Areas of Practice:
Products Liability; Professional Malpractice Law; Medical Malpractice; Construction Law; Nursing Home Litigation; Insurance Law; Bad Faith; Contracts; Commercial; Premises Liability; Employment Law.
Bar Admissions:
Illinois, 1992
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, 1992
U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois, 1992
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan, 1995
U.S. Supreme Court, 1996
U.S. Court of Appeals 10th Circuit, 2001
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Illinois, 2002
U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit, 2004
U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Trial Bar, 2006
Education:
University of Illinois College of Law, Champaign, Illinois, 1992
Doctor of Jurisprudence
Honors: Cum Laude
Monmouth College, Monmouth, Illinois, B.A., 1989
Honors: Summa Cum Laude, With Distinction
Recognitions and Listings:
Andrew M. Hecker Award: "The Plaintiff's Arsenal: Emerging Theories of Liability in the Managed Health Care Field," 1997-1998.
Listed in Strathmore's Who's Who, 1999; Lifetime member, 2000.
Listed in International Directory of Distinguished Leadership, 2000.
Member of Scholar Universe, a leading technology-driven publisher of accurate and authoritative articles.
Monmouth College Outstanding Young Alumnus, 2000.
Finalist for the G. Duffield Smith Award (presented to the author of the best article published in For the Defense for the year), 2004.
Selected as one of the 40 Illinois Attorneys under Forty to Watch by the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, 2006.
Listed in Illinois Super Lawyers, 2007.
Selected as a Leading Lawyer in the field of products liability defense, 2007.
Faculty Positions:
Adjunct Professor of Trial Advocacy, DePaul University College of Law (Winter 1998, Spring 1999, Summer 1999).
Instructor, Institute for Paralegal Education (June 2002, July 2002, November 2003).
Instructor, National Business Institute (November 2004).
Instructor, Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education (January 2005, November 2006).
Adjunct Professor, College of Lake County, Paralegal Training Program (January 2007 - ).
Professional Associations and Memberships:
Illinois State Bar Association
Defense Research Institute
Member of the Commercial Litigation, Trial Tactics and
Electronic Discovery Committees
Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel
Member of the Commercial Litigation Committee
Chicago-Lincoln Inn of Court, Counselor
American Judicature Society
Published Works:
"Refuting Damages in a Personal Injury Case: Bolster the Defense by Developing a Strong Economic Team," ABA Tort & Insurance Practice Section Magazine, The Brief, April, 1995.
Portions of the above article have been reprinted in a torts case book entitled "Perspectives on Tort Law," authored by Dominick R. Vetri, Matthew Bender & Co, Inc., Spring, 1998.
"Defending Closed Head Injury Cases," Federation of Insurance & Corporate Counsel Quarterly, Fall, 1995.
"Evaluating and Defending Against Claims of TMJ Injury: What You Need to Know About the Temporomandibular Joint," Federation of Insurance & Corporate Counsel Quarterly, Spring, 1997.
"In Case of Fire . . . Do Not Call Your Lawyer! An In-Depth Analysis of a Landlord's Ability to Recover From a Tenant Who Negligently Destroys the Leasehold," Federation of Insurance & Corporate Counsel Quarterly, Fall, 1997.
"A Practical Approach to Handling Illinois Nursing Home Malpractice Actions," (Co-Author), 8 IDC Quarterly 1, 1st Quarter, 1998.
"The Plaintiff's Arsenal: Emerging Theories of Liability in the Managed Health Care Field," Federation of Insurance & Corporate Counsel Quarterly, Winter, 1998.
"Further Strategies in Defending Nursing Home Malpractice Actions," (Co-Author), 8 IDC Quarterly 2, 2nd Quarter, 1998.
"Sue Now -- Get Sick Later: Medical Monitoring, Fear Claims and Related Issues," (Co-Author), DRI Monograph, Winter, 1998.
"Refuting Diagnostic and Neuropsychological Testing in Toxic Tort Cases," (Co-Author), American Journal of Trial Advocacy, Summer, 1999.
"How to Defend Punitive Damages Claims Effectively - and with the Goal of Being Successful," Defense Counsel Journal, July, 1999.
"Punitive Damages and Damages for Emotional Distress in Third-Party Bad Faith Actions," (Co-Author), Federation of Insurance & Corporate Counsel Quarterly, Fall, 1999.
"Attacking the Plaintiff's Nursing Home Malpractice Case through Effective Discovery," FICC Nursing Home Project Course Book, October, 1999.
"Getting it Together -- A Guide to Understanding Mass Tort Litigation," Business Law Today, Volume 11, No. 1, September/October, 2001.
"The Contact Sports Exception Under Illinois Tort Law," (Co-Author), Illinois Bar Journal, Volume 89, No. 12, December, 2001.
"A Primer on Defending Breast Cancer Litigation," (Co-Author), American Journal of Trial Advocacy, Volume 25:3, Spring, 2002.
"Advanced Civil Discovery for the Litigation Paralegal in Illinois (Co-Author), course book for the Institute for Paralegal Education, Summer 2002.
"Litigation Case Management for the Illinois Paralegal (Co-Author), course book for the Institute for Paralegal Education, Summer 2002.
"Litigation Management Techniques for the Litigation Paralegal in Illinois," (Co-Author), course book for the Institute for Paralegal Education, Fall 2002.
"Owner Beware: A Residential Landlord's Liability for the Criminal Acts of Third-Parties," (Co-Author), Monograph in IDC Quarterly, Fourth Quarter, 2003.
"A Primer for the Entertainment Community: Legal and Pratical Issues About Venue Safety - What You Should Know," (Co-Author), The University of Virginia Journal of Sports & Entertainment Law, Spring, 2004.
"Spoliation of Evidence: A Chronology of Judicial Development in Illinois," (Co-Author), IDC Quarterly, Second Quarter, 2004.
"The Most Difficult Argument: Putting a Number or Value on the Non-Economic Loss," (Co-Author), For the Defense, July, 2004.
"Challenges in Illinois Insurance Coverage Litigation," (Co-Author), course book for the National Business Institute, Fall 2004.
"Narrowing the Scope of Discovery for Substantially Similar Products," The Practical Litigator, November, 2004.
"Handling Difficult Issues in Products Liability Actions: Subsequent Remedial Measures, Similar Accidents, Recalls and Foreign Defendants," The FDCC Quarterly, Winter, 2005.
"Using the Internet as a Tool in the Discovery Process," (Co-Author), The Practical Litigator, March 2005.
"Third-Party Discovery in Arbitration Proceedings," The Journal of the Illinois Business Law Society, March 1, 2005.
"Spoliation of Evidence Revisited," (Co-Author), IDC Quarterly, Second Quarter, 2005.
"The Class Action Fairness Act of 2005 -- What is it All About?," (Co-Author), the Monograph in IDC Quarterly, Second Quarter, 2005.
"Trade Meetings and the Antitrust Laws: What Business Competitors Need to Know About Antitrust Liability," The FDCC Quarterly, Winter of 2005.
"Electronic Discovery: An Overview of the Power and the Pitfalls," (Co-Author), The Practical Litigator, November 2005.
"Illinois Product Liability Practice," General Editor, Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education, 2006.
"Motions for Summary Judgment and Appeals," (Co-Author), Chapter 12, IICLE Illinois Product Liability Practice, 2006.
"Advanced Strategies for Defending Complex Brain and Spinal Cord Cases," (Co-Author), The FDCC Quarterly, Winter of 2006.
"Using the Internet as a Discovery Tool," (Co-Author), Experience, Volume 16, Number 3, Spring of 2006.
"Understanding the Illinois Respondent in Discovery Statute," (Co-Author), DCBA Brief, The Journal of the DuPage County Bar Association, Volume 18, Issue 9, May 2006.
"Delete at Your Own Risk: Application of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1030," The Journal of the Illinois Business Law Society, May 6, 2006.
"Link Trial Presentation to Jury Instructions," For the Defense, June 2006.
"Practice Checklist for Electronic Discovery: An Overview of the Power and the Pitfalls," Senior Lawyer, Volume 18, Number 3 (Fall 2006).
"Beyond the Threshold: Motions in Limine (Part I)," (Co-Author), For the Defense, April 2007.
"Beyond the Threshold: Motions in Limine (Part II)," (Co-Author), For the Defense, May 2007.
"The Importance of Litigation Hold Letters," Shopping Center Legal Update, a trade publication issued by the International Council of Shopping Centers, Summer 2007.
"The Importance of Litigation Hold Letters," Primerus electronic newsletter, "Defensively Speaking," October 10, 2007.
"Pick a Winner: Some Thoughts on Jury Selection," (Co-Author), For the Defense, October 2007.
"Hold On A Minute: What's the Deal With Litigation Hold Letters?", The Practical Litigator, November 2007.
"When to Settle a Case -- Factors to Consider," (Co-Author), Primerus electronic newsletter, "Defensively Speaking," December 10, 2007.
Representative Cases:
Brown v. Taormina, Circuit Court of Cook County. The plaintiff was sexually assaulted in her Lincoln Park apartment. Suit was filed against her landlord. Summary judgment entered in favor of the defendant.
Dunlap v. Amin, Circuit Court of Cook County. Medical malpractice action alleging negligence in increasing the decedent's Dilantin and in failing to order soft safety restraints. Permanent brain damage was alleged following the decedent's fall from a chair. Summary judgment entered in favor of the defendant.
Garcez v. Michel, Circuit Court of Cook County. Medical malpractice action alleging failure to diagnose placental abruption. The minor plaintiff suffered hypoxic brain damage. Plaintiff asked jury for $15 million at trial. Verdict for defendant.
Dumas v. Infinity Broadcasting, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Breach of contract action filed by a country music disc jockey. Summary judgment entered in favor of defendant.
Patton v. Ascherman, Circuit Court of Cook County. The plaintiff was sexually assaulted on the grounds of his Chicago apartment. Suit was filed against the landlord. Summary judgment entered in favor of the defendant.
Cozzolino v. Jack's Specialized Services, Circuit Court of Cook County. Plaintiff, an iron worker, claimed he suffered a career-ending back injury while unloading steel. Plaintiff claimed damages in excess of $2 million. Summary judgment entered in favor of defendant.