Mr. Bax has extensive experience representing clients of all sizes, from Fortune 500 companies and their executives to family-owned small businesses, in pretrial, trial and appellate proceedings in state and federal courts throughout the United States. In the commercial arena, Mr. Bax has extensive experience both defending and prosecuting claims for trade secret misappropriation, breach of fiduciary duty and breach of restrictive covenants.  He has prosecuted claims on behalf of employers to protect their confidential information and customer relationships from unfair competition by their former employees as well as defended executives in many different industries from overly broad post-employment restrictions.  As part of his practice, Mr. Bax routinely participates in emergency injunctive proceedings in both state and federal courts.  

Mr. Bax also has substantial experience in resolving, whether by litigation or settlement, disputes between owners of closely held companies.  He works closely with his clients in order to understand the nature of their business and develop practical strategies and objectives which advance the interests of the client and their business.  Examples of recent matters in which Mr. Bax has assisted clients in resolving disputes with their current or former business partners include successfully defeating via binding arbitration claims of fraud and breach of contract seeking over $4,000,000 in damages brought by the client’s former business partner and co-owner of nightclubs and music venues, and defeating via summary judgment claims for breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty asserted by the former law partner of the firm’s client in which the former partner sought damages of approximately $1,000,000.

Mr. Bax’ practice in the commercial litigation arena also includes prosecuting and defending large and small businesses in a variety of complex commercial matters.  Such matters include defending an international telecommunications manufacturer against claims for allegedly defective products, prosecuting claims for check fraud on behalf of a Canadian export financing agency, defending an insurance company against claims of corporate espionage, and obtaining judgments in excess of $3,000,000 on behalf of a commercial landlord against the client’s tenant, including reimbursement of the client’s attorney’s fees.

In addition to litigating such claims, Mr. Bax also counsels businesses and executives on a variety of matters.  For example, he advises clients, including a national bank and national food service provider, on the enforceability of competition restrictions and develops hiring protocols to reduce the risk of liability for those companies when recruiting potential employees from competitors. 

Admitted to Illinois bar, 1994. Undergraduate education, Augustana College (B.A., cum laude, 1990). Legal education, Loyola University of Chicago School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1994), Member of the Loyola Law Journal.