Best Lawyers in Illinois, United States for Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
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As a trial lawyer, Jim’s philosophy on litigation is based on integrity and hard work for his clients. True to his roots as a prosecutor, Jim values fighting for justice on behalf of those people harmed and always acts with a sense of urgency to hold wrongdoers accountable. While at Clifford Law Offices, Jim has worked on behalf of many individuals and families whose lives have been forever impacted. As the youngest of six children born and raised on Chicago’s Southside, Jim learn...
Conard Metcalf has successfully represented hundreds of men and women diagnosed with asbestos-caused cancers, such as mesothelioma and lung cancer, as well as individuals suffering from asbestosis and other occupational diseases and toxic injuries. Mr. Metcalf has been invited to speak about asbestos-related diseases at medical conferences and legal seminars and has published articles about occupational diseases in several legal journals. Mr. Metcalf received his law degree from the Universit...
Brian Cooke is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs and Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs. Brian, who practices law in Alton, Illinois, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Brian is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Carla Colaianni is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Carla, who practices law in Chicago, Illinois, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Carla is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Born and raised in the Chicagoland area, John grew up working in his family’s restaurant and then stayed local attending both Northwestern University (B.A.) and Notre Dame Law School (J.D.). As a first generation Greek American, John witnessed the difficulties that immigrants can experience while adapting to a new culture. He also experienced the importance of community in helping people to assimilate and understand how to become part of that new culture. He is fluent in Greek and has b...
Michelle M. Kohut is a Chicago personal injury trial lawyer and was named Partner at Corboy & Demetrio in 2019. She practices in all areas of personal injury law, including cases arising from automobile collisions, medical malpractice, construction negligence, premises liability, product liability and railroad negligence, as well as in the area of workers' compensation. Michelle has tried many personal injury cases to verdict and has obtained numerous multi-million dollar settlements on b...
Michael J. Warner is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Michael J., who practices law in Moline, Illinois, has been recognized since 2007. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michael J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Robert E. Harrington III is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs and Railroad Law. Robert E., who practices law in Chicago, Illinois, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Robert E. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Thomas A. Demetrio is a trial lawyer with an emphasis on medical negligence, product liability, airplane crash and commercial litigation on behalf of plaintiffs. He is Past President of the Chicago Bar Association and Illinois Trial Lawyers Association. He is a fellow of: The American College of Trial Lawyers The International Academy of Trial Lawyers The Inner Circle of Advocates Tom has been listed in Best Lawyers in America since its inception in 1987 and was named by Best Lawyers as the C...
Bhavani Raveendran is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Bhavani, who practices law in Chicago, Illinois, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Bhavani is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Partner Melissa Crowe Schopfer joined Simmons Hanly Conroy in 2005 as an asbestos and mesothelioma attorney. In November 2012, she became an asbestos trial team leader, where her responsibilities include managing a team of attorneys and legal staff. She has worked on over 500 cases in the past 10 years and helped recover over $100 million in settlements and verdicts on behalf of individuals and families impacted by mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. She has represented clients ...
Edward G. Willer is a Chicago personal injury lawyer and represents individuals and their families in serious personal injury and wrongful death cases in the areas of construction negligence, product liability, premises liability, and vehicular negligence. As a Partner at the Chicago law firm of Corboy & Demetrio, Mr. Willer has obtained numerous multi-million settlements and verdicts. His many accomplishments include a $7.5 million settlement he obtained in a federal court case for the f...
Daniel S. Kirschner is a partner at the Chicago plaintiffs’ law firm of Corboy & Demetrio. As a trial lawyer, Mr. Kirschner represents victims of catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death and medical malpractice. Mr, Kirschner has successfully handled cases against many of the nation’s largest insurance companies and corporations at the pretrial, trial and appellate levels in state and federal court in Illinois and throughout the United States.Mr. Kirschner concentrates his...
For five years, attorney Craig D. Brown worked as a Cook County prosecutor fighting for victims of violent crimes. The experience proved insightful, as Craig recognized the importance of representing people in need of justice and the devastating effects crime can have on victims. As a personal injury trial lawyer, Craig continues to use that perspective in his practice, representing clients who have been the victims of severe traumatic injuries, wrongful death , product liability , and medica...
Kevin Durkin is a partner at Clifford Law Offices. Over a career that spans more than 35 years, Mr. Durkin has successfully represented clients in many practice areas, including: Aviation accident litigation and transportation liability Truck, railroad and automobile litigation Premises liability and negligent security Medical malpractice Mr. Durkin has been named a top-tier attorney by U.S. News-Best Lawyers in the areas of personal injury litigation, aviation law and product liability since...
Howard Schaffner is a senior partner in firm of Hofeld and Schaffner. The Hofeld and Schaffner law firm is been honored to be ranked as a top tier law firm by US News and World Reports and to have received the highest ranking from Martindale Hubble. As a specialist in plaintiff’ s personal injury Mr. Schaffner has achieved multimillion-dollar verdicts and settlements in well over 150 cases. A few examples include; $39,000,000.00 verdict in a drug product liability case $16,000,000.00 ve...
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.