Amelia S. Buragas is an attorney at law in Bloomington, where she focuses on appeals, tort law, media law, and municipal law. She is a member of the Appellate Lawyers Association Board of Directors and the ISBA’s Special Committee on the Rural Practice Initiative and a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. She received her B.S. from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, her M.A. from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and her J.D. magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, from the University of Wisconsin Law School.
Bret P. Coale is a Partner at Hughes Tenney Postlewait Coale, LLC, in Decatur. His practice focuses on medical malpractice defense, general litigation, and healthcare. He is member of the Illinois State Bar Association, a Past President of the Decatur Bar Association, and the downstate representative of the Illinois Lawyers’ Assistance Program. He received both of his bachelor’s degrees from University of Illinois and his J.D. from Rutgers Law School.
David N. Damick is the Owner of the Law Offices of David N. Damick in St. Louis. His practice focuses on litigating cases in the areas of professional malpractice, the Federal Tort Claims Act, birth injuries, and product litigation. He is a member of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, the Missouri Association of Trial Attorneys, and the American Association for Justice, and he has been a member of IBEW Local 1 for over 40 years. He received his B.A. from Washington University in St. Louis and his J.D. cum laude from the Saint Louis University School of Law.
Michael K. Demetriohas been a practicing attorney for over 40 years. He is a Partner at Corboy & Demetrio in Chicago. He works on both commercial and general aviation disaster cases and has been appointed Lead Counsel for Multi-District Federal Litigation and State Court Aviation Disaster cases. He has been a member of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and is currently an elected board member. Further, he has served as a both as a board member for eight years and as past President of the Chicago Bar Association. He received his B.B.A. from the University of Notre Dame and his J.D. from the Chicago-Kent College of Law.
Robert R. Duncan is the Founder of and Principal at Duncan Law Group in Chicago. His practice focuses on litigating cases in the areas of personal injury, wrongful death, medical malpractice, and consumer protection class action. He has been recognized by Leading Lawyers (2017 – 2022), in Illinois Super Lawyers Top 100 (2016, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022), and by Top Verdict for one of the Top 50 Class Action Settlements in the United States (2020). He received his B.A. from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and his J.D. from the University of Illinois College of Law.
Ehsan Eftekhari is the Founder of Eftekhari Law Offices, LLC, in Des Plaines. His practice focuses on litigating cases in the areas of personal injury, workers’ compensation, and medical malpractice. He is a member of the Illinois Trial Lawyers’ Association and the American Bar Association and has been recognized as a Super Lawyer. He received his B.S. from Loyola University, his M.A. from the Illinois Institute of Technology, and his J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law.
James J. Gay is the owner of James J. Gay Law, LLC, in Chicago. His practice focuses on litigating cases in the areas of personal injury and workers’ compensation. He has been recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star (2015 – 2019) and Leading Lawyers Emerging Lawyers (2015 – 2018) and is a member of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association. Mr. Gay received his B.A. from the University of Missouri and his J.D. from DePaul University College of Law.
Geoffrey L. Gifford is a Partner and Founder of Pavalon & Gifford in Chicago. His practice is focused on medical negligence, products liability, and general negligence cases. He is Past President of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association; a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and of the International Society of Barristers; a Life Fellow of the American Bar Foundation; and a member of the Missouri, Michigan, and Illinois Bar Associations as well as the Federal Trial Bar. He is a former member of the IICLE Board of Directors and is listed in THE BEST LAWYERS IN AMERICA. He also served as an Adjunct Professor at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law. Mr. Gifford received his B.A. from the University of Missouri and his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School.
Hon. Richard P. Goldenhersh is an Appellate Judge in the Illinois Appellate Court Fifth District, in Belleville, where he has served since 1988. Prior to his service on the appellate court, Judge Goldenhersh was a Circuit Judge of the Twentieth Judicial Circuit. He is a member of the St. Clair County and Illinois State Bar Associations and former President of the Illinois Judges Association. Judge Goldenhersh is a member of the Supreme Court Committee on Complex Litigation, the ISBA Section Council on Civil Practice and Procedure, and former Chairperson of the Associate Judge Coordinating Committee. He received his A.B. from Washington University and his J.D. from Washington University School of Law.
David R. Gray, Jr. is the Owner of Gray Law Offices, in Chicago, and concentrates on real estate and civil litigation. Gray is a member of the Appellate Lawyers Association, the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, and the Chicago (former Chair of the Real Estate Taxation Committee) and Illinois State Bar Associations. Gray earned his B.A. from the College of Charleston and his J.D. from Valparaiso University Law School.
Mark Hellner is the Executive Director Emeritus for the Center for Disability & Elder Law in Chicago. Mr. Hellner is a former Chair of the Illinois State Bar Association Civil Practice Section Council, Judicial Evaluation Committee, and Supreme Court Rules Committee. He was also a recipient of the ISBA Governors Award and served three terms of the ISBA Assembly. Mr. Hellner received his B.S. from Illinois State University where he was an Honors Graduate and later received the University’s Distinguished Alumni Award from the Department of English. He received his J.D. from the University of Illinois College of Law and was later an adjunct faculty member at the University.
Charles C. Hughes is a Partner at Hughes Tenney Postlewait Coale, LLC, in Decatur. His practice focuses on litigating cases in the area of medical malpractice defense. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and a member of both the Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel and the International Association of Defense Counsel. He received his B.B.A. from the University of Kentucky and his J.D. from the Drake University Law School.
Joseph G. Klest is the Founder of Klest Injury Law Firm in Chicago and Schaumburg. His practice focuses on litigating auto accident, medical malpractice, childhood sexual abuse, and other injury cases; workers’ compensation; and wrongful death. He also authored ILLINOIS INJURY LAW, a reference guide for accident victims, and edited A GUIDE TO CIVIL ACTIONS — PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR SURVIVORS OF RAPE AND CHILDHOOD SEXUAL ABUSE, published by the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault. Mr. Klest received his J.D. from The John Marshall Law School.
Daniel M. Kotin is a Partner at Tomasik Kotin Kasserman, LLC, in Chicago, where he focuses on trial law. He is a member of the Chicago Bar Association, the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, and the Society of Trial Lawyers. Kotin earned his B.A. cum laude from Boston College and his J.D. cum laude from Loyola University of Chicago School of Law.
Lawrence R. Kream is the owner of the Law Office of Lawrence R. Kream, L.L.C., in Chicago, where he focuses on medical and other professional negligence, product liability, and construction injuries. He is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association, Medical Negligence and Amicus Curiae Committees of the Illinois Trial Lawyers’ Association, and the Amicus Curiae Committee of the American Association of Justice. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law. Mr. Kream received his J.D. with distinction from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law.
Harry C. Lee is the Owner of the Law Office of Harry C. Lee in Chicago. His practice focuses on litigating cases in the area of civil appeals. He is a member of the Appellate Lawyers Association and the Illinois State Bar Association. Mr. Lee received his B.A. from Fordham University and his J.D. from DePaul University College of Law.
Kenneth T. Lumb is a Partner at Corboy & Demetrio in Chicago, where his practice focuses on medical negligence. He is a member of the American Association of Justice, the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, and the Illinois State Bar Association. He received his B.A. from the University of Notre Dame and his J.D. from the DePaul University College of Law.
Scott A. Morgan of Morgan Law Firm, Ltd., practices civil litigation in Chicago. Mr. Morgan is a member of the Chicago Bar Association, the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, and the American Association for Justice. A graduate of the University of Illinois, he received his J.D. from The John Marshall Law School.
Michael K. Muldoon is a Partner at Muldoon & Muldoon, LLC, in Chicago. His practice focuses on plaintiff’s personal injury and wrongful death. He is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association’s Judicial Evaluation Committee and the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, and he is a recipient of the Excellence in the Field of Law Award from the Saint Ignatius College Prep Law Society. He received his B.A. from the University of Notre Dame and his J.D. from the Chicago-Kent College of Law.
Mary Beth O’Brien is an associate with Chilton Yambert Porter LLP in Chicago, where she focuses her practice on insurance defense litigation, with an emphasis on construction, premises, and dramshop liability. She is a member of the Illinois State, Chicago, Lake County, and Women’s Bar Associations and the Society of Trial Lawyers. Ms. O’Brien received her B.B.A. from St. Mary’s College and her J.D. from DePaul University School of Law.
Katherine A. Ross is an associate at Duncan Law Group, LLC, in Chicago. Her practice focuses on litigating cases in the areas of medical malpractice, wrongful death, nursing home abuse and neglect, and motor vehicle accidents. She was recognized in 2018 by Emerging Lawyers for Personal Injury, Professional Malpractice, and Nursing Home Negligence Law. She is a member of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association and the Illinois State Bar Association. Ms. Ross received her B.A. from Johns Hopkins University and her J.D. from the University of Iowa College of Law.
Susan J. Schwartz is a Partner at Corboy & Demetrio, P.C., in Chicago, where she is a trial lawyer focusing on medical negligence cases on behalf of patients and their families. She serves on the Advisory Board for Coordinated Advice and Referral Program for Legal Services and previously served as an officer and on the Board of Directors for the Women’s Bar Foundation and the Board of Governors for Loyola University Chicago School of Law. She is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and has served on the Board of Managers for the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association. Ms. Schwartz received her B.S.F.S. from Georgetown University and her J.D. from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.
Michael L. Shanahan is an associate at Levin & Perconti in Chicago. His practice focuses on litigating cases in the areas of negligence, wrongful death, medical malpractice, and nursing home negligence. He is a member of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, the American Association for Justice, and the Illinois State Bar Association. He received his B.A. from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and his J.D. from the DePaul University College of Law.
Patricia A. Small is an associate with the firm Barrett, Twomey, Broom, Hughes & Hoke, LLP, in Carbondale, where she concentrates her practice in civil and appellate litigation and eminent domain matters. She has served as a Special Assistant Attorney General for land acquisition and real estate matters since 1996. She is a former law clerk for Chief Justice William C. Hastings of the Nebraska Supreme Court and is a member of the American Bar Association and Illinois State Bar Association. She is a contributing author to EMINENT DOMAIN PRACTICE (IICLE®, 2020). She received her B.S. from the University of Nebraska — Omaha and her J.D. from the University of Nebraska College of Law.
Brian Spencer is the owner of Spencer Law Offices, P.C., in Chicago. His practice focuses on litigating cases in the areas of plaintiff’s personal injury/petitioner’s workers’ compensation. He is a member of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association. Mr. Spencer received his J.D. from DePaul University College of Law.
Andrew P. Stevens is an associate at Corboy & Demetrio, P.C., in Chicago. His practice is focused on all areas of personal injury, including environmental negligence. He was selected as an Illinois Super Lawyers Rising Star (2018) and an Emerging Lawyers by Leading Lawyers (2017 and 2018), and serves as an adjunct professor at Loyola University Chicago School of Law. Mr. Stevens received his B.A. magna cum laude from Saint Louis University and his J.D. from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.
Danylo Y. Terleckyj is with Levinson and Stefani in Chicago. His practice focuses on litigating cases in the area of personal injury. He is a member of the Chicago Bar Association, the Illinois State Bar Association, and the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association. Mr. Terleckyj received his B.A. from Wayne State University and his J.D. from Wayne State University Law School.
Andrew J. Thut is a Partner at Levin & Perconti in Chicago. His practice focuses on litigating cases in the area of plaintiff’s personal injury. He is a member of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, and he was recognized in the 2017 Chicago Daily Law Bulletin’s 40 Illinois Attorneys Under 40 to Watch and received the Illinois Super Lawyer’s Rising Star Award from 2016 to 2022. He received his J.D. from the Loyola University Chicago School of Law.
Melanie J. VanOverloop is an attorney at Rapoport, Weisberg & Sims P.C., in Chicago. Her practice focuses on litigating cases in the area of plaintiff’s personal injury. She is a member of the Board of Managers and the Women’s Caucus of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association and the American Association for Justice. She received her B.A. from Purdue University and her J.D. from the Loyola University Chicago School of Law.
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