Partnership and Shareholder Dispute Economic Damages Expert in Illinois

By Christopher Skerritt, M.Ed., MBA, Chief of Economic Services · Published · Reviewed

KW Economics prepares economic damages analyses for partnership and shareholder dispute cases venued in Illinois: the components the loss claim consists of, the records that drive them, and a present value built to Illinois's damages rules and venues. Plaintiff and defense.

A partnership or shareholder dispute turns on what an ownership interest is worth under the standard of value that applies and whether the business's earnings have been fairly shared, both answered from the agreements and the financial records. Read the full partnership and shareholder dispute analysis guide.

Illinois courts and expert standards

Illinois courts ask whether the methodology behind an expert opinion is generally accepted in the relevant professional community, and separately whether the economist is qualified by training and experience and applied the method to the facts of the case. Forensic economic methods for lost earnings, worklife, and present value are published and long used, so the examination usually turns on the inputs and their support in the record.

Where these cases are heard

Highest court: Illinois Supreme Court. Federal venues: N.D. Ill., C.D. Ill., S.D. Ill. Court system: illinoiscourts.gov.

Damages framework

Illinois reduces a negligence-based award by the plaintiff's share of fault and bars recovery once that share exceeds half. Prejudgment interest on a personal injury or wrongful death award runs from the filing of the action, and interest on a written instrument or a liquidated contract sum runs at the statutory rate from the date it was due. Economic damages are not subject to a general statutory limit, so the report states each loss as of a fixed date and separates past from future amounts so the interest computation can follow.

How the analysis is built

The same four steps apply to a partnership and shareholder dispute case venued in Illinois; the damages framework above decides which components enter the total.

  1. Read the agreements to identify the valuation date, the standard of value, and any buyout formula.
  2. Normalize the financial statements for owner compensation, related-party transactions, and non-recurring items.
  3. Value the interest under the income, market, and asset approaches as the facts support, with the weighting and any discounts or premiums explained.
  4. Trace any diverted profits through the ledger and bank records, quantify them by year, and show the effect of the principal assumptions.

Attorney guides for partnership and shareholder dispute cases

Other case types in Illinois

Frequently asked: partnership and shareholder dispute cases in Illinois

Which Illinois courts hear partnership and shareholder dispute cases?

Partnership and Shareholder Dispute cases venued in Illinois are heard in the Circuit Court (General jurisdiction; 25 judicial circuits across the state, including the Circuit Court of Cook County). Final appeals run to the Illinois Supreme Court. Matters within federal jurisdiction proceed in the United States District Courts for the Northern District of Illinois, Central District of Illinois, and Southern District of Illinois.

How does Illinois's damages framework shape the economic analysis?

Illinois reduces a negligence-based award by the plaintiff's share of fault and bars recovery once that share exceeds half. Prejudgment interest on a personal injury or wrongful death award runs from the filing of the action, and interest on a written instrument or a liquidated contract sum runs at the statutory rate from the date it was due. Economic damages are not subject to a general statutory limit, so the report states each loss as of a fixed date and separates past from future amounts so the interest computation can follow. Illinois courts ask whether the methodology behind an expert opinion is generally accepted in the relevant professional community, and separately whether the economist is qualified by training and experience and applied the method to the facts of the case. Forensic economic methods for lost earnings, worklife, and present value are published and long used, so the examination usually turns on the inputs and their support in the record.

More questions about partnership and shareholder dispute analysis

References

Request a consultation on partnership and shareholder dispute cases in Illinois or call (201) 343-0700. Plaintiff and defense counsel.