John Rapp Email & Phone Number

Bridgeview, Illinois

Votorantim is a global producer of cement, ready-mix concrete and aggregate products. It owns the St. Marys, CBM and Prairie companies in North America. Reporting to our North American and United States general counsels, as well as our North America Executive Team and Brazilian legal team, I negotiate the bulk of the company’s agreements; manage the antitrust compliance program; assist with mergers, acquisitions and divestments; manage disputes; consult on insured litigation; and assist in regulatory compliance.

Chicago, Illinois

Traffic Tech is an international freight forwarder based in Montreal, Quebec. It offers a full suite of supply chain and transportation solutions that include all surface transportation services (LTL, FTL and intermodal), worldwide international freight services and management (air and ocean), distribution services, warehousing and supply chain consulting.As Traffic Tech's legal counsel, I negotiated a wide variety of contracts, including shipper, carrier, broker, intermodal and warehouse agreements, non-disclosure agreements, and employment agreements; consulted with its sales team on responses to RFIs and RFPs; litigated (either actively or by managing outside counsel) national and international disputes such as employee breaches of fiduciary duty and trade secret misappropriation disputes, Carmack Amendment/COGSA/Montreal Convention claims, and contract matters; advised upper-level management on employment and human resource issues, claims management, insurance parameters, trademark and copyright matters, and warehouse and carrier liens.

Chicago, Illinois

I navigated a variety of real estate/construction, transportation, maritime, civil and commercial litigation matters through federal, state and bankruptcy courts, arbitrations and mediations. I handled all phases of the litigation process, including fact gathering and preliminary negotiations, drafting pleadings, researching and drafting dispositive and other motions, issuing and answering discovery, reviewing documents, taking and defending depositions, oral arguments and other court appearances, settlement negotiations, and, if necessary, trial, judgment enforcement and appeals.In addition to litigation, I served as outside general counsel to a number of small to mid-sized corporations, primarily in the real estate/construction, transportation and equipment industries. In this role, I consulted on, drafted and negotiated a variety of transactional, employment, compliance and general business matters and documents, including employee agreements, handbooks and hiring practices; distribution, acquisition and license agreements; corporate governance and organizational matters; and commercial leases.

Chicago, Illinois

I teach a class called "Legal Drafting: Civil Litigation" to second and third year law students. In class, I urge students to be more clear, concise and precise in their writing and to be more creative and strategic in their approach to various legal matters. My goal in teaching the class is to prepare students to hit the ground running once they graduate and to make meaningful contributions to the legal profession.

J.D.

B.A., History

Activities and Societies: Student Senate President, 2002-03