Elin I. Park
Partner
Overview
Elin I. Park is a lead litigation attorney in Holland & Knight's Chicago office. Ms. Park represents companies in high-stakes commercial and consumer litigation, including single-plaintiff product liability matters and class actions asserting novel theories, false advertising, unfair or deceptive trade practices, as well as violations of privacy, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and Commercial Electronic Mail Act (CEMA) statutes. She also handles real estate disputes and represents clients in regulatory proceedings and internal and government investigations.
Ms. Park works closely with and reports directly to senior executives and corporate officers of companies, who consider her a trusted adviser. She has been recognized for her effective advocacy by the courts, including a federal court that described her advocacy as "superlative."
Ms. Park's practice spans a broad range of industries, including Fortune 500 retail, appliance manufacturing, franchising, software as a service (SaaS), energy and utilities, financial institutions, insurance and trade associations.
Ms. Park has been appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court to serve on its Committee on Character and Fitness. Ms. Park is highly engaged in legal and civic communities, and has received awards from the federal court, bar associations and other organizations. In addition, she has held executive leadership roles across multiple bar associations. Ms. Park speaks Korean.
Representative Experience
- Defend dozens of single-plaintiff product liability actions nationwide involving allegations of mold exposure, asbestos exposure and fire-related incidents
- Defend personal injury claims arising from alleged mold exposure in construction projects
- Defend wrongful death product liability claims asserting alleged product defects
- Coordinate and defend hundreds of individual claims arising from nationwide product recalls
- Represented landlords and tenants in commercial lease disputes
- Represented retailers and manufacturers in high-stakes business-to-business disputes involving billions of dollars or hundreds of millions of dollars in controversy
- Represented international franchisors in disputes with franchisees arising from franchise agreements and related commercial relationships
- Represented international quick-service restaurant operatorsin business tort and contractual disputes
- Represented manufacturer in environmental litigation involving the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)
- Represented various consumer-facing companies in class actions alleging defective product, misleading advertising and unfair practices
- Represented various consumer-facing companies in privacy class actions and single-plaintiff actions, including under California and Illinois statues
- Litigated contract disputes involving software as a service (SaaS), construction, procurement, engineering, joint venture, master service agreements (MSA), statement of work (SOW) and asset purchase agreements (APA)
- Prosecute debt collection actions across jurisdictions
- Conducted high-stakes Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) investigations
- Conducted sensitive internal investigations
- Represented energy companies in power plant and construction disputes involving hundreds of millions of dollars
- Advised energy companies in regulatory proceedings resulting from wildfires
- Advised energy companies in cost-recovery regulatory proceedings
- Represented an internet service provider in a regulatory investigation regarding its response to a natural disaster
- Defend consumer class actions alleging violations of the Commercial Electronic Mail Act (CEMA) and Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) statutes
- Represented a financial institution in a class action alleging breach of fiduciary duties and mismanagement of trust assets
- Represented a financial institution and mortgage lender in multiple asset-backed securities litigation
- Represented a financial institution in an insurance coverage dispute
- Represented insurance companies in billion-dollar class actions alleging unlawful kickback programs in violations of federal and state statutes, including Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA)
- Represented a financial institution in a U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation
- Represented an asset management company in a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) investigation
- Represented a transportation provider in eminent domain proceedings
- Represented a media company in a multibillion-dollar arbitration regarding the option to acquire interest in another company
- Represented a media company in a U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation
- Represented clients in multiple civil rights litigation matters, including federal jury trials
- Advised on a range of litigation involving Korean and Japanese businesses
Credentials
- The University of Chicago Law School, J.D.
- Duke University, B.S., Economics
- Illinois
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio
- U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
- Illinois Supreme Court
- All State Courts in Illinois
- Illinois Supreme Court, Committee on Character and Fitness, 2024-Present
- Council of Korean Americans, 2023-Present
- Korean American Bar Association of Chicago (KABA), Vice President, 2020-2023; Advisory Board, 2023-Present
- Asian American Bar Association of Greater Chicago (AABA Chicago), President, 2021-2022
- National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA)
- Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI), Alumni Network, Former Board Member
- International Association of Korean Lawyers (IAKL)
- Notable Women in Law, Crain's Chicago Business, 2026
- Emerging Lawyer, Leading Lawyer, 2025
- The Best Lawyers in America guide, Ones to Watch, Commercial Litigation, 2024
- 40 Under Forty, Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, 2023
- Leadership Greater Chicago, Signature Fellow, 2023
- Distinguished Honoree, Illinois State Comptroller, 2023
- Hot List, Lawyers of Color, 2023
- Rising Star, Illinois Super Lawyers magazine, Class Action, 2022
- Rising Star in Law, Crain's Chicago Business, 2021
- Excellence in Pro Bono Service, S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, 2018
- Pro Bono and Public Service Award, Seventh Circuit Bar Association, 2014
- Phi Beta Kappa
- Korean