Son's WC Law Firm Benefited Greatly From Union Boss Dad's Tenure

Monday, May 21, 2018 | 0

A fledgling workers' compensation law firm was paid more than $8 million by two Teamsters organizations shortly after the father of the firm's principal attorney took over as union trustee, the Chicago Sun-Times newspaper reported Friday.

Longtime labor leader John Coli Sr. stepped down from the Teamsters last year, after three years on the job and shortly before he was indicted on extortion charges, the newspaper reported.

His son, Joseph Coli, finished law school in 2012 and, within weeks, his new firm was named counsel for a Teamsters group. Teamsters Local 710 in Chicago still lists the firm, Illinois Advocates, as one of two "recommended workers' compensation and labor attorneys."

After another longtime labor law firm was fired, the union paid Joseph Coli's firm more than $300,000 in 2015 and 2016, the paper said. That came after another Teamsters branch, Local 720, paid the firm more than $8 million over three years.

The elder Coli said he was not paid for his role as trustee of the union. But another union activist said, "Coli used the union to benefit his own family," the newspaper reported.

John Coli was appointed trustee of the union by Teamsters International President James P. Hoffa.