Proskauer is proud to share a significant victory in our long-standing advocacy for the rights of blind and visually impaired pedestrians in Chicago. On May 29, 2025, the Honorable Judge LaShonda A. Hunt of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois entered a comprehensive Remedial Plan Order requiring the City of Chicago to install Accessible Pedestrian Signals (“APS”) at 71% of its signalized intersections with pedestrian signals within 10 years and at all remaining signalized intersections with pedestrian signals by December 31, 2040. This Remedial Plan Order follows years of litigation and advocacy by Proskauer in partnership with Disability Rights Advocates (“DRA”), a nationwide nonprofit disability rights legal center, and marks a monumental step forward in ensuring that Chicago’s pedestrian infrastructure is accessible to all. American Council of the Blind of Metropolitan Chicago, et al. v. City of Chicago, No. 1:19-cv-06322 (N.D. Ill.).

Background

APS are push-button devices that provide pedestrians with safe-crossing information in a non-visual format. Less than one percent of Chicago’s 2,800+ signalized intersections have APS. In 2019, Proskauer and DRA filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of American Council of the Blind of Metropolitan Chicago and three individual plaintiffs alleging that the City of Chicago violated Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act by failing to provide APS at signalized intersections. The United States Department of Justice (the “United States”) intervened in 2021, and the Court granted class certification in 2022. On March 31, 2023, U.S. District Court Judge Elaine E. Bucklo granted summary judgment to Plaintiffs and the United States, holding the City in violation of the ADA and the Rehabilitation Act.

Remedial Plan Order

The entry of the Remedial Plan Order effectively concludes the litigation and requires the City of Chicago to:

  • Install APS at approximately 71% of signalized intersections with pedestrian signals by the end of 2035 (Phase I), and at all remaining signalized intersections with pedestrian signals by the end of 2040 (Phase II).
  • Prioritize installations at signalized intersections with pedestrian signals in response to public requests (which may be made online, in-person or by telephone), at intersections identified in the City of Chicago’s Complex Intersection Study as particularly dangerous or complex, at all newly signalized intersections, at all signalized intersections with pedestrian signals that undergo a traffic signal modernization, and at all signalized intersections with pedestrian signals within 1/8 mile of public transportation and public facilities.
  • Meet yearly minimums to install approximately 1,844 APS over the next ten years.
  • Establish a robust compliance and maintenance program, including on-site inspections, public reporting and timely repairs.
  • Create an APS Community Advisory Committee and maintain an accessible APS website to facilitate transparency and community involvement.
  • Appoint an Independent Monitor to oversee implementation and report annually to the Court.
  • Engage a Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (“COMS”) with expertise in APS and familiarity with Chicago to consult on aspects of APS implementation and ensure that installations meet the needs of blind and visually impaired pedestrians.

The Court’s order will not only require Chicago to install APS at all signalized intersections with pedestrian signals by 2040, but also maintain them and engage with the community. These efforts will guarantee meaningful access for Chicagoans with vision disabilities to navigate their city safely and independently. The Proskauer team has included numerous attorneys over the last six years and currently consists of Nigel Telman, Eddie Young and Ray Alvarez.

Posted in Disability Rights, Human Rights, Pro Bono
Tags: advocacy, American Council of the Blind of Metropolitan Chicago, Chicago, Community, Disability Rights Advocates, Human Rights, Justice, lawsuit, Nonprofit, pedestrians, Pro Bono, Proskauer, victory, visually-impaired
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Photo of Nigel F. Telman Nigel F. Telman

Nigel F. Telman is the Managing Partner of the Firm’s Chicago office, leads the Employment practice in the Chicago office, and is co-head of the Labor Department’s national Employment Litigation & Arbitration Practice Group.

Nigel serves as a high-level strategic advisor to his…

Nigel F. Telman is the Managing Partner of the Firm’s Chicago office, leads the Employment practice in the Chicago office, and is co-head of the Labor Department’s national Employment Litigation & Arbitration Practice Group.

Nigel serves as a high-level strategic advisor to his clients on “bet the company” employment-related claims that often involve significant reputational risk. The nation’s leading organizations turn to Nigel to handle their most sensitive and challenging matters which, due to his involvement, often successfully result in non-public and confidential resolutions. When matters are unable to be settled, Nigel works with clients to strategically design a litigation strategy that advantageously positions them for successful dispositive motions, trial and the possibility of post-trial appeals.

A strategic advisor to boards and C-suite executives on the full spectrum of the employer/employee relationship, Nigel’s nationwide practice is concentrated in litigating single and class action disputes arising out of claims of workplace harassment and employment discrimination, and in handling confidential workplace investigations. In addition, Nigel has significant experience defending and enforcing Restrictive Covenant Agreements, as well as protecting employers’ trade secrets and other confidential information from misappropriation by former employees through the institution of emergency litigation seeking temporary and permanent injunctive relief. Nigel utilizes his experience litigating employment-related disputes to counsel clients on effective ways to avoid litigation. His counseling practice focuses on training and advising clients on ways to improve all aspects of the employment relationship, including techniques on how to make effective hiring decisions; reviewing and revising employment policies, practices and procedures; and advising on employee disciplinary matters, reductions in force and termination decisions.

Providing the highest level of strategic advice and execution across all phases of the employee lifecycle from hire to exit, Nigel represents clients in a range of industries before state and federal courts throughout the country as well as before the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, state and local administrative agencies, and the American Arbitration Association.

Nigel is ranked by Chambers USA in Illinois for Labor & Employment and his clients praise him as being “business-savvy and delivering stellar results. He is an extremely effective negotiator and has the highest degree of integrity in all of his dealings.”

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Photo of Edward Young Edward Young

Edward “Eddie” C. Young is a senior counsel in the Labor & Employment Law Department and a member of the following Firm practice groups: Restrictive Covenants & Trade Secrets; Discrimination, Harassment & Title VII; and Whistleblowing & Retaliation.

Eddie represents employers in all…

Edward “Eddie” C. Young is a senior counsel in the Labor & Employment Law Department and a member of the following Firm practice groups: Restrictive Covenants & Trade Secrets; Discrimination, Harassment & Title VII; and Whistleblowing & Retaliation.

Eddie represents employers in all aspects of employment law, with a concentration on litigating complex employment disputes of all types before federal and state courts throughout the country, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, state and local human rights commissions and arbitral tribunals (e.g., FINRA and AAA).  In particular, Eddie has successfully litigated employment-related disputes alleging breach of non-compete agreements, theft of trade secrets, discrimination, sexual harassment, whistleblower retaliation, wage and hour violations, including employee misclassification claims, breach of contract, defamation, fraud and other business-related torts.  Eddie has obtained a world-wide injunction to enforce a client’s non-competition restriction on a former executive, successfully defended a client through summary judgment and appeal against retaliation claims brought by a former General Counsel, represented Fortune 500 companies in defense of high-profile harassment claims associated with the #metoo movement, and provided representation to several professional sports leagues.  He also has significant appellate experience, including successfully representing clients before the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the First, Second and Seventh Circuits, as well as before the United States Supreme Court.  Eddie often draws on his litigation experience to help clients avoid the courtroom by effectuating positive change in the workplace through impactful training, counseling and developing robust employment policies.

Working in a wide range of industries, Eddie represented clients in food services, financial services, medical devices, telecommunications, higher education, sports, retail, real estate and others.

Eddie has been recognized as “One to Watch” by Best Lawyers in America since 2021 and as a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers since 2017. He also regularly advises clients, writes and speaks on cutting-edge legal issues, including the use of Artificial Intelligence in the workplace, and legal issues arising from the collection and use of employee biometric information.

Eddie maintains an active pro bono practice, including on-going representation of a certified class of approximately 65,000 visually disabled Chicagoans in litigation challenging the City’s lack of accessible pedestrian crosswalks.  Eddie is also a member of the Firm’s Pro-Bono Committee and is a three-time recipient of the Firm’s “Golden Gavel” award for his significant pro bono contributions.

Prior to joining Proskauer, Eddie was a cum laude graduate from Loyola University Chicago School of Law. He also obtained a Master’s Degree in Human Resources and Industrial Relations from Loyola University Chicago Graduate School of Business. He began his practice at a national management-side employment law firm, and has also worked in the corporate human resources department of a national tax consulting firm and as a Fellow with the Illinois Human Rights Commission.

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