Carmen D. Caruso Law Firm

What Carmen D. Caruso Law Firm does

Carmen D. Caruso Law Firm (legal entity Carmen D. Caruso, P.C.) is a Chicago-based independent trial practice founded in 1997 by lead attorney Carmen D. Caruso. The firm concentrates in trial and appellate practice, commercial arbitration, and franchise and dealership litigation, with a stated roster of roughly 4-5 attorneys and a total headcount of 6, including founder Carmen D. Caruso (40+ years of experience, 60+ cases tried to conclusion), partner William B. Whitner (promoted February 2026 after joining in 2018), associate Matthew Warren (joined February 2026), attorney Xiaoyin Cao (U.S. and China-qualified, 2023 Franchise Times Legal Eagle), and team member Gage Meyers.

The firm represents individual and multi-unit franchisees, dealers and their associations, privately held businesses, and high-ranking professionals in disputes against larger companies, institutions, and government entities. Matters typically exceed $10 million in controversy and span franchise/dealership litigation, contract disputes, fraud, civil rights claims (including Section 1981), employment disputes, intellectual property, real property, partnership/shareholder/LLC disputes, and professional liability. The firm is based at 77 West Washington Street, Suite 1900, Chicago, and practices throughout Illinois and across the United States through co-counsel relationships in other jurisdictions.

The business is a professional services practice that generates revenue through hourly and contingency fee arrangements on a case-by-case basis; pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The firm carries no external investors or parent company and is solely owned by its founder. Marketing is driven by peer recognition, referrals from the franchise and legal communities, awards (Legal Eagle Hall of Fame, Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, AV Preeminent, Litigation Counsel of America, U.S. News Best Law Firms), and selective speaking and publishing, with no AI, software, or technology products offered.

Name

Carmen D. Caruso Law Firm

Legal name

Carmen D. Caruso, P.C.

Website

https://cdcaruso.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Carmen D. Caruso Law Firm is a Chicago-based independent trial practice founded in 1997 that represents franchisees, dealers, privately held businesses, and professionals in high-stakes litigation and arbitration against larger opponents throughout the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Services - Franchise and Commercial Litigation

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate & Commercial Law (BPAHAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Trademark Prosecution & Brand Protection (BPAHAMAB)

Keywords

• Franchise litigation
• Dealership litigation
• Commercial arbitration
• Appellate practice
• Franchisee legal representation

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago, Illinois

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Legal Services - Hourly/Fee-based: The firm provides legal representation in litigation and arbitration matters. As a traditional law firm, they bill for legal services, typically on an hourly basis or through contingency arrangements for appropriate cases.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Carmen D. Caruso Law Firm is a Chicago-based independent trial practice that concentrates in franchise and dealership litigation, commercial arbitration, and trial and appellate practice. The firm represents franchisees, dealers, privately held businesses, and individuals in high-stakes disputes against larger companies, institutions, and government entities.

Product overview

Carmen D. Caruso Law Firm is an independent trial practice law firm offering legal services rather than software products. The firm concentrates in trial and appellate practice, commercial arbitration, and franchise/dealership litigation, with a focus on protecting franchisees, dealers, and privately held businesses. Services include commercial litigation, intellectual property litigation, civil rights, employment law, real property disputes, and professional liability matters. The firm is recognized nationally for its franchise and dealership litigation practice.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Franchise and Dealership Litigation Services
• Trial and Appellate Practice
• Commercial Arbitration and Dispute Resolution
• Commercial Litigation Services
• Intellectual Property Litigation
• Civil Rights Litigation
• Employment Litigation
• Real Property Litigation

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully won jury verdict holding Farmers Insurance Group liable for negligent misrepresentation
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Local Counsel NetworkscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFor matters outside Illinois, the firm typically enters co-counsel relationships with lawyers in the state where the case is to be heard. These local counsel must be separately engaged by the clients. This network enables the firm to practice nationwide while maintaining compliance with state bar requirements.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Snell & Wilmer: Large multi-state law firm with a dedicated franchise and dealership practice group; comparable franchise litigation capability but within a much broader full-service platform.
• Carlton Fields: National business law firm with a dedicated franchise and distribution practice; comparable franchise litigation expertise for clients seeking a multi-jurisdiction platform.
• Seyfarth Shaw: Large national firm with a substantial franchise and commercial litigation practice; comparable capability on franchise-side disputes but within a much broader AmLaw platform.
• Offit Kurman: Mid-Atlantic full-service firm with a recognized franchise and dealership practice; broader portfolio but overlapping franchise litigation capability comparable to Caruso's core niche.
• Lathrop GPM: Midwest-based full-service firm with a notable franchise practice; comparable franchise and dealership dispute capability for clients who may prefer a larger platform.
• Faegre Drinker: Large national firm with a well-known franchise and distribution practice; comparable franchise-side litigation expertise but operating as part of a much wider corporate and litigation platform.

Direct peers

• Tarter Krinsky & Drogin: New York-based mid-size firm with a focused franchise and dealership practice; directly comparable niche specialty firm competing in franchise litigation.
• Dady & Gardner: Minneapolis-based franchise law boutique with deep franchise dispute experience; comparable to Caruso as a focused franchise litigation practice serving franchisees and dealers.
• Gray Plant Mooty: Long-established Minneapolis-based franchise and dealership law firm often cited as the leading defense-side practice; highly comparable to Caruso as a specialty franchise/dealership trial boutique with national recognition.
• FisherZucker: Philadelphia-based franchise and dealership litigation boutique; directly comparable niche specialty firm competing for franchisee-side representation in commercial disputes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Carmen-D-Caruso-Law-Firm-177844815590860
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/carmen-d-caruso-law-firm

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Carmen D. Caruso Law Firm