Best's Recommended Insurance Attorneys
General Defense

10 South LaSalle Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603-1098
Established: 1936
Practice Areas
- Fidelity and Surety
- Medical Malpractice
- Professional Liability
- Subrogation
- Admiralty and Maritime Law
- Employment Law
- Intellectual Property
- Premises Liability
- Product Liability
- Transportation
- Appellate Practice
- Banking
- Bankruptcy
- Business Litigation
- Commercial Litigation
- Construction Litigation
- Corporate Law
- Directors and Officers Liability
- Environmental Coverage
- Estate Planning
- Toxic Torts
- Securities
- Reinsurance
- Real Estate
- Municipal Law
- Municipal Liability
- Mass Tort
- Insurance Coverage
- International Law
- Health Care Liability
- Insurance Law
- Insurance Litigation
- Insurance Policy Enforcement
- Insurance Regulation
- Insurance Claim Analysis and Evaluation
- Insurance Corporate Practice
- Insurance Defense
- First Party Matters
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About Us
Clausen Miller combines the resources, talent, strength and maturity of a large, long established firm, with the responsiveness and efficiency of a smaller firm providing you with effective results within your budget. We have invested over seventy years creating a successful and broad-based insurance practice to serve your needs in insurance and complex business litigation from coast to coast and abroad. We can quickly assemble a multi-disciplinary team to address the largest of issues or call upon a highly specialized and seasoned professional to engage in a single issue. All of Clausen Miller attorneys will collaborate to provide you with the most comprehensive and efficient representation required to resolve your issue.
Our insurance defense attorneys, historically and today, have excelled in the practice, handling, and trial of complex claims, such as casualty, class action, construction, professional liability, property, toxic tort, and all types of general liability matters. Our attorneys have represented clients in ground-breaking federal and state court litigation in all areas of insurance.
Clausen Miller's firmly rooted experience in insurance representation has grown to expand across a multitude of disciplines. The accomplished attorneys in our first-party property insurance department are considered among the premier attorneys in this field, achieving outstanding results on behalf of insurers in first-party claims for decades. Our subrogation recovery department has acquired substantial recoveries on behalf of insurers for many years. Our insurance coverage department regularly and successfully litigates cases involving environmental, toxic tort, construction defects, professional liability, personal and advertising injury, and general liability. Our attorneys have achieved great proficiencies and outstanding results for insurers in these various practice areas.
We also represent various other business classes from the small to very large. We provide legal counsel, advice and, if needed, litigation representation to businesses, including, but not limited to, insurance issues. We welcome the opportunity to serve your business needs and develop a mutual, long lasting, relationship as we have with our many clients over the decades.
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Additional Locations
- Irvine, CA
- Florham Park, NJ
- New York, NY
- London, United Kingdom
- Rome, Italy
- Brussels, Belgium
- Paris, France
- Michigan City, IN
- Appleton, WI
- Tampa, FL
- Stamford, CT
- San Francisco, CA
- Orlando, FL
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Insurance Clients
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Personnel Information
Partners
W. Gregory Aimonette
Chicago, IL
Admitted
Education:
- DePauw University, B.A., 1994
- Northern Illinois University College of Law, J.D., 1997
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Ivar R. Azeris
Chicago, IL
Admitted
Education:
- University of Illinois, B.A., 1970
- Boston College, J.D., 1973
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Kathleen E. Bailey
Chicago, IL
Admitted
- California, 1992
- Texas, 2016
Education:
- University of Houston, B.S., 1989
- University of Houston Law Center, J.D., 1992
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Diane M. Baron
Chicago, IL
Admitted
- Illinois, 1984
- New York, 1997
Education:
- Northwestern University, B.S. (with high honors), 1981
- Northwestern University School of Law, J.D., 1984
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Colleen A. Beverly
Chicago, IL
Admitted
Education:
- University of Illinois, B.S., 1996
- DePaul University College of Law, J.D. (Dean's List), 1999
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James J. Bigoness
Chicago, IL
Admitted
Education:
- St. Joseph's College, B.S., 1976
- DePaul University, J.D., 1982
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Patrick L. Breen
Chicago, IL
Admitted
- Illinois, 1991
- Wisconsin, 2016
Education:
- The University of Kansas, B.A., 1988
- IIT, Chicago-Kent College of Law, J.D., 1991
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Michael O. Colgan
Orlando, FL and Tampa, FL
Admitted
Education:
- Yale University, B.A., 2002
- Indiana University School of Law-Bloomington, J.D., 2006
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John De Filippis
New York, NY
Admitted
Education:
- Bucknell University, B.A., 1983
- Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, J.D., 1997
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William Dickinson
Chicago, IL
Admitted
Education:
- Kalamazoo College, B.A., 2005
- Washington University in St. Louis School of Law, J.D., 2009
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Scott J. Dornstein
Orlando, FL and Tampa, FL
Admitted
Education:
- Florida State University, B.S., 2001
- University of Miami School of Law, J.D., 2004
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Michael L. Duffy
Chicago, IL
Admitted
Education:
- Miami University, B.A. (magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa), 1997
- The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, J.D., 2000
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Paul V. Esposito
Chicago, IL
Admitted
Education:
- St. Norbert College, B.A., 1972
- Loyola University Chicago School of Law, J.D. (magna cum laude), 1975
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Margaret Hupp Fahey
Chicago, IL
Admitted
Education:
- University of Missouri-Columbia, B.J. (with high honors), 1983
- University of Illinois, J.D., 1986
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Ian R. Feldman
Irvine, CA
Admitted
- New York, 1997
- New Jersey
- California, 1999
Education:
- State University of New York at Binghamton, B.A. (cum laude), 1993
- Hofstra University School of Law, J.D., 1996
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Joseph J. Ferrini
Chicago, IL
Admitted
Education:
- Loyola University Chicago, B.A., 1999
- Loyola University Chicago School of Law, J.D. (magna cum laude), 2007
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Dennis D. Fitzpatrick
Chicago, IL
Admitted
- Illinois, 1989
- District of Columbia, 1991
- Minnesota, 1992
- Wisconsin
Education:
- Marquette University, B.A., 1986
- DePaul University, J.D., 1989
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Steven J. Fried
New York, NY
Admitted
Education:
- Yeshiva University, B.A., 1987
- New York University, J.D., 1990
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Mara Goltsman
New York, NY
Admitted
Education:
- Binghamton University, B.S., 1994
- Brooklyn Law School, J.D., 1998
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Michael W. Goodin
Irvine, CA
Admitted
Education:
- University of California, B.S., 1976
- University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, J.D., 1989
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Jay D. Harker
Irvine, CA
Admitted
Education:
- Brigham Young University, B.S. (magna cum laude), 1990
- University of California, Berkeley Boalt Hall School of Law, J.D., 1993
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David M. Heilmann
Chicago, IL
Admitted
Education:
- University of Illinois, B.S., 1984
- DePaul University College of Law, J.D., 1987
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Harvey R. Herman
Chicago, IL
Admitted
Education:
- University of Michigan, B.A., 1977
- University of Michigan Law School, J.D., 1982
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Celeste A. Hill
Chicago, IL
Admitted
Education:
- University of Illinois, B.A. (Phi Beta Kappa), 1982
- Northwestern University School of Law, J.D., 1986
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John M. Hynes
Chicago, IL
Admitted
Education:
- Northwestern University, B.A., 1976
- Loyola University, J.D., 1979
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Andrew C. Jacobson
New York, NY and Florham Park, NJ
Admitted
- Massachusetts, 1977
- New York
- New Jersey, 1988
Education:
- University of Rochester, B.A., 1973
- New England School of Law, J.D., 1976
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Thomas D. Jacobson
New York, NY
Admitted
Education:
- Hartwick College, B.A., 2003
- Valparaiso University School of Law, J.D., 2007
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Daniel P. Johnston
Chicago, IL
Admitted
Education:
- University of Illinois, B.A., 1993
- Drake University, J.D., 1996
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Edward M. Kay
Chicago, IL
Admitted
Education:
- Loyola University, B.A., 1974
- Northern Illinois University College of Law, J.D., 1979
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Kimbley A. Kearney
Chicago, IL
Admitted
- Louisiana, 1984
- Illinois, 1991
- New York
Education:
- Saint Mary's College, B.A., 1980
- Tulane University of Louisiana, M.B.A., 1984
- Tulane University of Louisiana, J.D. (cum laude), 1984
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Anne E. Kevlin
Chicago, IL
Admitted
- Florida, 1992
- Massachusetts, 2008
Education:
- The University of Iowa, B.A., 1987
- The University of Iowa College of Law, J.D., 1991
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Kathleen M. Klein
Chicago, IL
Admitted
Education:
- University of Notre Dame, B.A., 2008
- Loyola University Chicago School of Law, J.D. (cum laude), 2011
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Melinda S. Kollross
Chicago, IL
Admitted
- Illinois, 1992
- New York, 1999
Education:
- DePaul University, B.A. (with highest honors), 1989
- Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago-Kent College of Law, J.D. (with high honors), 1992
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Ilene M. Korey
Chicago, IL
Admitted
Education:
- University of Colorado at Boulder, B.A., 1979
- DePaul University College of Law, J.D., 1983
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Eric T. Krejci
New York, NY
Admitted
Education:
- Binghamton University, B.A. (cum laude), 1996
- Brooklyn Law School, J.D., 1999
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Matthew Leis
New York, NY
Admitted
- New York, 2006
- New Jersey, 2011
Education:
- Lafayette College, B.S.M.E., 2001
- Hofstra University School of Law, J.D., 2005
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Carolina Lopez
Chicago, IL
Admitted
- Florida, 2008
- New York, 2012
- New Jersey
- Illinois, 2017
Education:
- New York University, B.A., 2003
- University of California, Hastings College of the Law, J.D., 2007
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Tyler Jay Lory
New York, NY
Admitted
- Illinois, 1981
- New York, 1989
Education:
- University of Rochester, B.A., 1978
- Boston College Law School, J.D., 1981
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John F. Meade
Fort Myers, FL, and Tampa, FL
Admitted
Education:
- Dickinson College, B.A., 1993
- Suffolk University Law School, J.D., 2004
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Mindy M. Medley
Chicago, IL
Admitted
Education:
- Washington University in St. Louis, B.A., 1998
- Washington University in St. Louis School of Law, J.D., 2001
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Maura Lutz Morgan
Chicago, IL
Admitted
Education:
- Fairfield University, B.A., 1987
- University of Detroit School of Law, J.D., 1990
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Courtney E. Murphy
New York, NY
Admitted
- New Jersey, 1994
- New York, 1995
Education:
- Fordham University, B.A., 1990
- New York Law School, J.D., 1994
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Paige M. Neel
Chicago, IL
- Telephone: pneel@clausen.com
Admitted
Education:
- Indiana University-Bloomington, B.A., 1998
- Indiana University School of Law-Bloomington, J.D., 2001
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Amy Rich Paulus
Chicago, IL
Admitted
Education:
- Northwestern University, B.A., 1985
- Northern Illinois University College of Law, J.D. (magna cum laude), 1989
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Erin E. Pellegrino
Chicago, IL
Admitted
Education:
- Illinois Benedictine College, B.A. (magna cum laude), 1994
- The John Marshall Law School, J.D. (cum laude), 1998
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Carl M. Perri
New York, NY and Florham Park, NJ
Admitted
Education:
- St. Bonaventure University, B.A., 1994
- New York Law School, J.D., 1999
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William P. Pistorius
Chicago, IL
Admitted
Education:
- University of Illinois, B.A., 1984
- DePaul University College of Law, J.D., 1987
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Daniel L. Polsby
Chicago, IL
Admitted
- Illinois, 1999
- Indiana, 2009
Education:
- Bradford College, B.A., 1995
- Northwestern School of Law, J.D., 1999
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Robert L. Reifenberg
Chicago, IL
Admitted
Education:
- Saint Mary's College, B.A. (cum laude), 1978
- Northern Illinois University College of Law, J.D., 1981
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Brian J. Riordan
Chicago, IL
Admitted
Education:
- Eastern Illinois University, B.A., 1993
- Loyola University Chicago School of Law, J.D., 1996
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P. Scott Ritchie
Chicago, IL
Admitted
Education:
- Purdue University, B.S., 1983
- DePaul University College of Law, J.D., 1989
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Thomas H. Ryerson
Chicago, IL
Admitted
Education:
- Northwestern University, B.A., 1973
- Loyola University Chicago School of Law, J.D., 1976
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Don R. Sampen
Chicago, IL
Admitted
Education:
- Northwestern University, B.A., 1972
- Northwestern University School of Law, J.D. (magna cum laude), 1975
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Christopher T. Scanlon
New York, NY
Admitted
Education:
- Fordham University, B.A., 1988
- St. John's University School of Law, J.D. (cum laude), 1996
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Martin C. Sener
Chicago, IL
Admitted
Education:
- Northwestern University, B.S.E., 1981
- The John Marshall Law School, J.D., 1984
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Scott R. Shinkan
Chicago, IL
Admitted
- Wisconsin, 2005
- Illinois, 2006
Education:
- Wabash College, B.A., 2002
- Valparaiso University School of Law, J.D., 2005
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Serena Skala
New York, NY
Admitted
- New Jersey, 2008
- New York, 2009
Education:
- The Pennsylvania State University, B.S., 2005
- Seton Hall University School of Law, J.D., 2008
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Hillard M. Sterling
Chicago, IL
Admitted
Education:
- Northern Illinois University, B.A., 1986
- Georgetown University Law Center, J.D. (magna cum laude), 1989
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Robert A. Stern
New York, NY and Florham Park, NJ
Admitted
- New York, 1991
- Massachusetts, 1998
- New Jersey, 2003
Education:
- Union College, B.A., 1987
- Boston University Law School, J.D., 1990
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Meredith D. Stewart
Chicago, IL
Admitted
Education:
- Brandeis University, B.A., 1997
- Southwestern School of Law, J.D., 2001
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James R. Swinehart
Chicago, IL
Admitted
Education:
- University of Notre Dame, B.A. (cum laude), 1979
- The University of Toledo College of Law, J.D., 1982
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Andrew S. Turkish
Florham Park, NJ & New York, NY
Admitted
Education:
- Bowdoin College, B.A. (cum laude), 1986
- Boston University School of Law, J.D., 1989
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Michelle R. Valencic
Chicago, IL
Admitted
Education:
- Ohio University, B.A. (summa cum laude), 1992
- Case Western Reserve University, M.S.S.A. (cum laude), 1996
- Case Western Reserve University School of Law, J.D. (cum laude), 1996
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Matthew J. Van Dusen
New York, NY
Admitted
- Connecticut, 2003
- New Jersey
- New York
Education:
- University of Central Florida, B.S., 1999
- Quinnipiac University School of Law, J.D. (cum laude), 2003
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Sava Alexander Vojcanin
Chicago, IL
Admitted
Education:
- DePauw University, B.A., 1985
- Washington University School of Law, J.D., 1988
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Scott P. Ward
Irvine, CA
Admitted
Education:
- University of Washington, B.A. (cum laude), 1991
- University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, J.D., 1995
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James M. Weck
Chicago, IL
Admitted
Education:
- University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign, B.S., 2005
- Marquette University Law School, J.D., 2012
- DePaul University, LL.M., 2015
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Mark W. Zimmerman
Chicago, IL
Admitted
Education:
- Southern Illinois University, B.S., 1983
- DePaul University, J.D. (with honors), 1993
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Jacob Zissu
Chicago, IL
Admitted
Education:
- The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law, J.D., 2004
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Of Counsel
Norman Chimenti
Chicago, IL
Admitted
Memberships:
- Illinois State, DuPage County and Chicago Bar Associations
Education:
- Yale University, B.A. (Dean's List), 1962
- Yale Law School, LL.B., 1967
Military:
U.S. Marine Corps (1963-1968); American Spirit Honor Medal
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Patrick J. McGuire
Chicago, IL
Admitted
Education:
- Marquette University, B.A., 1990
- Loyola University Chicago School of Law, J.D., 1995
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Associates
Kristian Alfonso**
Teo J. Belli
Dawn Brehony**
George Caran**
Timothy F. Brown**
Tyler M. Costanzo***
Alexandra DiFusco**
Kristin B. Esposito
Colin J. Gorman**
Thomas J. Hennessey
Edward W. Hynes
Kelly A. Jorgensen
Sean R. Kelly*
Marina O'Keeffe
Henry LeFevre-Snee
Vanessa Mannings
Marisa Michaelson****
Thomas J. Moody
Valeri J. Nowik
Catherine P. O'Hern
Daniel D. Pojero**
Gregory J. Popadiuk
Colin B. Rathe*****
R. Mick Rubio******
Yesy A. Sanchez
Kris K. Spiro***
Krista Stoumbos
Ryan J. Weber**
Ian T. Williamson
Kenneth R. Wysocki
Articles
Aggregate Coverage Argument Falls Apart with Policy Language by Don R. Sampen
Clausen Miller Member Spotlight
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Additional Links
Clausen Miller International
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*Resident Tampa, FL Office
**Resident New York City, NY Office
***Resident Irvine, CA Office
****Resident Florham Park, NJ Office
***** Resident Chicago, IL Office
******Resident San Francisco, CA Office
(This firm also appears in the Subrogation section of this publication)
