Firm News

We are proud to announce that our $363 million verdict in Kamuda v. Sterigenics U.S. LLC, et al., has been named the number one jury verdict among all practice areas in Illinois in 2022 by Top Verdict.... (continue reading)

Partner Shawn Collins is featured in an interview in Lawyer Monthly magazine this month. Below is an excerpt from the article and the link to the full article.

Instances of harmful pollution and ecological disasters have grown unsettlingly commonplace in the US - despite environmental regulations that appear strict on paper. Why is this, and how can polluting corporations be held responsible for the damages they cause? Enter Shawn Collins, the 'environmental lawyer for the people'. In this exclusive interview, Shawn shares a look at the work he does and the clients who come to him, as well as a glimpse into the ongoing battle to hold polluters accountable in the US.

I have fought polluters for more than 23 years. My clients are individuals, families, and communities whose air and water have been contaminated by the reckless discharge of dangerous chemicals - usually carcinogens - from factories, industrial parks, and landfills.

In my cases, chemicals with names like TCE, PCE, DCE, vinyl chloride, ethylene oxide, arsenic, toluene, and glyphosate were poured, spilled, dumped or spewed into the air - often for years - by companies who did not care to spend the money to dispose of the chemicals responsibly or protect those they knew would be exposed. Left to migrate throughout the environment and find their way into homes, schools, churches, and parks, these toxins were then inhaled and consumed by residents who had no idea the chemicals were even there, let alone how badly their health was being threatened. No one bothered to tell them. Not the polluter. Not even their government.

Read the full article here.

The Firm settled a case for an elderly client who tripped and fell on a crack in the pavement of her patio at her townhome. The crack had been present for several months when she tripped and fell, fracturing a vertebrae in her spine requiring surgery. The case settled for $350,000.

The Firm settled a case for a client whose car was hit by a young driver who ran a stop sign. The client sustained a subdural hematoma and was hospitalized for several days. The matter was settled outside of litigation for $400,000.00.

The Firm settled a case for a client outside of litigation for an undisclosed amount for a premise liability case. The client sustained significant injuries as a result of an unnatural accumulation of ice in a parking lot.

The Firm won a Summary Judgment Motion filed on behalf of our client, a prominent public official, on claims for defamation and intentional inflection of emotional distress. The case involved important First Amendment and free speech privileges.

The Firm resolved and closed a complex seven-figure litigation matter involving numerous domestic and foreign parties, and involving businesses and real estate in Illinois.

The Firm documented an $18 Million loan modification transaction involving real estate spread over several mid-west and east coast states.

The Firm settled a medical malpractice case against a plastic surgeon for a confidential settlement on behalf of the family of a woman who suffered lidocaine toxicity and cardiac arrest, causing her death following a liposuction procedure.

The Firm's Personal Injury team resolved a $250,000 policy limits case pre-suit on behalf of a client who was t-boned by a driver who ran a red light. The client sustained a fractured pelvis and lacerated liver. She fortunately made a full recovery.

The Firm won a complete defense verdict for publicly traded bank client and its President falsely accused by former employee of unlawful conduct.

The Firm negotiated and documented a $40 Million international supply contract for one of its clients.

The Firm won a complete dismissal with prejudice on a complex real estate litigation matter.

The Firm was successful in opposing the rehearing of a favorable Appellate decision in a seven-figure real estate litigation appeal.

Shawn Collins has been selected to the 2023 list as a member of the Nation's Top One Percent by the National Association of Distinguished Counsel. NADC is an organization dedicated to promoting the highest standards of legal excellence. Its mission is to objectively recognize the attorneys who elevate the standards of the Bar and provide a benchmark for other lawyers to emulate. Due to the incredible selectivity of the appointment process, only the top one percent of attorneys in the United States are awarded membership in NADC. This elite class of advocates consists of the finest leaders of the legal profession from across the nation.

The Firm's Personal Injury team resolved over $500,000 in settlements during the month of March. The cases ranged from auto accidents to premise liability cases and were all resolved pre-suit.

The firm won an appeal in the Third District Appellate Court affirming its seven-figure judgment in highly contested real estate litigation matter.

The firm closed several multi-million dollar real estate development deals in Illinois and Texas.

Partner Shawn Collins has been selected to become a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America. LCA is a trial lawyer honorary society whose membership is limited to less than one-half of one percent of North American lawyers, judges, and scholars. Fellowship is highly selective and by invitation only. Fellows are chosen based on excellence and accomplishment in litigation and superior ethical reputation. The LCA represents the best in law among its membership.

Attorney Margaret ("Maggie") Galka recently traveled to Champaign, Illinois to speak with law students at the University of Illinois College of Law. Maggie spoke with student-members of the Energy and Environmental Law Society about careers in environmental law and shared advice for succeeding in law school. It was an honor to spend some time with passionate students and future environmental lawyers!

The Collins Law Firm is proud to announce that five attorneys at the firm have been named to the Illinois Super Lawyers list this year. Partners Shawn Collins and Edward Manzke, and Of Counsel attorneys Norman Berger and John Sopuch have been selected as 2023 Super Lawyers. Partner John Risvold and Associate Margaret Galka have both been named as 2023 Rising Stars.

"We are honored that five attorneys at our firm have been recognized for excellence in the field of law. Our mission at The Collins Law Firm is to give each client the best representation possible, and it is gratifying to have this acknowledged," said Shawn Collins.

Congratulations to the following attorneys for their recognition by Super Lawyers for 2023.

Shawn Collins is the managing partner and founder of The Collins Law Firm and has three and a half decades of experience as a trial lawyer. He has been named to the Illinois Super Lawyers list 14 times since the program was introduced in 2005. He has secured verdicts or settlements of more than $460 million for his clients in this area, including a record-setting $363 million verdict for a woman who contracted breast cancer after decades of exposure to ethylene oxide.

Edward Manzke has three decades of experience as a litigator in both personal injury and environmental cases. A senior partner at the firm, Mr. Manzke has been named to the Illinois Super Lawyers list 17 times since 2006. Over the years, Ed has won verdicts and settlements totaling over $160 million for his personal injury and environmental clients, including an $8 million settlement for an automobile accident victim.

John Risvold, a partner at the firm, has been named to the Illinois Super Lawyers Rising Stars list every year since joining The Collins Law Firm in 2017. John has tried several cases before juries for personal injury victims in courtrooms throughout Illinois. Since joining the Collins Law Firm he has recovered nearly $15 million in settlements and verdicts for victims of accidents, nursing home neglect, and medical negligence.

Margaret Galka has been an associate at the firm since 2018. Margaret focuses her practice on environmental mass tort, civil rights, and other complex litigation. Recently, Margaret helped secure a record-breaking, $363 million, verdict at trial for a client who contracted breast cancer after decades of living near a sterilization facility that emitted a potent carcinogen (ethylene oxide) into their air.

Norman Berger serves as Of Counsel with The Collins Law firm on environmental matters. Norman has been practicing environmental law since the early days of environmental regulation when he was an Assistant Attorney General of Illinois representing the Illinois EPA in enforcement matters. Since then, Norman has recovered more than $100 million for clients exposed to toxic chemicals. He has been an Illinois Super Lawyer every year since the inception of the program.

John Sopuch serves as Of Counsel at The Collins Law Firm and represents clients in business litigation and commercial dispute resolution. He has been involved in several multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts with the firm. He has been a Super Lawyer since 2018.

Super Lawyers recognizes the top 5% of attorneys in each state. Rising Stars is reserved for only 2.5% of younger attorneys who have been practicing for 10 years or less.

The Collins Law Firm has joined with the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the Legal Aid Justice Center, Public Citizen Litigation Group, Miner, Barnhill & Galland, P.C., and Dugan Schlozman LLC. to file a lawsuit against Monsanto for violating federal civil rights law. The Lawyers' Committee is representing Elvira Reyes-Hernandez, a non-U.S.-citizen plaintiff who was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2019 after exposure to the Monsanto product Roundup while working on tree farms in Virginia.

Elvira was one of over 100,000 people who sued Monsanto claiming Roundup was responsible for their cancer. She agreed to a settlement but was excluded by Monsanto because she is not a U.S. citizen. The civil rights lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia, asks the court to compel Monsanto to award Elvira a fair settlement amount and prevent them from discriminating against other non-U.S. citizens.

"Elvira got cancer working in American fields, after years of exposure to a chemical made and sold in America, by an American company, Monsanto," said Collins Law attorney Shawn Collins. "So, Elvira is protected by American laws--giving her the same right to hold Monsanto accountable in an American court of law, and to settle with Monsanto, that was exercised by thousands of others who also filed cancer suits against the company. This right cannot be taken from her because she is not a citizen. The laws protecting Elvira have been in place for more than 150 years, first enacted as a response to the scourge of slavery, to forbid discrimination against all human beings in this country, not just those who happen to be citizens."

For the complete story click here.

2022 was a very productive year for every practice area at The Collins Law Firm.

The environmental litigation team has been very busy with Sterigenics toxic tort lawsuits. After years of taking depositions, working with environmental experts, and trial preparation, the first Sterigenics contamination case went to trial in Cook County, IL earlier this year. Partners Shawn Collins and Ed Manzke, and associate Maggie Galka worked alongside lawyers from Salvi, Schostock, & Pritchard, P.C. and Miner, Barnhill & Galland to argue the case of plaintiff Susan Kamuda, who developed an aggressive form of breast cancer after being exposed to ethylene oxide emissions from a nearby Sterigenics plant for decades. After a multi-week trial, the jury returned with a record-setting verdict of $363 million dollars for Susan, $38 million in compensatory damages, and $325 million more as punitive damages. Our environmental team is currently negotiating a settlement for our 93 other Sterigenics cases.

Personal injury partners Ed Manzke and John Risvold and their team recovered over $7.5 million in verdicts and settlements for injured clients this year. Notable cases included:

• $1,000,000 - product liability - wrongful death settlement.
• $900,000 - trucking accident settlement - Our client was rear-ended and recommended for spinal surgery.
• $550,000 - policy limits settlement - The client suffered a traumatic brain injury after being rear-ended at high speed. Before filing suit, the insurance company's best offer was $23,000. We settled before trial for the full policy.
• $450,000 - settlement against a home healthcare agency for neglect of a senior citizen.
• $325,000 verdict - Our client was hit head-on by an uninsured motorist. We took his case to arbitration and won $225,000. State Farm rejected the arbitration award and demanded a trial. We beat them at trial and secured a verdict of $100,000 more than the arbitration award.
• $250,000 - Pedestrian accident. Our client, a pedestrian, was walking in a crosswalk when she was struck by a car. She fractured her pelvis and required hospitalization. The case settled for the total insurance policy.
• $250,000 - Nursing home fall, death. Our client suffered an unwitnessed fall, which lead to her death several days later. The nursing home settled the case shortly before trial, for the remainder of their available insurance as well as out-of-pocket cash from the facility.
• $225,000 - Nursing home fall, broken hip. Our client fell twice in a matter of days while at an assisted living facility, resulting in the need for hip surgery.
• $200,000 - Nursing home fall, broken hip. Our client was admitted to a nursing home for rehabilitation following hip surgery. She was only in the facility 24 hours before she fell twice, breaking her opposite hip, resulting in a second hip surgery in a week.

Partner Rob Dawidiuk, associates Len Hudson and Katie Ebbesen, and the commercial team were very productive in their department as well:

Commercial transactions totals:

• Documented over $185 Mil in new commercial loans.
• Closed $45 Mil in Mergers and Acquisitions deals.
• Closed $85 Mil in Commercial Real Estate deals.
• Commercial Litigation Defense:
• Exceeded $14 Mil in defense wins by summary judgment, trial verdict, or appellate court reversals.
• Commercial Litigation Wins:
• $1,700,000 in recovery on commercial cases where we won judgments as the plaintiff.
• Notable cases included:
• A complete reversal on all claims on a $5.5 Mil trial verdict (2d District Appellate Court) for a national real estate developer (where another law firm lost the case after extensive trial with multiple experts).
• Win in N.D. IL and then the appellate court (Seventh Circuit) in shareholder litigation against a publicly traded company upholding an award for my client of $200,000.
• Complete trial win in Will County on over $150,000 defense verdict.
• $50 Mil in commercial real estate sales completed in July alone.
• Sold three franchises in Texas, Arkansas, and North Carolina for over $20 Million.
• Sold a $24 Mil Shopping center in a complex deal involving defeasance lending.
• Represented a Canadian entity against one of the largest U.S. Banks with a very successful result on a $27 million loan with Texas collateral in federal court litigation.
• Secured a very favorable defense result for our client, a publicly traded company, in Iowa Federal Courts in a suit alleging millions of dollars in damages in real estate litigation.
• Secured a dismissal with prejudice based upon "laches" in DuPage County for a $5 Mil claim.

Collins Law Partner Shawn Collins is quoted in this RAW STORY article warning lawyers on the dangers of representing Donald Trump. Here are excerpts from the article:

Any attorney thinking about taking on Donald Trump as a client should think twice about the repercussions both professionally and financially after the former president and his lead attorney in a federal court case were hit with an almost million-dollar sanction on Friday.

Chicago trial lawyer Shawn Collins agreed, stating the court sanctions will weigh heavier on Trump's lawyers than on him, adding it's a "hellish price to be paid" for indulging Trump's desire to base his lawsuits on "fact-free tabloid-style theories."

Collins predicted that lawyers "will think twice about it, out of a sense of financial self-preservation, if not professionalism and decency."

Read the complete article here.

Record-Setting $363 Million Verdict for Environmental Client Sue Kamuda

A Cook County jury has found Sterigenics responsible for causing plaintiff Sue Kamuda's breast cancer, awarding the Willowbrook woman a total of $363 million dollars in the first Sterigenics trial. The trial detailed how plaintiff Sue Kamuda moved into Willowbrook in 1985, less than a year after Sterigenics began emitting ethylene oxide--a carcinogen linked to breast cancer-- into the community. Sue contracted an aggressive form of breast cancer after living 1/3 of a mile from Sterigenics' sterilization facility for more than 20 years. She underwent surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation before going into remission. Lawyers for Sue argued that Sterigenics and its predecessor Micro-Biotrol had been informed of the cancer risks connected to ethylene oxide but continued to emit the carcinogen into the air without any warning to the community.

"The behavior of Sterigenics put an entire community at risk for company profit, and the company offered no meaningful defense of its actions," said attorney Shawn Collins, a lead attorney on the trial team.

After closing arguments, the jury debated for two days before returning a verdict in favor of the plaintiff. The amount of the verdict: $363 million dollars, the highest jury verdict on record in Illinois for a single plaintiff. It included $38 million in compensatory damages and $325 million in punitive damages.

"We are immensely grateful to the jury for realizing that these companies were operating with blatant disregard for the health and safety of the people in the community. The size of the verdict sends them a message that such behavior will not be tolerated. This verdict is the first step in making them accountable, not only to Sue Kamuda but to hundreds of others," said attorney Shawn Collins.

In addition to being represented by Shawn Collins, Ed Manzke, and Maggie Galka of The Collins Law Firm, Sue Kamuda was also represented by lead attorneys Patrick Salvi II, Lance Northcutt, and Jennifer Cascio of Salvi, Schostock & Pritchard and Scott Entin, Deanna Pihos, and Roisin Duffy Gideon of Miner, Barnhill & Galland. The Kamuda trial was the first of more than 760 lawsuits pending against Sterigenics in the circuit court of Cook County. Mr. Collins is a Co-Lead Counsel on the Plaintiffs Executive Committee for all of the Sterigenics cases in Cook County.

The Winnebago County Court has recently granted the Firm's Motion for Class Certification stemming from the Chemtool fire and explosion in Rockton, Illinois. The Court granted class certification to property owners and residents who resided within three miles of the Chemtool facility.

The explosion resulted in an enormous chemical fire that created a massive plume of toxic smoke, ash, and debris that could be seen from 100 miles away. Eighty-nine fire departments were dispatched to the site to aid in combating the fire.

The Firm recently settled a trucking case for $900,000.00 for a client who was struck by a semi-truck and required surgical fusion on her neck.

The Firm settled a legal malpractice claim for a confidential amount pre-suit for a client whose attorney failed to timely file a lawsuit prior to the statute of limitations in a medical malpractice case.

The Firm settled a case for a confidential amount during the discovery phase of litigation for a child who sustained a broken arm while unsupervised at a tumbling facility.

The Firm settled a case for a confidential amount for a client who slipped and fell on ice when a subcontractor failed to remove ice on the sidewalk of his apartment building. The client sustained a fractured leg as a result of his fall.

The Firm won a Motion to Dismiss as a complete defense victory in complex real estate litigation alleging that the Firm's client unlawfully backed out of a substantial commercial real estate development contract.

The Firm recently settled two separate and unrelated claims for the families of pedestrians who were fatally injured. The first claim settled for the policy limits for a victim hit by a drunk driver on Christmas. After the fatal accident, the driver fled the scene and attempted to destroy the vehicle in an attempt to cover up the incident. The police were able to locate the driver using videos from local businesses and Ring cameras. The second claim was for a victim fatally struck by a food delivery driver and was settled for a confidential amount.

The Firm represented an elderly gentleman who suffered mild hearing loss as a result of an airbag deploying during an auto accident. Although his medical bills were less than $1,500.00, the Firm filed suit on his behalf and negotiated a $50,000 settlement to compensate him for the loss of his hearing.

The Firm settled a claim on behalf of a client whose elderly father fell at a nursing home and sustained a broken femur, contributing to his death. The case settled as a result of mediation for a confidential amount.

After a different firm had an unfortunate trial loss, The Collins Law Firm was hired to handle the appeal surrounding complex real estate litigation. The Firm won the appeal overturning all four separate categories of damages. This win vacated a Trial verdict exceeding Five Million Dollars.

The Firm secured a very favorable six-figure settlement for its franchise client over a dispute involving real estate and franchise documents.

The Firm completed a Seventy-Five Million Dollar credit facility for one of its national clients to help with future growth.

The Collins Law Firm is proud to announce that three Collins Law Firm attorneys have been chosen by peers for inclusion in the 2023 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America©.

Partner Shawn Collins has been recognized again by Best Lawyers for his work representing plaintiffs in environmental litigation; partner Ed Manzke for his work representing personal injury clients. "I am honored to be recognized for my work on behalf of people harmed by toxic chemicals and thankful to be included among such accomplished attorneys," said Collins Law founder Shawn Collins. Partner Ed Manzke added, "It is an honor to be recognized among such a distinguished group of lawyers including some of the true legends in our profession."

Partner John Risvold has been recognized for the first time in the Ones To Watch category for his work on behalf of personal injury and medical malpractice plaintiffs. "I'm proud to be honored, alongside my partners Shawn Collins and Ed Manzke, in the annual list of Best Lawyers in America. Being recognized as one of the "Best Lawyers Ones to Watch", is especially meaningful because this recognition is based solely on peer reviews."

Best Lawyers is the oldest and most respected guide to the legal profession. This year's list recognizes the professional excellence of the top 5% of private practice lawyers based on millions of peer-review evaluations.

After a full-day trial involving numerous witnesses and complicated evidence, the Firm's Katy Ebbesen won a trial verdict on 100% of all damages sought and also received a complete defense trial verdict victory on six-figure claims.

The Firm obtained a complete defense victory for our national bank client in a Federal regulatory action.

In out-of-state Federal Court litigation, the Firm secured a very favorable result in defending an international client wrongly accused of seven-figure damages in complex real estate litigation. The Firm negotiated a new location agreement for a national franchise.

Since the June 14, 2021 fire and explosions at the Chemtool plant in Rockton, Illinois, the Firm has filed class action lawsuits that are currently being pursued in both State and Federal courts. The Firm is actively engaged in the discovery phase of the lawsuits and expects a ruling on its Class Certification Motion this year.

The Firm resolved a matter on behalf of a national client in a New Jersey case. The plaintiff sought eight-figures in damages, and the firm secured a very favorable settlement of far less than what plaintiff sought.

The Firm closed another franchise purchase and sale in Texarkana, AR.

The Firm secured a favorable settlement on behalf of a national hotel client against an insurance company for very significant claim for business interruption.

Robert Dawidiuk was admitted to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals to represent a client with a federal appeal.

After very highly contested federal court litigation, the Firm secured a very favorable result for our client in eight-figure bank litigation involving international borrowers.

The Firm won DuPree Productions LLC v. RDE Inc, et al. 21 cv 01548 (N.D. IL) including unpaid advertising for a national television show and attorney fees.

Patty joined the Firm in February 2022. She is a licensed Physical Therapist and supports the personal injury group as a Legal Assistant. Patty obtained her B.S. in PT from Northwestern University in 1987 and has worked in inpatient rehabilitation, outpatient, and home health therapy services for over 30 years until joining the Firm. Patty's interests include travel, home rehab projects and spending time with her husband and five children.

In 2021, our Personal Injury Practice recovered $5.4 Million in total verdicts and settlements for our injured clients.

Our Commercial Practice secured over $115 Million in commercial financing; over $90 Million in commercial transactions; successfully resolved disputes totaling over $200 Million and litigated cases in 8 separate states as well as 2 international cases. In total, we recovered over $6 Million for business clients.

Our blog has been named by Feedspot as one of the Top 50 Law Blogs in Illinois!

Feedspot has a team of over 50 experts whose goal is to discover and rank blogs, podcasts and YouTube channels in several niche categories. The best Illinois Law blogs are chosen from thousands of blogs on the web ranked by traffic, social media followers, domain authority & freshness.

The Collins Law Firm is also pleased to announce that two third-year Vermont Law students are joining the firm as legal interns.

Serena White is a first-generation law student at Vermont Law School with an interest in Environmental Justice law. Prior to law school, Serena majored in Sustainability Studies at the University of Florida. Serena hopes to continue fighting for clean water, air, and soil as a basic human right for all communities regardless of race, income, or other marginalizing factors.

Matt West earned a B.S. in Zoology from Missouri Western State University's acclaimed wildlife conservation program. After a couple of years in conservation research and education, Matt headed to Vermont Law School, where he worked with the Environmental Advocacy Clinic. Matt hopes to advocate for those that need it most through environmental litigation.

The Firm settled a case for a confidential amount involving the hazing, bullying and sexual assault of a minor at an Illinois high school. The case was resolved at mediation without subjecting the Plaintiff to testifying at a jury trial as to the trauma he endured. It is the largest known settlement of its kind in Illinois.

Katy Ebbesen gets arbitration win! In a highly contested arbitration involving numerous witnesses, valuations and exhibits, Katy Ebbesen successfully won 100% of what her client sought in damages together with the fees and costs in bringing the suit. The case involved a complex dispute over work performed to restore two high-end vintage luxury vehicles. Katy was further successful in getting a complete win - judgment in her client's favor - as to the defendant's six-figure counterclaim for damages based upon an alleged breach of contract.

We are pleased to announce that The Collins Law Firm has been recognized as a Best Law Firm for 2022 by Best Lawyers and U.S. News & World Report. Firms included on the Best Law Firm list "are recognized for professional excellence with consistently impressive ratings from clients and peers". The Collins Law Firm is proud to have received the following rankings from Best Lawyers:

National Tier 3:
Litigation - Environmental
Mass Tort / Class Actions - Plaintiffs

Metropolitan Chicago Tier 1:
Litigation - Environmental

Metropolitan Chicago Tier 2:
Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiff

Metropolitan Chicago Tier 3:
Commercial Litigation
Mass Tort / Class Actions - Plaintiffs

"It's a great honor and a compliment to everyone who works here that we have been recognized among the very best law firms in the Chicago area," said partner Shawn Collins. Best Lawyers is the oldest and most respected lawyer ranking service in the world. Firms that receive a ranking from Best Lawyers have earned the highest level of respect from clients and other leading lawyers in the community.

Link

The Firm settled a premises liability case on behalf of a senior citizen who sustained injuries to her knee after the store failed to clean up a spill, causing our client to slip and fall. Due to her advanced age, surgical intervention was not an option.

The Firm settled a case on behalf of a minor who was injured in an ATV accident. The driver lost control of the ATV and it rolled over and onto our client. He sustained a crush injury to his leg as a result of the accident.

The Firm settled a case on behalf of a client whose spouse was killed when a driver ran a red light in Cook County. The Firm recovered the full policy for the at fault driver as well as a One Million Dollar settlement from the Underinsured carrier. The matter was able to be resolved prior to filing suit.

The Firm reached a very successful resolution to multistate litigation involving a national manufacturer in litigation over a Thirty Million Dollar supply contract.

The Firm represented its franchise client in purchase sale of three locations in Texarkana.

The Firm documented Twenty Three Million Dollars in loans for our bank clients in new development projects throughout Illinois.

Partner Shawn Collins gave a presentation this month for the Vermont Journal of Environmental Law symposium "The World of Waste in a Wasteful World". Shawn discussed how the government lost its willingness to enforce environmental laws and has broken its promise to help clean up contaminated sites in communities around the country though the CERCLA program, which was initially funded by taxes on polluters. However, the government has allowed the program to be so underfunded that it no longer has the money to clean up contaminated sites. Shawn's full remarks can be heard at 7:50:52.

Link

The Firm settled a case for a confidential amount involving the sexual assault of a disabled minor at a Residential Treatment Facility. Our lawsuit alleged the facility failed to monitor the child and failed to secure the facility, allowing the child to be sexually assaulted. After the assault, the facility discharged the child from their care, which we alleged interfered with the child's treatment for the abuse she suffered.

In addition to the monetary settlement, and more importantly to the family of the victim, the facility agreed to make changes to their security system to ensure that similar incidents are not allowed to happen to again.

The case settled weeks before trial was scheduled to commence.

The Firm was retained to document over $35 Million in commercial loans this past month on commercial and industrial properties.

The Firm was successful in winning summary judgment in a seven-figure real estate litigation matter.

The Firm successfully resolved several millions of dollars in litigation across several states involving an international manufacturer.

The Firm was successful in getting its clients dismissed out of the mass-Juul litigation ongoing across numerous states.

This month, Firm partner, Ed Manzke had the privilege of speaking to law students at Northern Illinois University College of Law. Ed addressed an Environmental Law class and discussed the plaintiff lawyer's perspective of litigating environmental class action cases.

In the month of August alone, the personal injury team recovered over Two Million Dollars in personal injury settlements.

These cases include a one-million-dollar settlement for a rear end trucking accident, nursing home negligence/wrongful death, two premises liability cases and an automobile accident case.