Cynthia Pietrucha

Cynthia Pietrucha

Diamond Guru

location of Cynthia PietruchaPietrucha Law Firm, LLC

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  • Timeline

  • About me

    Employment Law Representation | Unemployment Claims, Medical Leave, and Job Exit Strategy

  • Education

    • Instituto San Joaquin de Flores

      2004 - 2004
      Study Abroad in Costa Rica Spanish Language and Literature

      "The best place to learn Spanish"sjfinstitute.com

    • Southwestern Law School

      2008 - 2008
      Certificate in Entertainment and Media Law Entertainment and Media Law
    • University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

      2002 - 2006
      Bachelor’s Degree, Pre-Law B.S. Broadcast Journalist, B.A. Spanish

      Activities and Societies: WPGU 107.1 FM Senior Producer (interviewed Jamie-Lynn Sigler), PBS TV "Illinois Gardner" Production Assistant and Cameraperson, ABC Sports Production Assistant - Football, UI-7 News Anchor, Reporter, Producer and News Director, Daily Illini newspaper reporter As a college student, my dream was to be a Spanish-language reporter. I was selected by the Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences to complete a dual degree program, receiving two bachelors degrees, a B.S. in Broadcast Journalism and B.A. in Spanish.I studied abroad in Costa Rica and also joined an international reporting team in PBS to report on Peruvian racial discrimination as part of an aired PBS documentary.Other:Appointed President of the Illini Foreign Langauge… Show more As a college student, my dream was to be a Spanish-language reporter. I was selected by the Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences to complete a dual degree program, receiving two bachelors degrees, a B.S. in Broadcast Journalism and B.A. in Spanish.I studied abroad in Costa Rica and also joined an international reporting team in PBS to report on Peruvian racial discrimination as part of an aired PBS documentary.Other:Appointed President of the Illini Foreign Langauge Club.Recieved merit scholarship for academic excellence in journalism. Show less

    • Northern Illinois University

      2006 - 2009
      Juris Doctor (J.D.) Law

      During law school, Cynthia participated in a US-Mexico Labor Delegation in Reynosa, Mexico, served as a paternity court mediator to the Winnebago County Circuit Court as part of the Zeke Giorgi Legal Clinic, interned with GLAAD Los Angeles and served as a staff assistant to the University Ombudsman where she helped resolve university-related disputes involving student misconduct, financial aid, medical accommodations and discrimination. She also founded the Entertainment and Sports Law Society… Show more During law school, Cynthia participated in a US-Mexico Labor Delegation in Reynosa, Mexico, served as a paternity court mediator to the Winnebago County Circuit Court as part of the Zeke Giorgi Legal Clinic, interned with GLAAD Los Angeles and served as a staff assistant to the University Ombudsman where she helped resolve university-related disputes involving student misconduct, financial aid, medical accommodations and discrimination. She also founded the Entertainment and Sports Law Society (later renamed the Sports and Entertainment Law Society). Show less

  • Experience

    • Kohl's

      Jan 2002 - Jan 2004
      Diamond Guru

      Reported to Assistant Store Manager. Worked as a Jewelry Sales Associate.Bling-Whisperer ExtraordinaireInventory Hero: Daily counts and inventory logs with loss preventionDiamond Guru: Sold diamonds and confirmed returned diamonds were realWatchband Wizard: Adjusted watchbands and changed watch batteriesCredit Card Sales: Convinced customers to sign up for a Kohl's charge card. Earned $0.50 to $1.00 cash bonus per sign up.

    • University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

      Jan 2003 - Jan 2005
      Assistant Copywriter, University Press

      Reported to Publicity Manager. Wrote press releases for new books. Researched author topics such as the civility of keeping animals in zoos, the history of African-Americans and the Mormon church and the Coen brothers' approach to filmmaking with landmark films such as Fargo and O Brother Where art Thou?

    • CBS

      Jan 2005 - Jan 2005
      Summer Radio News Intern - WBBM Newsradio 780

      Reported to Production Coordinator. Shadowed CBS veteran reporters John Cody and Political Editor Craig Dellimore at City Hall and legislative press conferences. Produced news coverage of People vs. Michael Jackson 2005 criminal trial held in Santa Barbara County Superior Court. Edited and produced radio commercials, traffic and weather segments. Reviewed and filed radio sales agreements.

    • Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation

      Jan 2006 - Jan 2006
      Summer Legal Intern

      Reported to Acting Director of IDFPR. Reviewed agency regulations and interviewed probationary candidates for health care and occupational professional licenses: physicians, nurses, pharmacies, loan originators and mortgage bankers. Led in-person predatory lending pilot program training sessions. Assisted with FBI and criminal background checks for eLicense database ensuring licensees were qualified to provide mortgage and banking services.

    • Northern Illinois University

      Jan 2007 - Jan 2009
      Staff Assistant to University Ombudsman

      Reported to the University Ombudsman. Provided practical advice to students, parents and faculty on university policy, grade appeals, plagiarism, parking appeals, dorm misconduct, discrimination, medical leave and student loans. Completed professional in-person consultations to help individuals understand university policies and procedures.

    • GLAAD

      Jan 2008 - Jan 2008
      Summer Entertainment Media Intern

      Reported to Director of Entertainment Media. Reviewed network talent policies and pending California legislation related to civil rights. Served as a liaison between GLAAD and film and television sectors. Wrote content based on GLAAD's research and created film reviews and blog posts to encourage diverse representations of LGBTQ people and issues in film and television.

    • Zeke Giorgi Legal Clinic-Niu

      Jan 2009 - Jan 2009
      Mediator

      Paternity 711 law student court mediator in Winnebago County Courthouse - Rockford, Illinois.

    • LAW OFFICES OF JOEL WEISMAN, P.C.

      Jan 2009 - Jan 2010
      Talent Representation Assistant

      Reported to Managing Attorney. Assistant to 2 entertainment attorneys/talent agents representing over 100 tv anchors, reporters, media personalities, radio DJs and authors/writers. Reviewed employment contracts with major networks (ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC), drafted legal representation agreements, created video resume reels and assisted with copyright and trademark filings.

    • American Medical Association

      Jan 2010 - Jan 2011
      Site Licensing Contracts and Accounts Coordinator

      Reported to the Director of Worldwide Sales. Managed temporary employee and independent contractor assignments and time card entries. Drafted, reviewed and negotiated institutional site licenses, publishing agreements and other legal documents for subscriptions to the world’s largest circulated medical journal, Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Developed strong relationships with Wolters Kluwer pricing analysts to improve vendor negotiations and set prices for reseller arrangement of AMA products via online document retrieval services and university bookstores. Created and maintained formal contract management process, site licensing master file lists for new deals, backfiles, addendums, amendments, cancellations and notices of disclosure. Advised sales and marketing team of on best practices to streamline negotiations with over 2,000 institutional client roster of worldwide universities, hospitals, pharmaceutical and government agencies. Represented the AMA Publishing Group at international business conferences promoting public relations and marketing for JAMA & Archives Journals, author outreach programs. Show less

    • Symplr

      Jan 2011 - Jan 2013
      Senior Contract Administration Specialist, Legal Department

      Reported to General Counsel & Vice President of Human Resources. Drafted, reviewed, red-lined and negotiated complex commercial agreements with particular focus on technology and licensing agreements. Collaborated with internal business clients, business partners and business unit management to assist in identification, documentation, and approval of specific contract requirements and provisions related to finance, sales and marketing. Identified, communicated and escalated contract issues and deviations from established contract guidelines. Wrote and reviewed company responses to Request for Proposals (RFPs), bids and software purchases. Consulted with outside legal counsel on HIPAA, software product development, RFPs and company information subject to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. Organized company-wide smartphone trade-in program for software mobile testing. Show less

    • Pace Suburban Bus

      Jan 2013 - Jan 2014
      Senior Contract Buyer

      Reported to Director of Purchasing. Drafted high complex contracts in compliance with the Federal Acquisition Regulations System. Procured wide variety of operating and capital funded services, materials, and equipment in accordance with federal, state, and local regulations and Pace policies and procedures. Created purchase orders and change orders. Analyzed bids/proposals. Conducted complex cost and price analyses. Prepared documents to present to executive management and the Pace Board of Directors. Facilitated contract negotiations. Collaborating with Pace personnel on contract administration and developing scopes of work. Recommended contract termination. Responded to Freedom of Information Act requests. Show less

    • Village of Orland Park, Illinois

      Jan 2014 - Jan 2016
      Purchasing Administrator

      Reported to the Finance Director. Oversaw union and non-union employee spending of $157 million annual budget across 10 Village departments (Police, 911, Recreation and Parks, Finance, Public Works, Building Maintenance, Development Services, Public Information, Human Resources and Mayor’s Office). Drafted, issued and opened government bids and RFPs. Approved purchase orders, change orders and vendor contracts. Reported suspicious employee expense fraud and theft to Finance Director. Managed strategic third-party employee insurance, drug testing and physician fitness for duty relationships to negotiate pricing, evaluate performance and ensure cost savings in medical care to Village employees. Show less

    • Law Office of Cynthia Pietrucha

      May 2014 - Jul 2015
      Attorney

      Civil practice - employment law, talent contract negotiation, K-12 student rights/education law

    • Pietrucha Law Firm, LLC

      Aug 2015 - now
      Employment Lawyer

      Founder and Managing Attorney of Pietrucha Law Firm, LLC employment law firm. For the last 10 years, we have helped over 1,500 employees and small business owners obtain resolutions in unemployment insurance claims, job terminations, medical leave from work and separation agreement negotiations. With a modern touch, we help bring peace to drama at work.Book your legal empowerment session online at www.pietruchalaw.com to confidentially discuss your situation and your options to solve your needs.Outside of our employment practice, we also help with the following:➡️ BIPA/Biometric Privacy Violations➡️ Defense of Traffic Tickets for Uber, Lyft and CDL drivers➡️Contract and Breach of Contract Disputes➡️Consumer Fraud/Business Fraud➡️Talent Management/Fine Arts Legal Issues➡️Personal Injury - Premise Injury, Slip and Fall, Dog Bites Show less

    • Village of Downers Grove, Illinois

      Jan 2016 - Jan 2019
      Liquor Commission

      Appointed by the Village mayor. Reviewed liquor license applications, floor plans, liquor operation manuals, employee handbooks and amendments to the Village of Downers Grove's wine boutique, liquor classification and liquor control ordinances. Assisted the Village with licensing and regulating alcohol-related sales including prosecution of liquor violations, fines, investigative hearings, witness testimony and revocation of licenses. Led Disciplinary Hearings for Alleged Control Buy Fails in Sales of Liquor to Minors in Violation of Section 3-25(a) of the Downers Grove Municipal Code: Bed, Bath & Beyond, Portillo's, Aldi and more. Show less

    • Performics

      Jan 2022 - Jan 2022
      Contracts Manager

      Provided support to the finance and legal departments to create a successful track record of negotiations with industry giants including Amazon, Facebook, and Yelp. Served as a pivotal liaison across various departments within Performics, ensuring alignment of technology MSAs, data privacy, and social media client and vendor contracts. Conducted comprehensive reviews and enhancements of technology MSAs, NDAs, RFPs, staffing, and event contracts to ensure precision and optimal terms. Dedicated to fostering seamless contractual relationships that propel business growth and strategic excellence. Show less

    • University of Nevada-Las Vegas

      Sept 2022 - now
      Legal Consultant

      Report to Office of General Counsel. Serve as a legal consultant to the University of Nevada systems. With a unique background in purchasing, public bids, RFPs and public records/FOIA requests, I help universities review employee communications, employee records and purchasing contracts in compliance with FOIA laws, Title IX, FERPA, HIPAA and Americans with Disabilities Act. Trained in Logikcull document review/eDiscovery software.

    • Make-A-Wish® Illinois

      Jan 2023 - now
      Illinois Associate Board

      “Together, we create life-changing wishes for children with critical illness”

    • Lawyers for the Creative Arts

      Jan 2023 - now
      Volunteer Arts and Entertainment Lawyer
    • Oconomowoc Chamber Orchestra

      Jan 2023 - now
      Board Member
  • Licenses & Certifications

    • Federal Judiciary, General Bar Member

      United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the Central District of Illinois.
      View certificate certificate
    • State of Illinois Law License

      ARDC: Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois
  • Honors & Awards

    • Awarded to Cynthia Pietrucha
      2023 Outstanding Faculty Award National Business Institute Apr 2024
    • Awarded to Cynthia Pietrucha
      Harnessing The #MeToo Momentum Conference The Employee Rights Advocacy Institute For Law & Policy Program Award Oct 2018 Selected by the National Employment Lawyers Association/ The Employee Rights Advocacy Institute For Law & Policy to attend the 2018 conference in Arizona
    • Awarded to Cynthia Pietrucha
      2018 Client's Choice Award Avvo 2018
    • Awarded to Cynthia Pietrucha
      2017 Client's Choice Award Avvo Inc. 2017
  • Volunteer Experience

    • Associate Board Member

      Issued by Make-A-Wish® Illinois
      Make-A-Wish® IllinoisAssociated with Cynthia Pietrucha
    • Member

      Issued by Women's Bar Associations of Illinois on Jan 2021
      Women's Bar Associations of IllinoisAssociated with Cynthia Pietrucha
    • Labor and Employment Law Section Council, Member

      Issued by Illinois State Bar Association on Jan 2006
      Illinois State Bar AssociationAssociated with Cynthia Pietrucha
    • Board Member

      Issued by Oconomowoc Chamber Orchestra on Jul 2023
      Oconomowoc Chamber OrchestraAssociated with Cynthia Pietrucha
    • Entertainment Attorney and Speaker

      Issued by Lawyers for the Creative Arts on Jul 2023
      Lawyers for the Creative ArtsAssociated with Cynthia Pietrucha
    • Disability Rights Co-Chair, Young Lawyers Division

      Issued by American Bar Association on Jan 2017
      American Bar AssociationAssociated with Cynthia Pietrucha
    • Liquor Commission

      Issued by Village of Downers Grove, Illinois on Jan 2016
      Village of Downers Grove, IllinoisAssociated with Cynthia Pietrucha