On Thursday, February 19, 2026, the Administrator of the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission filed a formal complaint against attorney Lisa M. Stauff. The complaint alleges that Ms. Stauff engaged in professional misconduct warranting discipline under Supreme Court Rule 770, stemming from her representation of a client identified as “R.R.” and her subsequent non-cooperation with the ARDC’s investigation.
The case is entitled “In the Matter of Lisa M. Stauff,” with case no. 2026PR00011.
Ms. Stauff operated as a sole practitioner in Chicago, primarily handling employment law cases for plaintiffs. In December 2022, she agreed to represent R.R. in a discrimination matter against his former employer, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), for a monthly fee of $250. R.R. paid Ms. Stauff a total of $3,250 between December 2022 and January 2024 for her services.
The case originated from an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) discrimination charge R.R. filed on November 21, 2022. After the EEOC closed its investigation and issued a right-to-sue letter on January 16, 2024, Ms. Stauff filed a complaint on R.R.’s behalf in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on April 15, 2024. The complaint alleged violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act. However, despite federal rules requiring service of the complaint within 90 days, Ms. Stauff repeatedly failed to serve DCEO.
Court records indicate a series of status hearings from May 3, 2024, through November 4, 2024, where Ms. Stauff consistently reported issues with or lack of service. She attempted service by mail to an incorrect address and later to the State Attorney General, but never secured proper personal service. On December 18, 2024, the court set a final deadline of January 17, 2025, for proof of service, warning of dismissal. This deadline was extended to February 3, 2025, but Ms. Stauff still failed to comply. Consequently, on February 5, 2025, the court dismissed R.R.’s case for want of prosecution, a notice Ms. Stauff received via PACER, the federal court’s online portal.
Following the dismissal, on February 14, 2025, Ms. Stauff falsely informed R.R. that she was “filing things” in his case, deliberately concealing the dismissal. She subsequently ceased all communication with R.R., ignoring his numerous text messages in March and April 2025 and phone calls from April through June 2025. R.R. eventually discovered the dismissal himself through the PACER system in April 2025. His attempts to reopen the case were unsuccessful, though the court did grant his motion to terminate Ms. Stauff as his counsel on July 23, 2025.
The ARDC’s complaint further details Ms. Stauff’s alleged failure to cooperate with its investigation. After receiving R.R.’s request for investigation on May 8, 2025, Ms. Stauff failed to provide a requested written response within 14 days. A second letter on June 20, 2025, also went unanswered. On July 22, 2025, she was subpoenaed for a sworn statement and document production on August 21, 2025, but neither produced records nor appeared. A second subpoena for an October 31, 2025, sworn statement also resulted in non-appearance, despite her requesting a continuance shortly before the scheduled time and then failing to follow up. As of February 17, 2026, Ms. Stauff had not provided any written response to the ARDC.
The ARDC alleges that Ms. Stauff’s conduct violated several Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct, including Rule 1.3 (diligence), Rule 1.4(a)(3) and (4) (communication), Rule 3.2 (expediting litigation), Rule 8.4(c) (dishonesty, fraud, deceit, misrepresentation), and Rule 8.4(d) (conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice). Additionally, her non-cooperation with the ARDC investigation is cited as a violation of Rule 8.1(b) (failure to respond to lawful demands for information from a disciplinary authority).
The Administrator requests a hearing to determine findings of fact, conclusions of law, and a recommendation for appropriate discipline.
According to Avvo.com, Ms. Stauff is an employment and labor attorney in Chicago, Illinois. She attended the Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology, graduating in 2001. She acquired her law license in Illinois in the same year.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
