Picture of Christopher T. Hurley

Christopher T. Hurley

Managing Partner

Mr. Hurley is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. The College, founded in 1950, is composed of the best of the trial bar from the United States and Canada. Fellowship in the College is offered by invitation only and only after careful investigation. Fellowship is only offered to those lawyers with a minimum of 15 years trial experience and whose professional careers have been marked by the highest standards of ethical conduct, professionalism and civility. Membership in the College is limited to 1% of the practicing lawyers in any state or province.

Mr. Hurley also is a Fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers. Membership in the Academy is limited to 500 Fellows under the age of 70 from the United States. The standards for admission are high and the nominating process is very extensive and thorough. Outstanding skills and extensive experience as a trial lawyer, unimpeachable personal and professional character, integrity and honesty are required of every nominee. Based on peer recommendations and statewide surveys, Mr. Hurley also was selected as a Leading Lawyer in Illinois.   Most recently, Mr. Hurley was elected to the American Board of Trial Advocacy (ABOTA), an invitation-only organization for highly experienced trial lawyers who have exhibited civility, integrity and professionalism in their work. 

Mr. Hurley has served as an adjunct professor of law at Northwestern University School of Law where he teaches trial practice.  He is the current President of the Alumni Board of Governors of Loyola University of Chicago Law School where he also served on the Elder Initiative Advisory Board, and sponsored a lecture series for Loyola's law school on legal issues affecting the elderly. Mr. Hurley also is a Trustee Emeritus and member of the Alumni Board of Advisors for La Lumiere High School in La Porte, Indiana. In addition, he has been a member of the Council for Winnetka Congregational Church.

Mr. Hurley and his family are active volunteers with Project Common Hope, an organization that provides assistance and support to the disadvantaged of Guatemala through education, housing, and health care. Mr. Hurley has been to Common Hope in Antigua, Guatemala on numerous occasions as a member of and as a vision team leader.

Education

J.D., Loyola University Chicago School of Law, Chicago, IL, 1984
President Alumni Board of Governors
Chairman Annual Giving
Chairman Dean's Circle
Chairman Scholarship Committee 2008-2010
Sponsor Elder Law lecture series

B.A., Colgate University, Hamilton, New York, 1981
Honors: Dean’s List
Major: Political Science
Major: Economics

Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice

Illinois, 1984
U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois, 1984
U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit, 1997
U. S. District Court District of Utah, 1990
U. S. District Court Eastern District of Wisconsin, 1997

Professional & Bar Association Memberships

Illinois State Bar Association
Member Since: 1984
Elected to Board of Governor's 2011 Section member Tort Law and Civil Practice and Procedure

Illinois Trial Lawyers Association
Member Since: 1984
Executive Committee 2010 - present; Board of Managers, 1996 - Present; Board of Advocates, 1994 - 1996; Chairman-Legislative Relations Committee 2010

American Association for Justice (AAJ)
Member Since: 1991
Sustaining Member

Chicago Bar Association
Member Since: 1984
Legislative Committee, 1998-2002; Tort Law Committee, 1992-98; Civil Practice Committee, 1998 -2002

Society of Trial Lawyers
Member Since: 2006
Elected to membership (invitation only organization)

American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)
Member Since: 2007
Elected to membership (invitation only organization)

American College of Trial Lawyers
Member Since: 2003
Elected to membership (invitation only organization); Member Upstate Illinois Committee 2003-2009

International Academy of Trial Lawyers
Member Since: 2006
Elected to membership (invitation only organization)

American Bar Association

Published Works

Proximate Cause, ITLA Medical Malpractice Notebook, 2011
The Plaintiff Lawyer's Perspective on Contingency Fees, CBA Record, October, 1994
Taking Control, Law Practice Management, May 2002

Representative Cases

Keef v. Widuch, 321 Ill.App.3d 571, 747 N.E.2d 992 (1st Dist. 2001).
Hernandez v. Woodbridge Nursing Home, 287 Ill.App.3d 641, 678 N.E.2d 788
Britton v. Soltes, 205 Ill.App.3d 943, 563 N.E.2d 910
Northern Trust Bank v. Carl, 200 Ill.App.3d 773, 558 N.E. 2d 451
Delgatto v. Brandon Associates, Ltd., 172 Ill.App.3d 424, 526 N.E.2d 384
Kasper v. Saint Mary of Nazareth Hosp., 135 F.3d 1170
Credo v. Zema Systems Corp., 944 F.Supp. 677
Sonnemaker v. U.S., 807 F.Supp 483
Modelski v. Navistar International trade Corporation, 302 Ill.App.3d 879, 707N.E.2d 239, 236 Il.Dec 394 (1st Dist 1999)
Johnson v. Zema Systems Inc., 170 F.3d 734 (7th Cir. 1999)
Kunz v. Little Co. of Mary Hospital, 373 Ill.App.3d 615, 869 N.E.2d 328, 311 Ill.Dec. 654 (1st Dist. 2007)
Frigo v. Silver Cross Hospital, 2007 WL 2736595 (Sept. 20, 2007)

Clark v. Burton,



Classes/Seminars Taught

Federal Trial Bar Practice Course, Chicago Bar Association, 1995 - 1996
Damages, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, 1996
Prior Similar Accidents, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, 1997
Wrongful Death Damages, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, 1998
Proof of Proximate Cause, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, 1994
Impact of Impact, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, 1995
Civility, Illinois Defense Council, 1995 - 1998
Damages — From Intake to Trial, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, 2002
Developing Damage Evidence, ITLA, December 2001
Effective Illinois Jury Selection, IICLE, Spring 2003
Essentials of Entering the PM&R Practice, Rush University Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, October 2002
Plaintiff's Perspective on Settlement, CBA, October 2003
Opening Statements, Chicago Bar Association, October 2006
Nursing Home Litigation, Loyola University School of Law, September 2006
Arthur and Wills, ITLA Update and Review Seminar, October 2007
Legal Testimony: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, Roosevelt University Neuropsychological Society, October 2007
Presenting the Injured Plaintiff: The Most Difficult Trial Witness, ITLA, December 2007
Expert Witness Testimony, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, San Fransisco, March 2008

Transportation Torts Seminar - Planes, Trains and Automobiles - Bicycles, ITLA, February 2009

The Legal Hazards of Using Facilitated Communication, Behavioral Analysis Association of Michigan,  Detroit, Michigan,  February 2009

Obstetric Malpractice: Dealing With Proximate Cause Defenses, IQPC, Chicago, November 2009

Case Evaluation: Managing the High Verdict Potential Case, Law Bulletin Seminars, Chicago, November 2009

Handling the Money, ITLA,  May 2010





Verdicts and Settlements

Click here to view verdict & settlement results

Honors and Awards

Leadership and Service Award, Loyola University School of Law, 1984
American College of Trial Lawyers, Fellow since 2002
Leading Illinois Lawyer since 2003
International Academy of Trial Lawyers, Fellow since 2006
American Board of Trial Advocates, Member since 2006


Past Employment Positions

Baker & McKenzie, Trial lawyer 1988 - 1992

Fraternities/Sororities

Alpha Tau Omega

Birth Information

1959, Missoula, Montana, United States of America