Trial, Arbitration, & Appellate Experience
2016-present
Arbitrated motor vehicle accident in the State of Illinois. Recovered insurance policy limits for plaintiff. (2019)
Defended and prosecuted numerous claims related to a contract for manufacturing ice cream sandwiches during a three-week jury trial in the U.S. District of Massachusetts. Succeeded in recovering 100% of damages on clients’ counterclaims and successful defense resulting in plaintiff recovering less than 5% of damages sought. (2018)
2012-2015
Prosecuted breach of engagement contract and fee collection arbitration on behalf of major law firm against its former corporate client in 3-day AAA arbitration. Succeeded in obtaining and collecting $4,000,000-plus award. (2014)
Prosecuted a plaintiff's legal malpractice "case within a case" on behalf of the City of Clinton, Iowa, against Michael C. Walker and his law firm, Hopkins & Huebner, P.C., of Davenport, Iowa. The three-week trial involved an underlying federal False Claims Act qui tam complaint alleging that the City's fire department had submitted falsely coded emergency ambulance bills to Medicare. The case was tried before Judge Nancy Tabor in the District Court for Scott County, Iowa. (October 2013)
Obtained a $258,000 verdict for damages in a personal injury case after a 3-day jury trial. The case related to a premises liability claim against Defendant Resurrection Services. (Judge Tolmaire, Circuit Court of Cook County, 2012).
2007-2011
Obtained a $3,750,000 settlement in a Personal Injury case related to client’s loss of part of his leg as the result of an explosion.
Represented Defendant Scott Ward and after a two-day evidentiary hearing before Judge Amy J. St. Eve successfully dissolved a temporary restraining order. In addition, Mr. Hannafan defeated Plaintiff’s motion for a preliminary injunction regarding his client’s employment agreement and non-competition/non-solicit clauses. (N.D. Ill. 2011, J. St. Eve).
Argued appeal on behalf of Plaintiff-Appellee before the First District Appellate Court regarding various issues raised after successful jury verdict related to client’s claims for legal malpractice. Voutiritsas v. Bolz, et al. (Illinois Appellate Court, First District) (2011)
Argued appeal before the First District Appellate Court regarding issues related to collection of judgment and advance paid retainers. (Illinois Appellate Court, First District) (2011) (argued)
Successfully prosecuted an insurance coverage case on behalf of plaintiffs Jerald and Meryl Goldfarb against One Beacon Insurance Group where the insurance company denied coverage for street robbery of precious jewelry. The jury returned a verdict of $395,000 after a 5-day trial. Insurer later settled "vexatious denial" of claim before later bench trial on that issue. Total recovery: $440,000. The case was tried before Judge Barbara McDonald in the Circuit Court of Cook County, IL (2011)
Successfully prosecuted a breach of contract case before Judge Bill Taylor. Defendants were Sentinel Investment Group, Inc.; Sentinel Financial Services, Inc.; Sentinel Management International, Inc.; Fountainhead Investments, Inc.; EB Trust 2005; and Eric A. Bloom Living Trust (Circuit Court of Cook County, IL) (2010)
Represented George Voutiritsas and North Star Trust Company as chair in a legal malpractice action against James M. Bolz and McCuaig, Haeger, Bolz & McCarty LLC during a five-day jury trial before Judge Allen Goldberg (Circuit Court of Cook County, IL) (2010)
Represented PIMCO Funds regarding appeal related to various issues arising from commodities futures class action suit. Kohen v. Pacific Investment Management Company LLC and PIMCO Funds (7th Circuit Court of Appeals) (2010)
Represented Juanita Cunningham as lead counsel in a sexual exploitation in psychotherapy action against Dr. Richard C. Berglund and Bonaventure Medical Group during a 5-day jury trial before Judge William Haddad (Circuit Court of Cook County, IL) (2008)
Appellate Court of Illinois (1st Dist.) - Prosecution of breach of contract claim on behalf of Karla Knafel against basketball superstar Michael Jordan (2006).
Represented Karla Knafel on appeal from various issues regarding defamation in Knafel v. Chicago Sun Times (7th Circuit Court of Appeals) (2005).
Represented Karla Knafel on appeal from various issues regarding breach of contract in Jordan v. Knafel (Illinois Appellate Court, First District) (2005).
Appellate Court of Illinois (1st Dist.) - Prosecution of Breach of Fiduciary Claims on behalf of retired Outboard Marine Corporation executives against The Northern Trust Company (2005).
Society of Lloyd's v. Harold F. Ilg. The court affirmed a trial court's entry of judgment against a former Lloyd's Name in the amount of approximately $700,000. (8th Circuit Court of Appeals) (2005).
Prosecution of securities suitability, churning and failure to supervise case on behalf of Celia Ginnodo, Trustee, against Prudential Securities before the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) (Chicago 2004).
Prosecution of medical malpractice case for failure to diagnose deep vein thrombosis in Edward Wallace v. David L. Madison, M.D. before Judge James Jordan (Superior Court, Hamilton County, IN) (2004).
Achieved settlement of $3,500,000 in prosecution of legal malpractice case involving patent application process against major law firm (2003).
Prosecution of breach of contract case in Michael T. Hannafan & Associates, Ltd. v. Robert Stehlik and Loretta Stehlik before Judge Ronald Bartkowicz (Circuit Court of Cook County, IL) (2003). Represented Plaintiff Michael T. Hannafan & Associates, Ltd. in a breach of contract case during a 7-day jury trial before Judge Ronald F. Bartkowicz (Circuit Court of Cook County, IL) (2003)
Represented Colleen P. Kramer on appeal from various issues regarding a plaintiff's rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act in Colleen P. Kramer v. Banc of America Securities, LLC (7th Circuit Court of Appeals) (2003). (Argued)
Defense of breach of promissory note, common law fraud and Illinois Consumer Fraud Act claims in Gerald R. Meyers v. Kane Commerce Co. and Richard Horst, before Judge Gene Nottolini (Circuit Court of Kane County, IL) (2003).
Prosecution of retaliatory discharge case under Americans With Disabilities Act in Colleen P. Kramer v. Banc of America Securities before Judge James Zagel (N.D. IL) (2002)
Represented Timothy Ueland on appeal from various issues regarding evidentiary rulings and Petrillo doctrine in Ueland v. United States (7th Circuit Court of Appeals) (2002).
Halmos v. Gilbert, et al. Represented Peter Halmos on appeal from various issues regarding order of summary judgment (5th Circuit Court of Appeals) (2002).
Prosecution of breach of construction loan agreement in Mr. and Mrs. Robert Stehlik v. LaSalle Bank, N.A. before Judge Lester Foreman (Circuit Court of Cook County, IL) (2001) (settled before decision).
Defense of legal malpractice insurance coverage case on behalf of Attorneys' Liability Assurance Society, Inc. before the American Arbitration Association (Chicago 2001).
Represented Timothy Ueland in Federal Tort Claims Act for personal injury in Ueland v. United States before Judge John Darrah (N.D. IL) (2001) (Won reversal in 7th Circuit Court of Appeals).
Participated in 5-day international arbitration hearing concerning licensing and contract rights in Abbott Laboratories v. Baxter International (2001).
Prosecution of bad faith bankruptcy filing in The Society of Lloyd's v. Patrick Collins before Judge Erwin Katz (Bk. N.D. IL) (2000).
Defense of individual on claim of criminal charge of battery in People of the State of Illinois v. (Defendant's name withheld by client's request) before Judge Patrick O'Malley (Mun. Court Cook County, IL) (2000).