Education

• University of Chicago Law School, J.D., Raymond Scholar
• Northwestern University, Ph.D., Philosophy
• Northwestern University, M.A., Philosophy
• University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignB.S., summa cum laude, psychology and philosophy, Phi Beta Kappa, University Honors (Bronze Tablet)

Bar Admissions

• Illinois

Court Admissions

• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
• Federal Trial Bar, Northern District of Illinois
• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
• U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado
• U.S. Court of Federal Claims
• U.S. Tax Court

• American Bar Association
  - Former Editor, Construction Litigation Committee newsletter
  - Co-Chair, Litigation Section, Construction Committee's Subcommittee on Mediation, Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution
• Chicago Bar Association
  - Commercial Litigation Committee
  - Commercial Real Property Law Committee
  - Construction Law and Mechanics Lien Subcommittee
  - Trust Law Committee
• Illinois State Bar Association
• Rotary Club of Oak Park-River Forest
• Appellate Lawyers Association
• University Club of Chicago

• Represented subcontractor in perfecting and prosecuting its multi-million dollar mechanics lien claim on a high-rise construction project in Chicago.
• Represented a Fortune 500 company in defense against a mechanics lien.
• Represented owner in dispute involving construction defects and breach of warranty claim.
• Represented subcontractor in dispute involving an alleged joint venture for high-rise construction project.
• Represented national contractor in dispute involving alleged construction defect of municipal water plant.
• Represented subcontractor in breach of contract claim on high-rise construction project for acceleration damages.
• Represented purchaser/homeowner in dispute involving a developer/vendor’s fraudulent sale of property.
• Represented former beneficiaries of a trust in action against an institutional trustee for breach of trust.
• Represented institutional trustee in litigation regarding potential beneficiaries of a trust and authenticity of trust instrument.
• Represented trustees and executor in litigation involving significant estate dispute.
• Represented lender in multi-million dollar foreclosure and guaranty litigation.
• Represented taxpayer in multi-million dollar tax dispute against the IRS.
• Represented owner in action to obtain an easement for benefit of high-rise building on Michigan Avenue, Chicago.

• Gould & Ratner Selects Practice Chairs, Vice-Chairs, February 18, 2024
• Gould & Ratner Secures Unanimous Ruling by Illinois Supreme Court in Favor of M/I Homes, December 7, 2023
• Gould & Ratner Selects Practice Chairs, Announces New Vice Chair Role, March 13, 2023
• Gould & Ratner Lawyers Named to Crain's 2022 Notable Gen X Leaders in Law List, Crain's Chicago Business, December 8, 2022

• Eric Sparks and Vanessa Tiradentes Presented at the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education’s Trial Advocacy for Civil Litigators Program, October 17, 2019
• Eric Sparks Was a Guest Lecturer at Loyola University Chicago School of Law, April 17, 2019

• Best Practices for Coping With Project Modifications, Suspension and Termination During the Age of COVID-19 , July 13, 2020
• Construction Projects Impacted by COVID-19? , May 21, 2020
• Commercial Tenant Evictions Limited by Latest Executive Orders , April 28, 2020
• OSHA, Illinois Issue Safety Measures for Construction, Other Essential Businesses , April 27, 2020
• COVID-19 and Commercial Disputes: Some Practical Considerations , March 17, 2020
• COVID-19 and Commercial Disputes: Some Practical Considerations , March 17, 2020
• Arbitration and “Appellate” Review: Competing Legal Principles , American Bar Association , May 2017
• Substituting a Bond to Remove a Mechanics Lien , Construction Update , March 2016
• Pay-if-Paid Clause Held to Be Enforceable as a Contract Defense , Construction Bulletin , February 2014
• Endorsement Forms Reduce Coverage & Owner Protected from Mechanics Lien , Construction Bulletin , May 2013
• Illinois Department of Revenue Releases Guidance on Exemption Certificates , Construction Bulletin , May 2013

Mechanics Liens, Guest Lecturer, Loyola University Chicago School of Law, Construction Law Course, April 19, 2017