Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2026 
William R. Fahey is a Chicago, Illinois, lawyer with Cooney & Conway LLP whose practice focuses on Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs, including asbestos litigation and mesothelioma claims. He received his J.D. from The John Marshall Law School in 1980 and began his legal career as a prosecutor with the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office in Geneva, Illinois. During more than four years as a prosecutor, he handled serious felony cases and was named Prosecutor of the Year in 1982.
Mr. Fahey joined Cooney & Conway LLP as an associate in 1985 and became a partner in 1994. Since joining the firm, he has represented individuals and families in asbestos cases in jurisdictions throughout Illinois. His reported case results include verdicts of $35.1 million and $12.3 million on behalf of individuals diagnosed with mesothelioma, a disease associated with exposure to asbestos.
Mr. Fahey has settled more than 800 cases for amounts exceeding $1 million. Over the course of his career, he has also negotiated asbestos case settlements for Cooney & Conway LLP totaling nearly $3 billion.
Admitted to practice in Illinois since 1980, Mr. Fahey is also admitted to practice before the United States District Courts for the Northern and Central Districts of Illinois and the Northern District of Indiana. He has argued before the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, as well as the First and Second District Appellate Courts of Illinois.
Mr. Fahey has been a member of the American Association for Justice and the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association. He has also been selected by his peers for membership in Outstanding Lawyers in America. Best Lawyers has recognized him in the practice area of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs since 2026. That recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area.
