Laura J. Goodloe is a founding partner of Puchalski Goodloe, LLP. Laura’s practice is focused on public pension, employment, and sports based immigration law.
Laura has extensive experience representing Illinois police and firefighter pension funds. Her experience covers not only proper administration of pension funds and compliance issues, but also administrative proceedings and appellate review. Laura provides her clients with a wide range expertise in substantive pension matters such as disability and retirement hearings, pension fund participation, refunds of contributions, QILDROs, re-entry into active service, benefit overpayments and underpayments, and municipal underfunding matters.
Laura is currently Deputy Counsel for the Illinois Public Pension Fund Association (IPPFA). As Deputy Counsel, Laura has spoken at numerous IPPFA conferences and seminars, drafted legal articles for the IPPFA newsletter, and has co-authored the Illinois Firefighters’ Pension Fund Trustee Handbook and the Illinois Police Pension Fund Trustee Handbook.
Laura has also represented pension applicants before downstate firefighter and police pension funds, the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund, and the Retirement Board for the Policeman’s Annuity & Benefit Fund for the City of Chicago.
Laura also practices immigration law and has represented professional and semi-professional athletes in immigration matters. Laura assists her clients in not only the visa petition process but also in adjustment of status (greencard) and naturalization proceedings. She has a keen understanding of the various issues athletes face in the immigration process. She has represented numerous professional and semi-professional hockey players in the NHL and AHL and is currently broadening her practice to include immigration services tailored toward professional equestrians.
Laura also practices employment law, primarily representing private sector employers. Laura has represented employers on numerous levels from the initial stages of an internal complaint to defense against claims before the EEOC, the Illinois Department of Human Rights, and the Illinois Human Rights Commission. She has also handled matters before the Illinois Department of Labor and the United States Department of Labor. Laura’s understanding of wage and hour, pension, health and welfare, anti-discrimination, contract and tort law help to ensure that her clients receive proper advice concerning the drafting and execution of employment contracts, employee handbooks & policy manuals, severance agreements and termination documentation.
Laura is admitted to practice before the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States District Court for Illinois. She has argued numerous cases before Illinois’ Appellate Courts and the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Laura received a B.A from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida and graduated with honors. She received her J.D. from Stetson University College of Law in Gulfport, Florida. During law school, Laura was chosen as a finalist to compete in the first year appellate advocacy competition. She interned as a clerk for Florida’s Twelfth Judicial Circuit Court and a prominent Florida law firm. Upon graduation, Laura returned to Chicago to intern for Honorable Samuel Der-Yeghiayan with the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. After passing the Illinois bar, Laura started her own law firm with Richard J. Puchalski.
