ABOUT TSAMIS LAW
Betty Tsamis, the founder and managing partner of Tsamis Law Firm, P.C. was born and raised in the Chicago area. Ms. Tsamis was raised by Greek immigrants and working class people who were also entrepreneurs. The Tsamis family owned and operated, for a number of years, one of the largest retail ice cream truck companies in the nation.
As a result of her experiences, Ms. Tsamis understands the unique legal challenges faced by small business and working class people.
Ms. Tsamis graduated from the University of Denver Law School with honors in 2001. In law school, she clerked for the Denver District Attorney's Office as well as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Ms. Tsamis spent her last year in law school conducting intensive directed research on the topic of fourth amendment law and racial profiling. Right out law school, she worked as a municipal prosecutor and insurance defense lawyer. She also served as a fourth amendment legal consultant to the State of Colorado, teaching fourth amendment law and anti-biased policing to police officers throughout the State of Colorado.
Ms. Tsamis has represented clients in a wide range of cases including employment, personal injury/motor vehicle accident, and civil rights. She has worked on a number of high profile cases that have received wide media attention including the Jon Benet Ramsey case.
Because of her diverse legal experiences, Ms. Tsamis is an effective advocate for her clients and has been successful in obtaining early and fair settlements without the need for protracted litigation, trials, and appeals. However, she is fully capable and ready to aggressively represent her clients in court when needed.
In addition to her law practice, Ms. Tsamis serves as adjunct faculty at Loyola University in Chicago. She is a frequent lecturer and author on various legal topics.
Bar Admissions
Illinois Supreme Court
Colorado Supreme Court
U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
10th Circuit Court of Appeals
Appearances
CNN, “American Morning”, July 2004
Publications
“House Bill 1114: Eliminating Biased Policing,” Colorado Lawyer, July 2002.
Instruction
Loyola University, Adjunct Faculty, “Employment & Labor Relations Law.”
VIP GlobalNet, “Eliminating Harassment & Discrimination in the Legal Workplace,” October 2009 and November 2010.
Illinois Valley Community College, “Employment & Labor Law Update 2009,” August 2009.
City of Chicago, Department of Business Affairs, “Survive: Key Legal Issues Impacting your Business Today,”
June 5, 2009.
Bryce Downey & Lenkov, Legal Seminar Series, “Employment and Labor Law Update,” March 2009.
State of Colorado, Legal Consultant
4th Amendment, Civil Rights, 2002-2003
Additional information available upon request
In 2006, Mr. Whitford graduated from the University of Michigan with a bachelor’s degree in economics; in 2009, he received his law degree from Michigan State University College of Law with honors. In law school, Mr. Whitford held positions with Elder Law of Michigan, his law school’s Small Business & Nonprofit Clinic, and Thrun Law Firm. At Elder Law, Mr. Whitford assisted low-income senior citizens with various legal issues ranging from estate planning to debt collection. At the Clinic, Mr. Whitford worked directly with small businesses and nonprofits in the community, providing them needed legal services related to formation and taxation. With Thrun Law Firm, Mr. Whitford gained valuable experience in various areas of the law, including employment and constitutional.
Also during his time in law school, Mr. Whitford served as President of Triangle Bar (LGBTQ student organization). Mr. Whitford organized panels on being ‘out’ in the workplace and California’s hotly-debated Proposition 8 (which voters passed in November 2008, eliminating same-sex marriage in the state). He also organized social events and turned the organization into one of the most active student organizations in the law school during his time there.
After law school, Mr. Whitford moved to Chicago. Since then, Mr. Whitford has worked for the City and has added another degree to his collection, earning a master’s degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology in intellectual property management.
Because of his diverse legal background, Mr. Whitford is able to effectively advocate for and understand the varying needs of his clients.
Bar Admissions
Illinois Bar