Sarah Rodak
Cunningham Meyer & Vedrine
Medical malpractice defense

To know Sarah Rodak is to be impressed by her. That is what her clients and fellow attorneys say after working with this medical-malpractice defense attorney.  

Her family’s deep roots in the medical profession made Rodak’s decision to pursue a legal career defending physicians and the healthcare system an obvious choice 

During her still-young career, Rodak has served as first chair for more than 40 trials. As a partner at Cunningham Meyer & Vedrine, she manages her own medical-malpractice defense caseload and collaborates with her colleagues on high exposure cases. 

David Burtker a partner of Rodak’s and someone who has tried numerous cases with Rodak, stated, “she has a trial presence that is multifactorial: tough, sincere, knowledgeable and understanding. No one walking into a courtroom or trial knows a case, and its facts, better than Sarah.”  Rodak’s partner Michael Slovis described her as “a friend and partner who demonstrates compassion, skill, and unrelenting loyalty to those around her.”      

Kathryn Conway with Power Rogers LLP praised Rodak as a particularly strong litigator; which has earned her several defense verdicts on behalf of her clients in complex, high-stakes litigation.

"Sarah has gone to trial against some of the very best plaintiff’s attorneys in the city," Conway said. "But she never backs down and is a strong advocate for her clients."

Margaret Battersby with Levin & Perconti says Rodak has achievd defense verdicts for many of her medical clients in cases where plaintiffs have asked for millions of dollars. She's also been able to mitigate damages in cases in which large verdicts were sought. Battersby points to a case involving a pain-management doctor in which Rodak secured a 1% fault allocation when the verdict came out to $7 million, leaving her client liable for only $70,000.

"Sarah is a trial whiz," Battersby said. "Every time I see her, she has finished up or is on trial. She has an amazing ability to maintain an active trial practice while keeping up with the discovery and tasks on her other existing cases."

Attorney Michael Cogan said Rodak makes a strong impression in the courtroom. He points in particular to four expert witnesses that he has seen her depose Despite their credentials and knowledge of the case, each commented after the deposition that Rodak must be much older than she appears. 

"My father was a practicing physician at the University of Chicago for many decades before his passing. Had he been sued, I could think of no other advocate that I would rather have protecting him then Sarah Rodak," Cogan said. "Between her trial skills, deposition skills and writing skills, Sarah is one of the best. 

Rodak is also active in her community and bar associations.  She has served in leadership positions on boards for Northwestern and her church and participated in Mercy Home for Boys & Girls’ mentorship program.  Rodak is a parent liaison at her children’s school and volunteers with the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois.