Joseph E. Tilson

Member

Recent News:

Lawdragon Names Six Cozen O’Connor Attorneys to Its Annual List of Leading Corporate Employment Lawyers

Lawdragon has named six members of Cozen O’Connor’s Labor & Employment Department to its annual list of Leading U.S. Corporate Employment Lawyers. Among the honorees are Joseph Tilson, A. Martin Wickliff, Jr., Anna Wermuth, Jeremy Glenn, Susan Eisenberg, and Michael Schmidt.

Joe represents employers in large-scale employment litigation and labor arbitrations. He has tried more than 150 jury and non-jury cases before the full range of courts, administrative agencies, and labor arbitrators. His clients include a number of the country’s largest public and private employers, and Illinois’ most prestigious universities, whom he represents in both traditional labor law matters and employment litigation. Joe is nationally known for his knowledge and success in handling large wage and hour class action cases, but he also has vast experience in collective bargaining involving large and complex bargaining units.

As the former co-chair of the firm's Labor & Employment Department, Joe was instrumental in the growth of the practice, which has nearly tripled in size to more than 80 attorneys since 2015.

Joe has been recognized as one of the top labor and employment lawyers in Chicago. He was named the 2020 Chicago Employment Law “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers for the fifth time in the last nine years; he also twice received Lexology's Illinois Client Choice Award for outstanding client service; he has been named one of the Nation's Most Powerful Employment Attorneys by Human Resource Executive and Lawdragon each year since 2010; and he has consistently achieved a Band 1 Labor and Employment ranking from Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business.

Joe is a past-chair of the ABA’s Labor and Employment Law Section, one of the largest sections of the ABA with over 12,000 members. He continues to serve on the ABA's council, the governing body of the ABA's Labor and Employment Section.

Joe is also a frequent lecturer, author, and bar association leader. He regularly speaks on labor and employment issues for the American Bar Association, Practicing Law Institute, Northwestern University's Corporate Council Institute, Chicago-Kent College of Law, and many other educational institutions and associations. Joe is a fellow of the College of Labor & Employment Lawyers (CLEL) and is the former chair of the American Bar Association’s Federal Labor Standards Legislation Committee. Joe also serves as vice-chair on the Board of Managers of the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago.

Prior to entering private practice, Joe served as law clerk for the Honorable Stephanie K. Seymour, U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit.

Joe earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan in 1976 and his law degree, cum laude, from the University of Michigan School of Law in 1979.

Experience

News

Lawdragon Names Six Cozen O’Connor Attorneys to Its Annual List of Leading Corporate Employment Lawyers

October 01, 2024

Lawdragon has named six members of Cozen O’Connor’s Labor & Employment Department to its annual list of Leading U.S. Corporate Employment Lawyers. Among the honorees are Joseph Tilson, A. Martin Wickliff, Jr., Anna Wermuth, Jeremy Glenn, Susan Eisenberg, and Michael Schmidt.

Best Lawyers Honors More Than 200 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys in its Best Lawyers in America 2025 Edition

August 15, 2024

Best Lawyers selected 242 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 24 of the firm’s U.S. offices for inclusion in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America.

Nearly 100 Cozen O’Connor Lawyers, 27 Practices Earn Top Recognition in Chambers USA 2024 Guide

June 10, 2024

Chambers USA rankings are based on an “assessment of a firm’s work and opinions from external market sources, with an emphasis on client feedback.” In order to be ranked in the guide, lawyers and firms must demonstrate “sustained excellence.”

Leading Lawyers Network Recognizes 19 Cozen O’Connor Lawyers as Top Illinois Practitioners

March 05, 2024

Ira Bodenstein, Jack Carriglio, Janet Davis, John Dunn, Mitch Edlund, Wendy Enerson, Gary Gassman, Tia Ghattas, Jeremy Glenn, Erin Bolan Hines, Mark Rabinowitz, Peter Roberts, Brian Shaw, Joseph Tilson, Julie Trester, Peter Valeta, Anna Wermuth, and Brian Williams were recognized as Leading Lawyers, Christina Sanfelippo was recognized as an Emerging Lawyer.

Eleven Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named 2024 Illinois Super Lawyers

January 29, 2024

The Cozen O’Connor attorneys who have been recognized by their peers in Illinois as Super Lawyers are Jack Carriglio, Janet Davis, Jeremy Glenn, Allen Guon, Peter Roberts, Brian Shaw, Joe Tilson, and Anna Wermuth. Amy Doig, David Doyle, and Corey Hickman were named to this year’s Illinois Rising Stars list. This is Hickman’s first year on the Rising Stars list.

Lawdragon Names Six Cozen O’Connor Attorneys To Its Annual List Of Leading Corporate Employment Lawyers

September 27, 2023

Lawdragon has named six members of Cozen O’Connor’s Labor & Employment Department to its annual list of Leading U.S. Corporate Employment Lawyers.

Best Lawyers Honors More Than 200 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys to its Best Lawyers in America 2024 Edition

August 17, 2023

Best Lawyers selected 232 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 24 of the firm’s U.S. offices for inclusion in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

Business Today Names 32 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys to Its Top 10 Lists

July 28, 2023

These lists recognize lawyers “mastering,” “leading,” “revolutionizing,” and “dominating” their fields in their respective states and nationwide.

Eighty-eight Cozen O’Connor Lawyers, 23 Practices Earn Top Recognition in Chambers USA 2023 Guide

June 05, 2023

Of the 88 lawyers ranked, 17 lawyers have been recognized nationally, and eighteen were recognized in Band 1. Eight of the firm's practice areas have been recognized nationally, and nine were ranked Band 1.

Six Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Recognized in 2023 Chambers Global Rankings

February 22, 2023

Chambers Global has recognized six Cozen O’Connor attorneys: Susan Eisenberg (Miami – Labor & Employment), Geoffrey Ferrer (New York – Transportation & Trade), Shane Hardy (Toronto – Intellectual Property), Michael Osborne (Toronto – Antitrust & Competition), Joseph Tilson (Chicago – Labor & Employment), and Steven Weisz (Toronto – Bankruptcy & Restructuring) as worldwide leaders in their respective practices.

Eleven Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named 2023 Illinois Super Lawyers

January 26, 2023

Super Lawyers has named 11 attorneys at Cozen O’Connor to its 2023 lists of top practitioners in Illinois.

Lawdragon Names Six Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Among The Top 500 Leading U.S. Corporate Employment Lawyers

August 24, 2022

Lawdragon has named six members of Cozen O’Connor’s Labor & Employment Department to its 2022 list of the Top 500 Leading U.S. Corporate Employment Lawyers.

More Than 200 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch

August 22, 2022

210 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 24 of the firm’s nationwide offices for inclusion in the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

Chambers Ranks 86 Cozen O’Connor Lawyers, 22 Practice Areas in Chambers USA 2022 Guide

June 02, 2022

Chambers USA, the leading annual guide to the top lawyers and law firms in the United States, has ranked 86 Cozen O’Connor lawyers as leaders in their respective fields in the guide’s 2022 edition.

Leading Lawyers Network Recognizes 23 Cozen O’Connor Lawyers as Top Illinois Practitioners

March 02, 2022

The Leading Lawyers Network has named 22 Cozen O’Connor lawyers to its annual list of Illinois’ top practitioners and named one other as an Emerging Lawyer in its 2022 survey results.

Four Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Recognized in 2022 Chambers Global Rankings

February 17, 2022

Chambers Global has recognized four Cozen O’Connor attorneys: Susan Eisenberg (Miami – Labor & Employment), Geoffrey Ferrer (New York – Transportation & Trade), Shane Hardy (Toronto – Intellectual Property), and Joseph Tilson (Chicago – Labor & Employment), as worldwide leaders in their respective practices.

Eleven Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named 2022 Illinois Super Lawyers

January 28, 2022

Nine were recognized as Super Lawyers and two were named to its list of "Rising Stars," a list that recognizes attorneys under the age of 40.

Lawdragon Names six Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Among the Top 500 Leading U.S. Corporate Employment Lawyers

November 19, 2021

Lawdragon has named six members of Cozen O’Connor’s Labor & Employment Department to its 2021 list of the Top 500 Leading U.S. Corporate Employment Lawyers.

More Than 205 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch By The Best Lawyers In America

August 19, 2021

Best Lawyers selected 210 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 23 of the firm’s nationwide offices for inclusion in the 2022 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

82 Cozen O’Connor Lawyers, 19 Practices Earn Top Recognition in Chambers USA 2021 Guide

May 26, 2021

Chambers USA, the leading annual guide to the top lawyers and law firms in the United States, has ranked 82 Cozen O’Connor lawyers as leaders in their respective fields in the guide’s 2021 edition; of those, 15 lawyers have been recognized nationally.

Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Eisenberg, Ferrer, Giotto and Tilson Recognized in 2021 Chambers Global Rankings

February 18, 2021

Chambers Global has recognized four Cozen O’ Connor attorneys, Susan Eisenberg (Miami – Labor & Employment), Geoffrey Ferrer (New York – Transportation & Trade), Thomas Giotto (Pittsburgh – Labor and Employment) and Joseph Tilson (Chicago – Labor & Employment), as worldwide leaders in their respective practices. All four attorneys are also ranked in the Chambers USA Guide.

Eleven Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named 2021 Illinois Super Lawyers

January 29, 2021

Super Lawyers has named eleven attorneys at Cozen O’Connor to its 2021 lists of top practitioners in Illinois.

Leading Lawyers Network Recognizes 26 Cozen O’Connor Lawyers as Top Illinois Practitioners

January 26, 2021

The Leading Lawyers Network has named 24 Cozen O’Connor lawyers to its annual list of Illinois’ top practitioners and named two others as Emerging Lawyers in its 2021 survey results.

Lawdragon names six Cozen O’Connor Attorneys among the Top 500 Leading U.S. Corporate Employment Lawyers

December 14, 2020

Lawdragon has named six members of Cozen O’Connor’s Labor & Employment Department to its 2020 list of the Top 500 Leading U.S. Corporate Employment Lawyers.

200 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch By The Best Lawyers In America

August 20, 2020

Best Lawyers selected 200 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 23 of the firm’s nationwide offices for inclusion in the 2021 edition of The Best Lawyers in America© (Copyright 2020 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, SC).

Nine Cozen O’Connor Lawyers Named 2021 “Lawyers of the Year” by Best Lawyers in America

August 20, 2020

Cozen O’Connor is proud to announce that nine of the firm’s lawyers have been recognized as “Lawyers of the Year” in their respective practices by Best Lawyers in America.

63 Cozen O’Connor Lawyers, 16 Practices Earn Top Recognition in Chambers USA 2020 Guide

May 14, 2020

Chambers USA, the leading annual guide to the top lawyers and law firms in the United States, has ranked 63 Cozen O’Connor lawyers as leaders in their respective fields in the guide’s 2020 edition.

Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Eisenberg, Ferrer, Giotto and Tilson Recognized in 2020 Chambers Global Rankings

February 17, 2020

Chambers Global has recognized four Cozen O’ Connor attorneys, Susan Eisenberg (Miami – Labor & Employment), Geoffrey Ferrer (New York – Transportation & Trade), Thomas Giotto (Pittsburgh – Labor and Employment), and Joseph Tilson (Chicago – Labor & Employment), as worldwide leaders in their respective practices. All four attorneys are also ranked in the Chambers USA Guide.

Six Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named 2020 Illinois Super Lawyers

January 29, 2020

Super Lawyers has recognized six Cozen O'Connor attorneys to its 2020 lists of top practitioners in Illinois, including Joe Tilson who was again named one of the "Top 100" Illinois Super Lawyers.

Anna Wermuth and Joe Tilson lead ABA Student Trial Advocacy Competition in Chicago

December 03, 2019

Anna Wermuth and Joe Tilson led the ABA Student Trial Advocacy Competition Midwest Regionals in Chicago, Illinois.

Cozen O’Connor Attorney Joe Tilson Honored by Labor and Employment Relations Association

November 21, 2019

Joe Tilson will be honored on December 12 with a Distinguished Service Award from the Chicago Chapter of the Labor and Employment Relations Association.

Joe Tilson Discusses MBT’s Combination with Cozen O’Connor and the Recent Northwestern Ruling in the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin

August 25, 2015

Joe Tilson discusses the merger of MBT and Cozen O’Connor and explains the Northwestern ruling from his vantage point, offering a vision of how a unionized Wildcats team could have spelled chaos for college athletics.

Cozen O'Connor Labor and Employment Attorneys Score Big for Northwestern University

August 18, 2015

Cozen O'Connor's Labor & Employment attorneys were successful in thwarting the Northwestern University’s Football Team’s attempt to unionize, when the NLRB declined to assert jurisdiction.

Publications

Illinois Ban on Salary History Inquiries Dies on Governor’s Desk [Labor & Employment Alert]

August 28, 2017

Joseph E. Tilson and Anna Wermuth discuss why Governor Rauner’s veto is good news for Illinois employers.

NLRB General Counsel Takes a Bold Stance on Student Athletes [Labor & Employment Alert]

February 07, 2017

Joseph Tilson and Anna Wermuth discuss the NLRB General Counsel Richard Griffin's announced that scholarship football players at Division I FBS private colleges and universities are employees entitled to protection under the National Labor Relations Act.

No Pay for Student Athletes’ Play, Seventh Circuit Affirms [Labor & Employment Alert]

December 08, 2016

Joseph Tilson, Anna Wermuth, and Jeremy Glenn discuss a recent decision by the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals that student athletes are not employees of the college or university they attend and therefore are not entitled to a minimum wage or overtime pay under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

NLRB Decides Private University Teaching and Research Assistants Can Unionize [Labor & Employment Alert]

August 24, 2016

Joseph E. Tilson and Anna Wermuth discuss the NLRB decision yesterday that student teaching and research assistants at private colleges and universities are statutory employees who can unionize under the National Labor Relations Act.

Labor and Employment Observer 2015/2016

January 06, 2016

The 2015/2016 Labor and Employment Observer looks back at significant developments in labor and employment law over the past year and forward to what employers can expect in 2016.

Events & Seminars

Past Events

Sports Law for Rookies & Veterans 2018

June 06, 2018 - Minneapolis, MN

AELC 25th Annual Conference

October 20, 2017 - Dana Point, CA

2017 Labor and Employment Law Update - Chicago

October 05, 2017 - Chicago, IL

MCCA Creating Pathways to Diversity Conference

October 03, 2017 - New York, NY

Labor and Employment Law Update

June 14, 2017 - Philadelphia, PA

Education

  • University of Michigan Law School, J.D., cum laude, 1979
  • University of Michigan, B.A., with honors, 1976

Awards & Honors

Corporate LiveWire Global Awards - Employment & Labour Law 2016

Lexology Client Choice Award, Illinois 2015 and 2016

Chicago Labor and Employment Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers in America 2011, 2014, 2017, 2018, and 2021

Best Lawyers in America 2003-2025

Chambers USA America's Leading Lawyers for Business - Band 1 Ranking

Chambers Global - 2011, 2014, 2017-2023

Most Powerful Employment Attorneys by Human Resource Network and Lawdragon

Top 100 Illinois Super Lawyers, 2011-2024

Leading Lawyers Network Illinois

Outstanding Lawyers of America

International Who's Who of Management Labor and Employment Lawyers

Martindale-Hubbell - AV rated

Benchmark Labor & Employment Star for the Midwest

Business Today, Top 10 Most Influential Labor & Employment Lawyers in USA, 2023

Lawdragon Top Leading U.S. Corporate Employment Lawyers Hall of Fame

  • Illinois
  • Colorado
  • U.S. District Court -- Northern District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court -- Central District of Illinois
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. District Court -- Colorado
  • U.S. District Court -- Eastern District of Wisconsin
  • Fellow and Regional Director, College Labor and Employment Lawyers 
  • ABA - Immediate Past Chair of Labor & Employment Section; Past Chair: Employment Law Trial Advocacy Competition; Past Chair: Federal Labor Standards Legislation Committee; FLSA, Age Discrimination, and Equal Pay Act Subcommittees
  • Board of Managers, YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago