Max Barack, Esq.
The Garfinkel Group, LLC https://garfinkelgroup.com/meet-our-team/
About The Lecturer
Max P. Barack leads the litigation practice at The Garfinkel Group, LLC, where he exclusively represents workers in plaintiff-side employment law matters. With over a decade of experience, Max focuses on wage and hour violations, workplace discrimination, harassment, retaliation, whistleblower claims, severance negotiations, and biometric privacy class actions. He is particularly skilled in electronic discovery and has litigated numerous class and collective action lawsuits on behalf of workers impacted by illegal company-wide practices.
Max serves as President of NELA-Illinois and co-chairs its Legislative and Communications Committees. In these roles, he has contributed to legislative advancements, including amendments to the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act, Illinois Gender Violence Act, and Illinois Personnel Records Review Act. He co-hosts NELA-Illinois’ Employee to Lawyer podcast and is a recognized speaker on employment law topics, having presented on employee privacy, discovery practices, whistleblower protections, and legislative developments. Max has also published articles on workplace transparency, the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act, and leveraging the Illinois Gender Violence Act in the #MeToo era.
Max has been named to Super Lawyers’ Rising Stars list every year from 2020 to 2025 for employment litigation and recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch from 2021 to 2025. He is a past member of the Decalogue Society of Lawyers’ Board of Managers, the Chicago Bar Association’s Media Productions Committee, and the Legal Network for Gender Equity. He has appeared in televised roundtables discussing workplace equity and led discussions on defending transgender rights, combatting sexual abuse, and promoting diversity in the legal profession.
Max earned his J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law and his B.A. with honors from the University of Michigan. He is admitted to practice in Illinois, the Northern District of Illinois (Trial Bar), and the Central District of Illinois. Fluent in Spanish, Max frequently represents primarily Spanish-speaking clients.
Practice Area(s)
Employment Law
Labor & Employment
Education
J.D., Chicago-Kent College of Law
B.A., University of Michigan
