In January 2010, Carmen D. Caruso re-established his own firm, dedicated to his mission of representing franchise, dealership and other entrepreneurial clients as effectively as possible. The practice was first incorporated in 1997.

From 2001 to 2008 Caruso was a Litigation Partner at Schwartz Cooper Chartered, a mid-sized firm, where he established and served as Chair of the firm’s Franchise & Distribution practice, overseeing a “full service” practice for franchisor clients while maintaining his active advocacy for aggrieved franchisees and dealers. In 2008 and 2009, Caruso briefly partnered with a smaller Chicago firm.

In his early years, Caruso gained substantial trial experience in both civil and criminal cases as a partner in a nationally recognized litigation boutique Foran & Schultz that was founded by a former United States Attorney. Caruso worked on numerous high profile matters including the defense of a former Illinois governor and many complex, high stakes civil cases including the defense of the world’s largest franchisor in a trade secrets case in which the plaintiff was seeking damages exceeding $200 million.

Born and raised in Chicago, Caruso graduated from Marquette University (B.A. in psychology, with honors) in 1980 and from Loyola University of Chicago (J.D. 1983), where he won the American Jurisprudence Award in antitrust law, made the Law Review, taught a Street Law/Mock Trial class in a Chicago public high school, argued a federal court appeal, and served as an extern for the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. He also obtained a Masters Advocate certificate from the prestigious National Institute of Trial Advocacy (N.I.T.A.) and completed the American Bar Association’s comprehensive training in commercial arbitration.

Caruso is an active member of the American Bar Association and the Illinois State Bar Association. He is also a member of Alpha Sigma Nu (the National Jesuit Honor Society), the Board of Advisor for Catholic Charities of Chicago, and member of the Union League Club of Chicago. Recently he served as an officer of the Mount Carmel High School Fathers Club and is active in the Chicago Chapter of Marquette University Alumni.