Noel W. Sterett
- 815.986.8050
- nsterett@daltontomich.com
Noel W. Sterett, leader of Dalton & Tomich’s Illinois office, has advised for profit and not-for-profit corporations in Illinois for over a decade. He enjoys helping small businesses and entrepreneurs accomplish their goals from start to finish.
From corporate formation to drafting contracts and bylaws, Noel has helped clients navigate a variety of legal issues and overcome obstacles to their success. He has significant experience helping his clients navigate zoning and land use laws. He is also an experienced litigator and has handled a variety of cases in both state and federal court. As lead trial and appellate counsel, Noel recently secured a major health care employment discrimination decision from the Illinois Appellate Court.
He is a graduate of Regent University’s School of Law in Virginia and holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Truman State University in Missouri. Noel is a member in good standing and admitted to practice in the: State of Illinois (2007), United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (2007), United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin (2012), United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit (2012), and United
States Supreme Court (2018).
Noel resides in Rockford, Illinois with his wife and five children.
Professional Activity:
- Apostolic Church v. Borough of Pemberton, 10-cv-03609 (N.J. 2010)
- Harvest Market Missionary Ministries, v. Borough of Pine Hill, 11-cv-01179 (N.J. 2011)
- Iglesia Cristiana Renacer v. City of Lynn, 11-cv-11945 (Mass. 2011)
- No Limits Christian Ministries, Inc. v. City of Mountain Home, 11-cv-00255 (Idaho 2011)
- Teesdale v. City of Chicago, 792 F. Supp. 2d 978 (N.D.Ill. 2011)
- Harvest Covenant Church v. City of Milwaukee, 12-cv-00549 (E.D. Wisc. 2012)
- The Life Center, Inc. v. City of Elgin, 13-cv-2842 (N.D. Ill 2013)
- Lela, et. al. v. Board of Trustees, 14-cv-05417 (N.D. Ill. 2014)
- Mount Zion Church of God in Christ v. Garden City, 14-cv-01361 (Kansas 2014)
- River Hills Community Church v. Village of Sauk City, 14-cv-00048 (W.D. Wisc. 2014)
- Liberty Baptist Church v. Crawford County, 15-cv-01130 (Kansas 2015)
- World Outreach Conference Center v. City of Chicago, 787 F.3d 839 (7th Cir. 2015)
- The King’s Tabernacle v. Town of Johnston, Rhode Island, 16-cv-00030 (Rhode Island 2016)
- Original Bible Church of Illinois v. City of Markham, 16-cv-11315 (N.D. Illinois 2016)
- New Life in Jesus Ministry v. City of Dothan, Alabama, 17-cv-00694 (Alabama 2017
- Affordable Recovery Housing v. City of Blue Island, 860 F.3d 580, 581 (7th Cir. 2017)
- Service Award, Alliance Defending Freedom, 2017
- Bronze Service Award, Alliance Defending Freedom
- National Litigation Academy Honor Corps, Alliance Defending Freedom
- 2014 Rising Star, Illinois Super Lawyers
- Illinois Super Lawyers list, 2015 and 2016
- Member, Christian Legal Society
- Allied Attorney, Alliance Defending Freedom
- Board Member, Courtside Ministries
- Advisory Council Member, National Institute of Family and Life Advocates (NIFLA)
- Member, Rockford Chamber of Commerce
- Amicus curiae brief in support of the ministerial housing allowance in Gaylor v. Mnuchin (2018)
- Amicus curiae brief filed in the United States Supreme Court case of NIFLA v. Becerra on behalf of 23 Illinois pregnancy care centers.
- “Leveling the Playing Field: A Guide for Churches Navigating the Religious Land Use and Zoning Process,” with Daniel P. Dalton, May 2018
- Noel has had many speaking engagements, including:
- “Modern Shifts in Religious Liberty Law,” University of Chicago Federalist Society, November 17, 2021
- “Protecting Religious Freedom Through Federal Land Use Laws,” Christian Legal Society National Conference, October 30, 2021
- “Employer Vaccine Mandates and Religious Exemption Requests,” Winnebago County Bar Association, October 20, 2021
- “Religious Land Use Litigation Since 2000,” ABA Midyear Meeting, Houston 2015
- “When Civil Liberties and Zoning Powers Collide,” Christian Legal Society
