About

John is a highly experienced trial attorney with well over one hundred jury trials to his credit as well as hundreds of bench trials and arbitrations. He has represented clients in State court throughout Illinois as well as clients in State and Federal Courts from Iowa to New Jersey, and from Wisconsin to Florida. John routinely handles civil cases involving catastrophic injury or death and has obtained multiple judgments of more than a million dollars. John believes that his extensive litigation and trial experience is helpful whether he is resolving disputes inside or outside of court. The Ford Heights Litigation exemplifies the wide range of John's legal skills. John's client, Paula Gray, had been charged with murder and had served ten years for a crime she did not commit. John tried Paula's post-conviction case and won, clearing Paula of all her charges. This hearing in front of Judge William O'Neill resulted in the longest written decision (352 pages) in Illinois history. The real murderers were charged and convicted. John then filed for and helped her get a pardon for actual innocence from the Governor of Illinois. John also helped Paula recover over $100,000.00 in the Illinois Court of Claims for her wrongful incarceration. John then sued the Cook County Sheriff's Department and forced them to pay Paula $4,000,000.00 for this malicious and unjust prosecution. John then set up an Estate for Paula. Now the Northern Trust Company manages Paula's money and her home expenses, and will pay her bills for the rest of her life. Recently John had a former client stop in without an appointment. She was very upset as her underage son had been driving while highly intoxicated and been killed in an accident earlier that morning. She was hoping John would be able to retrieve her son's personal belongings from the morgue for her. The son had been overserved by a bar in Miami that led to his fatal accident. John not only personally recovered her son's personal belongings, but also secured a seven figure settlement against the bar that had overserved her son causing his death. John received his Bachelor of Arts degree at Northwestern University, with honors. He went on to receive his Juris Doctor degree from Hastings College of the Law at the University of California where he served as Senior Managing Editor of the Hastings Communications and Entertainment Law Journal. Following his graduation from law school, John worked with Thomas Decker, one of Chicago's finest trial attorneys. John worked on numerous federal and state trials, successfully litigating issues as varied as race discrimination, Illinois first DNA case, multi-million dollar negligence claims and murder. John then joined the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office as an Assistant State's Attorney where he was known for his strong work ethic and exceptional skill as a courtroom advocate. As an Assistant State's Attorney, John specialized in prosecuting complex financial and violent crimes. John received commendations from various police and community organizations as well as an award from the United States Congress for his work as a prosecutor. When he was younger, John worked his way through high school, college and law school as a commercial fisherman in the dangerous waters of Alaska. These days, John still enjoys fishing a great deal, but only for sport in the much safer waters off the Florida Keys.

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