Christopher T. Hurley

Early in my career we accepted a medical malpractice case for an elderly woman who was having trouble finding a lawyer. They said her case was too complicated, too risky and she was too old. All of these things were arguably true, but we took the case because the care she had received was sub-standard. We worked hard and settled her case. A few months later I received a card in the mail with a photo of a modest brick house and a note that said this: “Thank you so very much for helping me. This is a picture of my house, my home for the rest of my life.” She used her settlement to retire and buy a home near her family. We settled many larger cases before that and since, but I have always treasured this photo and I look at it often to remind me why I do this work.

In the early 90’s shortly after I founded our law firm I took a case for the family of an older woman who died when she fell down some dangerous unlit concrete stairs. The insurance company offered only $100,000 to compensate the family of this woman who was the sole caregiver for her adult mentally disabled son. Despite many warnings that I should settle this difficult case, which was filed in a very conservative county, we went to trial because the settlement offer was simply not fair. The jury awarded $2 million, a record amount in that county, and more than I asked for in closing argument. This was an early lesson in trusting juries to do the right thing.

By our work in Amy Clark’s case, we not only provided a fund of money that allowed Amy to support her two profoundly disabled sons but we also brought Amy’s case to the Illinois Supreme Court where we were able to persuade the court that Illinois law needed to change. The court’s decision changed the old law in our state to allow parents to recover for emotional distress when medical negligence led to the wrongful birth of a profoundly disabled child.

The Hill Case was another case we were not supposed to win. The Hills had been rejected by other lawyers before they came to us for help. Their son suffered brain damage due to an unnecessary delay in his delivery. We were able to prove that the defendants had lost or destroyed key medical records. The settlement offer before trial was $0. The jury verdict was $14 million.

My selections for fellowship to the American College of Trial Lawyers and the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, both invitation only organizations limited to the top 1% of trial lawyers, have been particularly rewarding honors. These groups are made up of real trial lawyers – the people that understand what it takes to master the law and the evidence and make a coherent argument to a jury on a few hours of sleep. It is nice to be recognized by my peers and competitors.

I have been elected to the leadership of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association. This organization stands watch in our state to protect the right to trial by jury. The right to a jury trial is found in the Illinois and U.S. Constitutions. Since I was sworn in as a lawyer in 1984 and well before, the forces of big insurance, big tobacco and big business have fought to do away with jury trials. Unchecked by juries, theses powerful special interests will have their way with the citizens of our state. ITLA has battled these forces toe to toe for decades and I am proud to be on the side of regular working people in this fight.

Working for Mark Stephan has been one of the most inspirational and professionally rewarding experiences of my career. Mark broke his neck when a quick release system on his bicycle caused the front wheel to fall off while he was riding. As a result of our work, every bike manufacturer in the country now incorporates a safety system in its design to avoid unexpected wheel separations. More importantly, we helped Mark obtain the financial resources he needed to bring a message of incredible hope to victims of spinal cord injury across the country. In his refusal to ever quit he has inspired us and the world by climbing the stairs to the top of Chicago’s tallest building and riding his recumbent bike across the United States.