Laura Ricketts Settles Lawsuit Over Wilmette Mansion Flaws

Sometimes suing for perfection can bring change, even after years of litigation.

A six-year legal fight over the construction of Laura Ricketts’ $13 million Wilmette lakefront mansion ended with the Chicago Cubs co-owner recovering only a fraction of what she sought.

An arbitration panel awarded Ricketts roughly $600,000 — about 12 percent of her $5 million exterior claims — after rejecting the bulk of her complaints against LG Construction Group, the home’s builder, Crain’s reported.

Ricketts accused LG and architecture firm Morgante Wilson of botching everything from millwork and windows to the radiant heating system in her six-bedroom Sheridan Road estate.

Ricketts bought the property in the 400 block of Sheridan Road in Wilmette for $6.5 million under a trust in 2010, The Real Deal first reported. Construction on the home began in 2012 and continued until 2016. Ricketts and her family moved into the home in 2015 while work was ongoing that ultimately cost $12.8 million.

Ricketts, who also co-owns the Chicago Sky and Chicago Red Stars, began documenting more than 1,500 alleged defects soon after moving in, claiming the problems added $7 million to the project’s price tag. Morgante Wilson settled privately with her before arbitration began, leaving LG to face the claims.

The arbitrators found that Ricketts failed to prove most of her allegations, concluding that none of the interior issues — which totaled $8 million — stemmed from construction defects. Instead, they sided with LG’s argument that the complaints reflected “an improper standard of perfection” and normal wear and tear after nearly a decade in the home.

The decision followed a year of arbitration hearings and testimony spanning more than 12,000 pages.

“Our construction quality and our reputation have been validated,” LG principal Brian Goldberg told the outlet.

The $600,000 award was fully covered by subcontractor settlements and insurance, according to LG’s legal team at Traub Lieberman. Goldberg said his firm did not pay any portion of the award out of pocket but acknowledged the company is still recouping legal costs after years of defense.

Ricketts, through a spokesperson, declined to comment. Arbitration proceedings are private, and details of the settlement and the arbitrators’ identities are confidential.

The dispute centered on questions of liability and patience.

Goldberg said Ricketts didn’t notify LG of many alleged defects until years after moving in, denying the builder a chance to make repairs. Among her complaints were leaks, warped woodwork, uneven floors and roofing failures in a glass-walled “Lake Room” facing Lake Michigan.