Andy & Sophie's Lawsuit Names Councilman Joe Clement, 'I Believe That Women Should Be Protected': Bar Owner

JOLIET, IL — Ian Barney and his Chicago-based personal injury law firm that has filed several cases against the Joliet Police Department and Will County Sheriff's Office in recent years is now suing Joliet's Andy & Sophie's Bar and City Councilman Joe Clement, who worked as the bar manager in 2024 and 2025.

Barney Hammond LLP has filed its civil lawsuit at the Will County Courthouse on behalf of Alejandro Barron, 33, of Joliet, stemming from a reported attack that occurred on April 11, 2025, at Andy & Sophie's bar. Attorneys Ian M. Barney and Jason E. Hammond of Barney Hammond represent Barron in the case.

"Mr. Barron did nothing wrong. He witnessed inappropriate behavior, documented it, and was brutalized for it. The fact that a sitting city councilman is alleged to have participated in this attack is beyond disturbing," Barney said.

Attorney Patrick Walsh, who owns Andy & Sophie's, issued a statement on Monday afternoon in regard to the lawsuit.

"This dram shop lawsuit brought by the Plaintiff against Andy and Sophie’s has no merit. The evidence will show that the Plaintiff was taking photographs of a woman’s backside and women were uncomfortable. It was reported to Mr. Clement and there was a text that contained the picture of the woman’s backside. Mr. Clement reasonably and appropriately addressed the situation when he asked the Plaintiff leave," Walsh remarked. "Mr. Clement’s actions were lawful and appropriate under the circumstances. The evidence will show that the incident was not caused by the service of alcohol, but rather was caused the Plaintiff’s own conduct while on the premises.

"In my personal opinion, hypothetically speaking, and not to compare it to anything alleged in this lawsuit, I believe that women should be protected. Women should be able to feel safe when they go to a restaurant. Hypothetically, if a person takes pictures of a woman’s butt inside a restaurant without a woman’s permission or consent and then sends those pictures from a cell phone like some sort of trophy, a business should be allowed to ask that person to leave."

Walsh said that Clement no longer works as the bar manager, but Clement's departure had nothing at all to do with the case that is now the focus of the civil lawsuit. "We're all on good terms," Walsh said.

According to the complaint filed at the Will County Courthouse, Alejandro Barron saw someone in the bar groping a female server, and he recorded the conduct on his phone. Upon discovering the recording, Clement — a manager at Andy and Sophie's and a sitting Joliet councilman — along with Andy & Sophie's bar patron John Riley and a third unidentified individual, "confronted Mr. Barron and subjected him to a savage, unprovoked attack. Mr. Barron was choked and punched repeatedly and had his phone stolen. He briefly lost consciousness and was transported by Joliet Fire Department ambulance to Saint Joseph Medical Center," according to Barney Hammond.

According to the lawsuit, "At the aforesaid time and place, the force of Defendants, JOE CLEMENT, JOHN RILEY, and/or UNIDENTIFIED INTOXICATED PERSON’S, strikes knocked Plaintiff to the ground, rendering him vulnerable and unable to defend himself. At the aforesaid time and place, while Plaintiff was on the ground, Defendants, JOE CLEMENT, JOHN RILEY, and/or UNIDENTIFIED INTOXICATED PERSON, continued to violently kick, punch, and strike Plaintiff’s face, head, groin, and/or body repeatedly."

The Chicago personal injury lawyers said their client, Barron, suffered significant injuries and continues to receive medical treatment. They noted that their lawsuit includes assault and battery claims against the defendants, as well as a negligence claim and a Dram Shop Act claim against the bar, alleging the bar served alcohol to an intoxicated patron whose intoxication contributed to the attack.

The lawsuit states that on or about April 11, 2025, and at all times relevant to this Complaint:

"Defendant, JOE CLEMENT, was an employee, servant, and/or agent of Defendant, ANDY AND SOPHIE’S, INC., working as a manager at ANDY AND SOPHIE’S, and was acting within the scope of his employment and/or agency."

On or about April 11, 2025, and at all times relevant to this Complaint, "Defendant, JOHN RILEY, was an employee, servant, and/or agent of Defendant, ANDY AND SOPHIE’S, INC., and was acting within the scope of his employment and/or agency."

On or about April 11, 2025, and at all times relevant to this Complaint, Defendant, "UNIDENTIFIED INTOXICATED PERSON, was an employee, servant, and/or agent of
Defendant, ANDY AND SOPHIE’S, INC., and was acting within the scope of his employment and/or agency."

Clement told Joliet Patch on Monday that he left Andy & Sophie's last June after coming on board as bar manager to help get the bar and kitchen reopened in 2024.

In regard to being named in the Andy & Sophie's lawsuit, "I did not do anything wrong, and I will let the court system run its course. This sounds like a money grab to me," Clement told Joliet Patch.

The case is now pending in Will County Circuit Court.

Back in February 2025, Andy & Sophie's was featured in a Joliet Patch human-interest article profiling the bar's return to glory: Andy & Sophie's: Unbelievable Comeback Of Joliet's Neighborhood Bar

Andy & Sophie's, Joliet's beloved and enduring neighborhood watering hole, has been a fixture in the Cunningham Neighborhood at the corner of Moran and Hickory since the late 1800s, but for most of the previous five years, no beer flowed from the taps there, as Andy & Sophie's sat empty.

Walsh, who was born in Joliet and said he is not related to the prominent political family out of Elwood, purchased Andy & Sophie's when Andy and Sophie Wrobel announced they were retiring and selling their neighborhood corner bar in 2019. Shortly after Walsh purchased the bar, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, resulting in the shutdown of all Illinois bars and restaurants.

Finally, in September 2024, Walsh turned on the OPEN sign for the first time since COVID-19, and people were welcomed back inside 931 Hickory, the beloved bar with the Old Style sign hanging over the front entrance with the Polish phrase ZIMNE PIWO, which means "Ice Cold Beer."

Andy & Sophie's was known for dishing up quality home-cooked food. It was a place to stop for lunch, with menu options including corned beef and cabbage rolls,Polish sausage, sauerkraut and meatloaf.

"I love what Sophie did with the food," Walsh remarked. "The food she made was amazing for the amount of space she had. I'll say this, nobody can replicate Sophie, but we want to have good food and really good sandwiches.

"I'll never try to compete with Sophie's skills as a cook, we all love Sophie," Walsh said. "But we have a really outstanding smash burger and chicken sandwich and if someone wants to do a man versus food challenge, we can build it. We can customize any sandwich."

As for Clement, in October 2020 the Joliet Park Board member and recently retired Joliet Police Department detective informed the city clerk's office of his intention to run for an at-large seat in the April 6, 2021, elections.

Clement won re-election in the April 2025 municipal races, along with Jan Quillman and newcomer Juan Moreno.

Related Joliet Patch coverage:

• Andy & Sophie, Now Retired, Hope Andy & Sophie's Makes Comeback
• Andy & Sophie to Retire after 45 Years in Joliet
• Andy & Sophie's Liquor License Transfer Goes To City Council