GEORGIA – LOUISIANA
LITIGATION
WILLIAM T. MITCHELL
CRUSER & MITCHELL, LLP
Meridian II, Suite 2000
275 Scientific Drive
Norcross, GA 30092
Tel: 404-881-2633
Fax: 404-881-2630
bmitchell@cmlawfirm.com
www.cmlawfirm.com
EMPLOYMENT & COMMERCIAL LITIGATION
BUSINESS LI TIGATION
Founding partner of Cruser & Mitchell, LLP, a practice with
offices in five different states, Bill has developed a reputation
as a direct, forthright, and result-oriented trial attorney who can
handle the most complicated and high-stakes matters, from
complex products liability claims and sophisticated business
disputes to a wide array of employment discrimination matters,
and multi-issue class actions. Bill has handled three notorious
cases in Georgia as counsel for NFL star Ray Lewis in the
Buckhead murders’ wrongful death civil actions; as counsel for
the captain in charge of courthouse security in the seven civil
cases arising out of the Brian Nichols Fulton County Courthouse
shootings; and as counsel for the family of Kathryn Johnston the
92-year-old killed by Atlanta Police in the Neal Street shooting.
JAMES F. BEST
BEST VANDERLAAN &
HARRINGTON
25 East Washington Street
Suite 210
Chicago, IL 60602
Tel: 312-819-1100
Fax: 312-819-8062
jbest@bestfirm.com
www.bestfirm.com
PERSONAL INJURY DEFENSE: GENERAL
INSURANCE COVERAGE
CIVIL LI TIGATION DEFENSE
Jim Best has been successfully trying civil lawsuits to verdict for
over 30 years. He is the founding partner of Best Vanderlaan &
Harrington, which has multiple offices throughout the State of
Illinois. He has tried a wide variety of cases involving construction,
building defects, products liability, trucking, professional
negligence, coverage disputes, and other catastrophic injury
claims. He tried to verdict the first internet defamation case
in the State of Illinois. He has been a lecturer on civil litigation
for the Illinois State Bar Association, Chicago Bar Association,
DuPage County Bar Association, Kane County Bar Association,
and the Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel.
THEODORE A.
BOUNDAS
BOUNDAS, SKARZYNSKI,
WALSH & BLACK, LLC
200 East Randolph Drive
Suite 7200
Chicago, IL 60601
Tel: 312-946-4200
Fax: 312-946-4272
tboundas@bswb.com
www.bswb.com
INSURANCE COVERAGE
Theodore A. Boundas has spent over 30 years specializing
in the field of directors and officers, financial institutions,
professional liability insurance, corporate governance, and risk
management. He has handled many of the most significant
cases in the fields of professional and directors and officers
liability insurance and also has written and spoken widely
on those subjects, with speaking engagements throughout
the U.S. and at international conferences in London, Tokyo,
Bangkok, and Manila. He has litigated and mediated countless
complex directors and officers, financial institutions, and
professional liability claims involving U.S. and worldwide
exposures, many emanating from the significant recessions of
the past four decades.
STANLEY H. JAKALA
STANLEY H. JAKALA
3219 Maple Avenue
Berwyn, IL 60402
Tel: 708-788-5733
Fax: 708-788-5713
sjakala3219@comcast.net
www.jakalalaw.com
ADMINISTRATIVE LAW
EMPLOYMENT & LABOR
APPELLATE
For 54 years, Stanley Jakala has represented public employees,
particularly police and fire employees, in disciplinary matters
and pensions. He was legal counsel for the Illinois Fraternal
Order of Police for 29 years and was the national legal
counsel for the Fraternal Order of Police from 1979-1981.
He has represented the Village of Westchester, Illinois, in
labor negotiations with public employees for ten years; has
represented pension boards; and is presently representing
the Hoffman Estates, Illinois, Police and Fire Pension Boards.
He has been involved in 112 published opinions, victorious in
35 percent. He has received testimonials from the Village of
Hoffman Estates, Illinois; Northwestern University School of
Law; and the Illinois House of Representatives.
JEFFREY S. TAYLOR
SPESIA & AYERS
1415 Black Road
Joliet, IL 60435
Tel: 815-726-4311
Fax: 815-846-2410
jtaylor@spesia-ayers.com
www.spesia-ayers.com
GENERAL LITIGATION
BUSINESS LI TIGATION
Jeffrey S. Taylor is a partner at the law firm of Spesia & Ayers,
where his practice encompasses a wide variety of business and
general litigation matters in state and federal court. His practice
ranges from employment and shareholder disputes to contracts
and tort litigation. He has acted as a corporate trial counsel for
a number of state and national corporations, including JULIE,
Inc., the Illinois One-Call System, and is actively engaged in
the representation of school districts and colleges, including
private educational institutions throughout Illinois. Mr. Taylor
is a member of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association and the
Illinois State Bar Association. He also acts as an arbitrator in Will
and DuPage Counties. In 2007, he was recognized as one of the
Forty Illinois Attorneys Under 40 to Watch.
CRAIG D. TOBIN
TOBIN & MUÑOZ, L.L.C.
Three First National Plaza
Suite 1950
Chicago, IL 60602
Tel: 312-641-1321
Fax: 312-641-5220
ctobin@barristers.com
www.barristers.com
GENERAL LI TIGATION
CRIMINAL DEFENSE: WHITE COLLAR
BUSINESS LI TIGATION
Craig Tobin is recognized as one of the best trial lawyers
in the United States. He represents clients in high-profile
and often highly-publicized criminal and civil matters. Tobin
and his partners have recovered or protected hundreds of
millions of dollars in client funds and assets. Initially, he was
joined in practice by the late Honorable Robert J. Collins,
whom the Chicago Tribune called “the standard by which all
other judges are to be measured.” Tobin & Muñoz, L.L.C. is a
nationally-recognized Chicago and Washington, D.C. based
trial law boutique. Former First Assistant Secretary of the U.S.
Treasury, and a past-president of the United States’ Overseas
Private Investment Corporation, George Muñoz joined the firm,
leading the firm’s national and international business practice.
WILLIAM T. DONNELL
GWIN STEINMETZ & BAIRD
PLLC
One Riverfront Plaza
Suite 1000
401 West Main Street
Louisville, KY 40202
Tel: 502-618-5713
Fax: 502-618-5701
wdonnell@gsblegal.com
www.gsblegal.com
ROBERT Y. GWIN
GWIN STEINMETZ & BAIRD
PLLC
One Riverfront Plaza
Suite 1000
401 West Main Street
Louisville, KY 40202
Tel: 502-618-5708
Fax: 502-618-5701
rgwin@gsblegal.com
www.gsblegal.com
KURT S. BLANKENSHIP
BLUE WILLIAMS, LLP
3421 North Causeway Boulevard
Suite 900
Metairie, LA 70002
Tel: 504-831-4091
Fax: 504-837-1182
kblankenship@bluewilliams.com
www.bluewilliams.com
GENERAL LITIGATION
CIVIL LI TIGATION DEFENSE
PERSONAL INJURY DEFENSE: GENERAL
PERSONAL INJURY DEFENSE: MEDICAL MALPRACTICE
GENERAL LITIGATION
CIVIL LI TIGATION DEFENSE
BUSINESS LITIGATION
PERSONAL INJURY DEFENSE: MEDICAL MALPRAC TICE
William T. Donnell is an experienced trial lawyer who has tried
state and federal court cases. Mr. Donnell spends the majority of
his time defending personal injury lawsuits for various trucking
companies and insurers, primarily in the areas of trucking
accidents, transportation litigation, professional negligence,
and automobile liability. Mr. Donnell has tried numerous
transportation cases to verdict and has extensive experience
defending commercial transportation and trucking companies.
Mr. Donnell has experience defending extracontractual bad
faith claims involving automobile or transportation policies
and insurers.
Robert Y. Gwin is a very seasoned trial lawyer who has
represented Fortune 500 companies, including regional
and local businesses and insurance companies, in litigation
involving a variety of claims such as negligence, products
liability, medical malpractice, nursing home negligence, breach
of fiduciary duty, breach of contract, fraud, insurance coverage
and bad faith, franchise disputes, and employment practices.
Mr. Gwin has successfully tried cases before juries and judges
in both federal and state courts in various U.S. jurisdictions.
Mr. Gwin is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell.
Mr. Blankenship is a managing partner of Blue Williams,
LLP. He has over 33 years of litigation experience in the
areas of professional liability defense, construction, commercial
disputes, complex civil litigation, class action and mass tort,
general casualty, and contractual disputes between health care
providers. Mr. Blankenship also advises health care clients in
corporate and regulatory matters. He has tried numerous cases
defending both physicians and hospitals in venues all over the
State of Louisiana.
LITIGATION
SUPER LAWYERS / BUSINESS EDITION 2011
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