Joseph Phillip Selbka

Mr. Selbka has practiced law in both the government and the private sector since his graduation from the University of Minnesota Law School, cum laude, in 1996. His career encompasses a wide range of impressive litigation experience. Mr. Selbka began his career serving as litigation counsel for the Illinois Department of Employment Security where he defended hundreds of administrative review actions in administrative and employment law. After representing units of local government, individuals, and corporations for more than five years, he opened his own law firm on January 1, 2006, representing individuals, local governments, and corporations in numerous civil matters. Mr. Selbka also acted as a Hearing Officer for the Illinois State Board of Education (2008-2014) District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education (2011-2013) where he adjudicated disputes between school districts and parents regarding the provision of special education services. Mr. Selbka has extensive experience in Illinois and Federal courts, including the Illinois Appellate Court. He has represented clients in commercial tort litigation, declaratory judgment actions, shareholder/member disputes, partnership and joint venture issues, probate issues, collection issues, contract issues, business tort and fraud issues, landlord-tenant issues, employment issues, construction litigation, mechanics lien litigation, surety bond litigation, real estate issues and various issues related to municipalities and school administration. Mr. Selbka also received his master’s degree in public administration at the University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs in 2001. He now serves as an adjunct lecturer, teaching a master’s level course at the College for public administration graduate students designed to teach the legal context of public management and to give government managers a working knowledge of how to understand and manage legal problems which arise in a government workplace. Also involved in his local community, Mr. Selbka is a member of the Illinois Bar Association, the Northwest Suburban Bar Association, the Chicago Bar Association, and serves on the Arlington Heights Board of Zoning Appeals.