A look at our 2021 honorees

Segal McCambridge — Tort and commercial litigation
Paul Motz is a storyteller at heart. By focusing on the story the defense will tell and mounting an offensive against the plaintiffs bar’s theory tactics, he has become one of the most respected commercial litigation specialists in the city.  Motz, a shareholder with Chicago’s Segal McCambridge, prevails for the…

Dussias Wittenberg Koenigsberger LLP — Family law
Kathleen Opal has one priority: serving her clients and helping them reach their goals.  This singular focus helps explain how Opal has built such a thriving family law career at Chicago firm Dussias Wittenberg Koenigsberger. Her peers say that Opal works tirelessly for her clients and boasts a deep understanding of the…

McAndrews, Held & Malloy, Ltd. — Intellectual property law
A leader in his field. That's how the peers of Dunstan Barnes describe this rising star with McAndrews, Held & Malloy.  Barnes has quickly built a reputation as a top intellectual property law specialist, especially in the area of design patents. Barnes is a frequent writer and lecturer on this topic and wrote the U.S…

Swanson, Martin & Bell — Complex civil litigation
Andrew Lothson doesn't hesitate to take on the biggest cases. During his still-young career, he has represented corporate clients in more than 35 state and federal trial courts throughout the United States.  He’s also handled federal appeals in the First, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh, and D.C…

Much Shelist P.C. — Employment law
A problem-solver. An attorney adept at crafting practical solutions for his clients. Calm under fire. That’s how Matthew Feery’s peers describe this young attorney at Chicago’s Much Shelist.  Feery has built a busy employment law career by acting as a trusted advisor to companies of all sizes, including startups…

BatesCarey LLP — Insurance coverage litigation, commercial litigation
Winning results matter. And few insurance coverage specialists deliver them with as much consistency as does David Buishas.  Buishas, a partner with Chicago's BatesCarey, represents domestic and international insurers at both the trial and appellate levels, earning successful decisions for his clients in state and federal…

Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila LLP — Product liability and mass torts
Raymond Rushing has managed to build a successful practice in a complex and competitive area of law while also serving his community and inspiring others. As remarkable as this might be, he wouldn’t dream of doing one thing without the other. For Rushing, success means lifting others as you climb. Rushing clearly has the…

Applegate & Thorne-Thomsen, P.C. — Real estate law
Hilary Jaffe is an example of that fortunate individual: she is not only an extremely talented attorney; she also loves her work.  As Jaffe says in her own bio, she is passionate about working on complex financial transactions that not only help her clients but also have a positive impact on the community.  Jaffe also enjoys…