Daniel O. Canales

Partner

  • Daniel O. Canales
  • Phone: +1 312 499 6724

    Import to Address Book

  • Duane Morris LLP
    190 South LaSalle Street, Suite 3700
    Chicago, IL 60603-3433
    USA

Daniel O. Canales advises, litigates and negotiates on behalf of companies in labor, employment, commercial and other civil-related matters in state and federal courts and agencies throughout the United States, and in arbitration and ADR venues. He also conducts investigations, audits, and HR training, and leads contract, restrictive covenant and due diligence matters. Mr. Canales’ clients include small businesses and multinational conglomerates across industries, such as retail, healthcare, manufacturing, distribution, energy, banking, trading and private equity. He is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, where he teaches Employment Law. Prior to his legal career, Mr. Canales advised clients on HR issues as a Senior Consultant in the Human Capital practice of Deloitte.

Areas of Practice

  • Employment and Labor Law

  • Employment Litigation

  • Non-Compete and Trade Secrets
  • Wage and Hour

Representative Matters

    Trial and Arbitration

  • First-chaired defense of nationwide collective action alleging retailer misclassified security guards as independent contractors under the Fair Labor Standards Act and Illinois state laws before the Chief Judge of the Northern District of Illinois. Led all discovery and motion practice to successfully dismiss collective action allegations. At jury trial, won complete defense verdict on all of named plaintiff’s claims, and won on retailer’s counterclaim for unjust enrichment.
  • First-chaired prosecution of former employee’s violations of the Illinois Workplace Violence Prevention Act and Civil No Contact Order Act on behalf of national non-profit and its President in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois. Obtained emergency, preliminary, and plenary orders of protection for company and President, and won three orders of contempt against former employee resulting in monetary and injunctive relief, including former employee’s incarceration.

  • First-chaired defense of securities company and bank against former employee before three-member FINRA panel in Florida seeking over $10 million. Led discovery, motion practice, and arbitration, including over 20 witnesses and competing experts. Received defense verdicts on wrongful termination and breach of contract claims, and favorable verdict on defamation claim wherein the Panel rejected claimant’s request for attorney’s fees and awarded less than 1% of claimant’s monetary demand.

  • First-chaired defense of global food company against wage garnishment claims in Winnebago County, Illinois seeking over $1.4 million. Handled all phases of discovery, motion practice, bench trial, and appeal, leading to a settlement the client found favorable.

  • Defended state municipal association against former employee’s age and gender discrimination claims in the Northern District of Illinois. Received directed verdict on gender claim, complete defense verdict from jury on age claim, and defeated motion for new trial.

  • Defended national bakery against its distributor’s breach of contract claims in the District of New Mexico. After discovery, prepared successful pretrial motions and related pleadings resulting in a settlement the client found favorable the week before trial.
  • Defended global energy company and its managers against employees’ discrimination and retaliation claims under Title VII, 42 U.S.C. § 1981, and Illinois law in the Northern District of Illinois. Prepared successful pretrial motions and related pleadings leading to settlement the client found favorable on the eve of trial.
  • Defended national retailer against employee’s pregnancy discrimination and retaliation claims in the Eastern District of Michigan. Prepared successful pre-trial motions and related pleadings leading to a complete defense verdict from jury.

    • Appellate

  • In a case of first impression under 42 U.S.C. § 1981, defended global chemical company’s human resources manager against former employee’s discrimination and retaliation claims in the Northern District of Illinois and Seventh Circuit. After extensive discovery, won summary judgment and on appeal.

  • In a case of first impression under Illinois Income Withholding for Support Act, first-chaired defense of real estate company against wage garnishments claims. After receiving defense verdict at bench trial in Cook County, Illinois, won on appeal.

  • In a case of first impression under Illinois Employee Classification Act, defended national manufacturer before the Illinois Appellate Court, which affirmed dismissal of state-wide class action.

  • First-chaired defense of pest control company against applicant’s race, retaliation, and arrest records discrimination claims in the Northern District of Illinois and Seventh Circuit. Successfully dismissed complaint and compelled arbitration, which the Seventh Circuit affirmed.

  • Defended global food company against distributor’s breach of contract claims in Colorado state trial court and Court of Appeals. Successfully dismissed distributor and its owner’s claims, opposed plaintiffs’ post-judgment motions, won appeal, and received attorney’s fees and costs from both trial and appellate courts.

    • Employment Litigation

  • First-chaired defense of global manufacturer against former staffing agency worker’s race discrimination, retaliation, and joint employer claims in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, which dismissed all of plaintiff’s claims.
  • First-chaired defense of technology start-up company against former executive’s claims of breach of contract, unequal pay, and gender and disability discrimination claims in the Northern District of Illinois. Successfully moved to dismiss claims leading to plaintiff’s voluntary withdrawal of claims for no consideration.
  • First-chaired defense of distributor against former employee’s FMLA, ADEA, and defamation claims in the District of Nevada, leading to a dismissal of all claims with prejudice.
  • Defended food company against employee’s age discrimination claims in the Northern District of Illinois. Successfully dismissed complaint resulting in a non-monetary stipulation of dismissal with prejudice.
  • Defended pharmaceutical company against employee’s Title VII discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims in the Northern District of Illinois. Conducted internal investigation and identified dispositive evidence resulting in a dismissal of complaint after plaintiff’s counsel withdrew.
  • Defended bank against employee’s Title VII claims of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in the Northern District of Illinois. Successfully dismissed complaint in part and conducted discovery on remaining claims, resulting in a non-monetary stipulated dismissal with prejudice.
  • Defended chemical company against former employee’s discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims under the FMLA, ADA, and related state law claims in the Eastern District of Tennessee. After successful discovery motion practice, won summary judgment.
  • Defended transportation company against former employee’s disability discrimination claims in the Northern District of Illinois. Successfully dismissed complaint resulting in judgment against plaintiff.
  • Defended retailer against VESSA claim before the Cook County Commission on Human Rights, including filing motion to dismiss leading to settlement the client found favorable prior to ruling.

    • Restrictive Covenants and Commercial Litigation

  • First-chaired defense of parking company and its executive against competitor’s restrictive covenant and tort claims in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois. Successfully opposed motion for TRO and filed motion to dismiss leading to a settlement the client found favorable prior to ruling.

  • First-chaired enforcement of medical practice’s restrictive covenants and breach of fiduciary duty claims against former doctor, leading to TRO in the Illinois Circuit Court of Cook County and subsequent settlement.

  • First-chaired defense of dairy industry consultant against former employer’s non-compete claims in the Southern District of Iowa. Successfully opposed motion for TRO and motion for permanent injunction, which Chief Judge denied with prejudice.

  • First-chaired enforcement of chemical company’s restrictive covenants against former sales representative and subsequent employer in the Illinois Circuit Court of Cook County, resulting in a settlement which the client found favorable prior to preliminary injunction hearing.

  • Successfully enforced healthcare company’s restrictive covenants against former executive in the Circuit Court in Lake County, Illinois, obtaining a TRO and subsequent stipulated injunction order against executive.

  • Defended healthcare sales executive against former employer’s non-compete claims in the Northern District of Illinois. Moved to dismiss claims, resulting in a settlement the client found favorable prior to the court’s ruling.

  • First-chaired enforcement of medical company’s contract claims against medical supplier, including successful motion TRO in the Northern District of Illinois, leading to settlement the client found favorable prior to the court’s ruling on motion for preliminary injunction.
  • Successfully defended commercial glass furnace manufacturer against customer’s product liability claims in the District Court of Oregon, including fact and expert discovery leading to settlement the client found favorable prior to motion for summary judgment.

    • Advice and Counsel

  • Led negotiations of three-year collective bargaining agreement on behalf of healthcare facility leading to favorable terms with union.

  • Led internal investigations into sexual harassment allegations, prepared advice memoranda, and counseled Board of Directors and in-house legal and executive teams.
  • Led internal investigations into fraud allegations, prepared advice memoranda, and counseled Board of Directors and in-house legal and executive teams.

  • Advised U.S. distributor on acquisition, addressing labor and employment related due diligence, APA revisions and negotiations, and employee onboarding strategy and execution.

  • Advised global employer on corporate reorganization, including multiple RIFs, plant moves, and plant closures impacting thousands of employees’ rights under the WARN Act, OWBPA, NLRA, and state laws.

  • Led publishing company’s post-accident investigation of warehouse employee’s death, including fact investigation, witness interviews, preservation of evidence, and facilitating investigations by OSHA and deceased employee’s family attorneys.

  • Advised global manufacturer on enterprise-wide OFCCP audit, assessing federal contractor and subcontractor status, application of intracompany single entity test, and scope of affirmative action plans.

  • Conducted wage and hour audit for U.S. employer on hundreds of positions, policies, and practices for compliance with FLSA and state law.

  • Annually prepare nationwide updates to employer handbooks, policies, and guidelines.

Admissions

  • Illinois
  • U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit

Education

  • Chicago-Kent College of Law, J.D., 2008
    - Recipient, Certificate in Labor and Employment Law
  • Northwestern University, B.A., 2001
    - Recipient, Evans Scholarship, Evans Scholars Foundation

Experience

  • Duane Morris LLP
    - Partner, 2019-present

  • Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart PC
    - Shareholder, 2017-2019
    - Associate, 2008-2016
    - Summer Associate, 2007

  • Deloitte
    - Senior Consultant, 2004-2005
    - Consultant, 2002-2003
    - Associate Consultant, 2001-2002

Professional Activities

  • Director, Western Golf Association Evans Scholars Foundation
  • Adjunct Professor of Law, Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, Employment Law
  • Member, The Economic Club of Chicago
  • Member, Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois

Honors and Awards

  • Listed in Best Lawyers in America, 2026

  • Listed in Illinois Super Lawyers Rising Stars, 2013-2019

Selected Publications

Selected Speaking Engagements

  • Speaker, “2025 Illinois Employment Law Update: What Employers Need to Know for 2026,” Duane Morris Institute (DMi) Webinar, December 9, 2025
  • Speaker, “2025 Legal Update: Restrictive Covenants, Pay Transparency, and the NLRB,” Duane Morris LLP, May 29, 2025
  • Speaker, “Restrictive Covenants: Protecting Your Business,” Pritzker Private Capital Executive Summit, September 24, 2024
  • Speaker, “Current Trends in Employment, Labor, Benefits, and Immigration Law and Their Impact on Your Business,” Duane Morris LLP, May 22, 2024
  • Speaker, “Corporate Compliance Workshop,” Pritzker Private Capital Executive Summit, September 19, 2023
  • Speaker, "Developments in Workplace Law and Practice," Duane Morris LLP, May 31, 2023 
  • Speaker, "HR in the Heartland: Compliance Action Items for Illinois and Ohio Employers," Duane Morris Institute (DMi) Webinar, September 20, 2022
  • Speaker, "The New Normal Series: What’s Hot in Employment Law," Association of Legal Administrators, Chicago Chapter, Webinar, January 19, 2022
  • Speaker, "State Law Updates, Including COVID-19 Workplace Laws and Regulations," The New Reality of Workplace Law and Practice in the COVID-19 Era, Duane Morris LLP, Webinar, November 12, 2020
  • Moderator, "Ethics in Settlement Discussions, Collective Bargaining, and Other Negotiations," Ogletree Deakins Workplace Strategies, Las Vegas, 2019

  • Speaker, "Making the Tough Call: Real World Ethical Dilemmas for In-House Counsel," Association of Corporate Counsel, Chicago, 2017

  • Speaker, "2016 Employment Law Update: What Illinois Employers Need to Know," Ogletree Deakins Briefing, Chicago, 2016