Gary Pinter

Gary Pinter recently earned partner status at Midwest firm Heyl Royster, and his quick rise in the firm is a testament to his intelligence, work ethic, skills and talent.

Pinter’s colleagues regard him as one of the top specialists in toxic tort, product liability and premises liability cases in the state. They also admire and respect the passion he devotes to his practice and the sacrifices he makes to ensure his clients’ interests come first.

This kind of selfless and exceptional service is nothing new for Pinter. Before entering law school, Pinter enlisted in the U.S. Army and served as a Cavalry Scout – from 2000 until his honorable discharge as a noncommissioned officer in 2004. His military service included combat operations on the ground in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. Pinter’s time in the military also included being awarded the George S. Patton Award upon completion of his One Station Unit Training (OSUT) and being named the Distinguished Honor Graduate from the Army’s Primary Leadership Development Course (PLDC).

Not surprisingly, Pinter’s post-Army endeavors continue to underscore his selfless service and outstanding work product. He has managed to grow and maintain a long list of repeat clients, many of whom have returned to him for their legal matters for years.

Jeffrey Skinner, with Schiff Hardin LLP in Washington, D.C., has worked closely with Pinter. Skinner is the national counsel for CertainTeed Corporation, a manufacturer of building materials. Skinner said that Pinter has provided his client with top legal representation while helping the company defend itself against asbestos personal-injury lawsuits.

“Time-and-time again, this has placed us in the best possible position to litigate the numerous cases that are filed against CertainTeed in his jurisdiction,” Skinner said. “He routinely provides top-notch legal representation and advice.”

Count Vincent Palmiotto as another peer impressed with Pinter’s legal talents. Palmiotto, with the Baltimore law firm of DeHay & Elliston, LLP, works with a client that has hired Pinter as part of the team providing legal advice to the company in Southern Illinois. “With the concise and thoughtful legal representation and advice he provides on a consistent basis, we are effectively able to defend the client’s interest,” Palmiotto said.

Robert Shultz, Jr., corporate counsel with State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, worked with Pinter back when the attorney was just beginning his legal career. Back then, Shultz was the managing partner of Heyl Royster’s Edwardsville office. Shultz said that it didn’t take long for Pinter to impress him. “From the start, Gary displayed a strong work ethic, initiative, integrity, discipline and an eagerness to provide excellent and loyal representation to the firm’s clients,” Shultz said. “He also demonstrated a sound understanding of the law’s foundations and a willingness to put the time and effort in to becoming a good lawyer.”

Pinter’s strong work ethic and legal savvy were evident from the first assignment that this young attorney took on, the preparation of a paper that Shultz presented to the Illinois Association of Defense and Trial Counsel. “His work was excellent,” Shultz said. “And it demonstrated intellectual rigor and insight. From that point forward, he never disappointed us. He quickly assumed responsibilities that ordinarily would have been assigned to more experienced lawyers, but his talents were equal to the challenges.”

Pinter has repeatedly shown that you can rely on him for consistently exceptional legal representation and advice. With the rare quality of having his courage, leadership and resolve forged on a battlefield, we can expect the same to hold true for many more years to come.