Megan O'Connor

Results. That's what Megan O'Connor, who practices medical malpractice law, has delivered during her still-young legal career. O’Connor’s most notable verdicts and settlements total nearly $100-million and many are on behalf of abused children. O’Connor has proven herself to be a tenacious and highly skilled legal advocate for those who are the most vulnerable. Her work has helped thousands of Illinois children by highlighting need for significant reforms in the state’s foster care system.

The numbers tell the story. O'Connor served as second chair of a trial involving the death of a toddler as the result of the negligence of a child welfare agency. O'Connor's work directing experts, interviewing key witnesses and delivering the rebuttal, helped her client received a record-breaking $45 million verdict. 

O’Connor also helped her clients obtain a $19.55 million settlement in a foster care abuse case, a $10.7 million verdict in a products liability trial, a $6 million verdict in a medical malpractice case where a failure to diagnose a significant brain bleed resulted in death, and a $6 million default judgment in a medical malpractice case involving the failure to diagnose breast cancer.

Earlier this year, O’Connor was named a partner at Levin & Perconti after joining the firm in 2021.  Prior to that, O’Connor worked for several Chicago civil rights and personal injury law firms where her work included representing children in the foster care system as well as other medical malpractice and personal injury cases.  

“Megan has an outstanding record of obtaining justice for those she represents. She is a gifted young attorney,” said Steve Levin, co-founding partner of Levin & Perconti.  “Her success is fueled not just by her considerable legal skills and strong work ethic but also by the great empathy she feels for victims. That is what drives her.”

Michael Slovis, managing partner of the Chicago office of law firm Cunningham, Meyer & Vedrine, first met O'Connor eight years ago during her prosecution of a civil action involving the abuse and death of a child in foster care.

"In proving a case that looked impossible on first review, Megan was able to improve the lives of so many foster children and the system that governs their care," Slovis said. "It was the most impactful case development I have ever seen. She works tirelessly to better the lives of her clients."

“Megan epitomizes what it means to be a stellar plaintiff's lawyer; she excels in a field dominated by men,” said a Cook County Circuit Court Judge who Megan tried a case in front of. “She, without question, is worthy of this award.”

Brian Monico, a personal injury attorney at Hale & Monico also worked closely with O'Connor in the early years of her legal career when she worked for his firm. “Simply put, Megan is one of the best young lawyers out there. She can do it all,” said Monico. 

O’Connor served as co-chair of the Legally Moms Committee of the Women's Bar Association of Illinois and on the organization's Judicial Evaluation Committee. She is a member of the American Association for Justice and a member of the Women's Caucus of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association.