour Professional Responsibility Overview (6/17/24) and the Law Bulletin's Ethics 2024 seminar (6/20/2024).

Ms. Hayes was a panelist at the Practicing Law Institute's Illinois Professional Responsibility MCLE Marathon 2023, Use of Technology in Legal Practice and Key Ethical Considerations (May 12, 2023). She was also a panel member for the Law Bulletin's Ethics 2023 program: Breach of Fiduciary Duty and Operating Agreement Disputes (May 31, 2023).

In 2022, Ms. Hayes co-presented 'Trust Accounting 101: How to Bill Properly, Collect Your Fees, and Stay Out of Trouble' (CBA, June 8, 2022) and was panel member for the Law Bulletin's Ethics 2022 program: Your fees: A review of the state of play for contingency fees, referral fees and fees for limited representation (June 16, 2022).

Ms. Hayes was a panelist on the topic of “Ethics in Marketing” presented by the ISBA on September 23, 2020.

Ms. Hayes presented “Pitfalls in Trust Accounting” at the Peoria County Bar Association’s Columbus Day Professional Responsibility Seminar on October 11, 2019.

She was also a presenter at the following CBA CLEs: Billing Ethically & Getting Paid (June 12, 2019); Basics for New Lawyers – Avoiding Legal Malpractice and Disciplinary Issues (January 11, 2019); The Status and Evolution of Attorney Advertising (April 24, 2018); The Ins and Outs of Fee Sharing (January 3, 2018); Dealing With Client Dishonesty: Ethical and Civil Liability Considerations (September 6, 2017); Lifecycle of an ARDC case (January 7, 2015).

Kathryne is also proud to serve on the Development Advisory Board of One Tail at a Time.

Ms. Hayes graduated from the Honors College of the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2008. During her time at UIC, she participated in an accelerated law degree program with Chicago-Kent College of Law. Ms. Hayes graduated from Kent in 2010 and was sworn into the Illinois bar in 2010. She is also admitted to the Northern District of Illinois, the Seventh Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Christopher Bargione

Partner

Christopher Bargione is an AV rated trial lawyer, which is the highest rating given by the prestigious publication, Martindale Hubbell. Mr. Bargione has more than 30 years of experience and has tried dozens of cases before courts and juries. He concentrates his practice in the representation of individuals who have suffered personal injuries or who have suffered injuries because of medical malpractice. Mr. Bargione also represents businesses and individuals in a variety of matters, including contract disputes and real estate related disputes and employment related claims. In addition, Mr. Bargione prepares wills and handles estate and probate matters and represents buyers and sellers in real estate transactions.

Representative cases include:

Multimillion dollar settlement of medical malpractice claims for negligent delivery of a baby
$2,000,000 settlement for work related injury/ fall
Successful defense of dispute involving ownership of medical practice
Successful prosecution of claims against installer of flooring in commercial building
Obtained dismissal of physician’s claim for large medical lien
Representation of numerous individuals in business and probate matters

George Collins (1931 - 2016)

In memoriam

During his career, Mr. Collins practiced in the area of disciplinary defense for lawyers and judges. Mr. Collins had significant experience before the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (ARDC), the Judicial Inquiry Board, and the Courts Commission. Mr. Collins was regularly employed as an expert witness in matters involving the practice of law, particularly legal malpractice. For many years, Mr. Collins was active in the defense of criminal cases and was sometimes retained to consult in such matters. Mr. Collins also handled civil matters, generally those involving business transactions and the complications of corporate ownership.

Collins Bargione & Vuckovich

Collins Bargione & Vuckovich

We welcome the opportunity to discuss our experience and approach.