Bret K. Pufahl is an associate attorney with the law firm of Foote, Mielke, Chavez & O’Neil, LLC, focusing primarily on employment law matters and class actions.

While pursuing his bachelor’s degree in accounting at Eastern Illinois University, Bret served as the President of the Student Investment Society, a student organization that managed a portfolio of alumni-donated funds. The intricate legal framework in the financial industry is what originally piqued Bret’s interest in the law. With a strong desire to take his initial interest in the law to the next level, Bret went on to attend Chicago-Kent College of Law.

Before joining Foote, Mielke, Chavez & O’Neil, LLC, Bret spent time working in various industries – family law, telecommunications, and banking/finance. Bret’s diverse background allows him to approach legal issues from all angles. Bret has experience representing aggrieved employees during the administrative process, including before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Illinois Department of Human Rights, and in state and federal court. Bret is an extremely compassionate, hardworking, and results-driven person, making him an excellent choice when seeking someone to advocate on your behalf.

Bret finds joy in giving back to the community. Bret is going on his sixth year as a volunteer tutor with Lawyers Lend-A-Hand to Youth, a non-profit program that provides one-on-one tutoring to students from Chicago’s Englewood community.

Bret is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association, Public Justice, the American Bar Association, and the Chicago Bar Association.

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Areas of Practice
  • Employment Discrimination
  • Civil Rights
  • Business and Contracts
  • Class Action
  • Mass Tort
Bar Admissions
  • Illinois Supreme Court
  • United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois
Speaking Engagements and Publications
  • What’s New in 2022: An Employment Lawyer’s Guide to trending topics in 2022, LawPracticeCLE (November 2021)
Leadership
  • Chicago Bar Association, Young Lawyers Section, Labor & Employment Committee – Vice Chair (2022-2023)