Justia Legal Services & Lawyers Directory

Steven M. Levin is the co-founder and senior partner of Levin & Perconti, and a trial lawyer with more than 25 years of litigation experience and success. Steve began his career as a private criminal defense attorney, during which time he gained extensive trial experience. In 1983 he founded Steven M. Levin and Associates, a firm dedicated to representing plaintiffs in substantial personal injury and wrongful death cases. In 1992, he and John Perconti founded Levin & Perconti, which has since grown into a twelve-lawyer plaintiff personal injury firm with more than 125 years of combined trial experience.

Steve has obtained an extraordinary number of multimillion dollar verdicts and settlements for his clients in a tremendous variety of personal injury and wrongful death cases, including birth injury, failure to timely diagnose cancer and workplace negligence. His most recent victories include a $7 million judgment for his client against a doctor who failed to diagnose postpartum bleeding, and a $6.7 million medical malpractice verdict against a hospital involving a birth injury case. Steve has appeared on ABC, NBC and CBS news programs for cases which have attracted both local and national attention.

Over the past eighteen years, Steve has established a reputation as one of the country's top litigators in the highly-specialized area of nursing home abuse and neglect. He has represented hundreds of nursing home residents and their families who have been victimized by improper care and treatment, achieving landmark victories and record-setting verdicts and settlements for his clients in these cases.

More importantly, Steve's vigilance in representing such victims has brought national attention to this rampant and unacceptable problem, sending a message that mistreatment of one of society's most vulnerable groups will not go unnoticed. His comments on nursing home litigation are frequently quoted in national news publications including The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.

Steve Levin has received an "AV" rating from the Martindale-Hubbell American Law Directory, indicating preeminent legal ability and very high ethical standards. Steven has been honored as an Illinois Super Lawyer by Chicago Magazine in 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008. He has also been named one of Illinois' top litigators by Leading Lawyers Network, a peer-recommended distinction.

Jordan S. Powell joined Levin & Perconti as a litigation associate in August, 2007. Prior to joining Levin & Perconti, he spent two years as a law clerk at a Chicago based personal injury firm, Kralovec, Jambois & Schwartz. There he gained experience working on Medical Malpractice, Automobile and 4th Amendment Claims, amongst other types of personal injury cases. Jordan is eager to use this prior knowledge in the field of plaintiff’s litigation and serving injured victims.

Mr. Powell was raised in West Bloomfield, Michigan and attended Bloomfield Hills Andover High School, where his ambition, competitiveness and scholastic achievement began. He was a three letter athlete and earned numerous scholar athlete honors.

In 2004, Jordan graduated from the University of Michigan where he was on the deans list and graduated with academic distinction. Jordan earned two degrees – a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Studies. During his time at the University of Michigan, Jordan was also asked to become a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, was President of the Organizational Studies Student Assembly (OSSA) and was a member of the school’s water ski team.

In order to fulfill his lifelong ambition of becoming a trial attorney, Mr. Powell attended law school at Chicago-Kent College of Law were he earned his Juris Doctorate in 2007. Jordan focused much of his studies on developing a well rounded litigation background earning high honors in both his trial advocacy courses as well as high scholastic achievement in a specialized Litigation Technology course aimed at meshing traditional trial law with the high tech era.

During his time in law school, Jordan maintained a leadership role as he was elected by his peers to be on Chicago-Kent’s Student Bar Association. Jordan also worked in the school’s criminal defense clinic where he obtained a 711 license and was able to assist in drafting briefs, arguing motions and trying cases. Further, Jordan has also sought to help the underprivileged and disadvantaged. In the Spring of 2007, he spent a week in the Gulf Coast region assisting the victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. There he was able to offer legal advice to those who needed guidance and helped with the rebuilding of homes. Jordan also annually volunteers at Lincoln Park’s “Spooky Zoo” handing out candy to less fortunate children.

Jordan is prepared to bring his diligence and drive to Levin & Perconti and looks forward to continuing to represent those who have suffered from tragic and catastrophic injuries. Jordan is an active member of the American Bar Association, Illinois State Bar Association, and Illinois Trial Lawyers Association.

Jonathan Rosenfeld is lawyer that represents people injured in nursing homes and long-term care facilities. Jonathan has represented victims of nursing home abuse and neglect throughout Illinois and across the country. Jonathan’s reputation as an aggressive advocate for the rights of the injured has resulted in millions of dollars recovered on behalf of his clients. Jonathan's successful representation of nursing home victims had resulted in many speaking engagements to elder groups.

Jonathan is dedicated to improving the quality of life for nursing home residents who have been victims of abuse, neglect or fraud. By holding nursing homes and long-term care facilities responsible for poor care accountable, the quality of care will improve for their residents. As a result of Jonathan’s prosecution of nursing home cases, nursing homes have implemented changes in their resident care policies and have dismissed unfit employees.

Nursing home abuse and neglect victims deserve better! As an advocate, Jonathan believes, the most vulnerable people in our society deserve to be treated with compassion and respect. Moreover, all injured nursing home residents also deserve to be compensated fully. Jonathan’s goal is to provide the best representation and secure the most advantageous outcome for every client.

Some of the current nursing home abuse and neglect cases, Jonathan is working on include:

• Bed rail- injury and death

• Bed sores / decubitus ulcers

• Burns- due to smoking and bathing

• Dehydration

• Falls

• Infection due to staff neglect

• Malnutrition

• Medication error

• Medical errors

• Physical abuse

• Resident elopement

• Sex abuse / rape

Proud to work aside other lawyers dedicated to representing the injured, Jonathan has been working at Strellis & Field for the bulk of his legal career. For more than three decades, Strellis & Field has developed a national reputation for their work as skilled lawyers for the injured.

Mr. Passen is a personal injury attorney at Chicago-based Passen Law Group. Mr. Passen concentrates in all areas of personal injury, including truck accidents, brain and spinal cord injury, medical malpractice and wrongful death.

Prior to joining Passen Law Group, Mr. Passen was an attorney in the litigation department of Jenner & Block LLP.

Mr. Passen received his B.A. magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, in Economics from the University of Michigan in 2002.

Mr. Passen obtained his law degree, summa cum laude, from DePaul University College of Law in 2006, where he graduated Order of the Coif. During law school, Mr. Passen was as a member of the DePaul Law Review.

During the 2003-04 academic year, Mr. Passen clerked for the Honorable Ronald A. Guzman, United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. He also spent the following semester clerking at the United States Attorney's Office, Northern District of Illinois.

Mr. Passen is a member of the Illinois Bar. He is also a member of the Chicago Bar Association, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, Illinois State Bar Association, and the American Association for Justice. In addition, Mr. Passen volunteers to work with elementary teachers and students in Chicago-area public schools as part of the Constitutional Rights Foundation of Chicago's "Lawyers in the Classroom" program.

At R.F. Wittmeyer, Ltd., we care about all of our clients. Along with our experienced and dedicated staff, Mr. Wittmeyer will personally handle your case from start to finish. Your case will not be shuffled off to a junior level attorney. We strongly recommend to injured parties that they retain competent legal representation early on, so a qualified attorney, such as Mr. Wittmeyer, can manage every aspect of their case, from the beginning. Our reputation has been built on the trust that we will professionally and aggressively prosecute every case we accept.

Mark Rouleau
5301 East State Street, 215D
Rockford, IL 61108
815/229-7246
Summary of qualifications

Mark Rouleau, attorney at law
Rockford, Illinois
Has been an Illinois attorney for a quarter of a century. For the last fourteen years he has been a sole practitioner after leaving the law firm of Crosby & Lambert. He was admitted to practice before the state of Illinois Supreme Court on November 9, 1983; the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois December 21, 1983 and the Supreme Court of the United States on Aug. 11, 1995.

Education
DePaul University College of Law
Chicago, Illinois
Graduated in the Class of 1983

Southern Illinois University
Carbondale, Illinois
President's Scholar Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics, 1980
Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science, 1980

Professional experience
Has been engaged in the general practice of law in the Rockford community for more than 25 years. The principle focus of his practice has been in the area of civil litigation. He has appeared as a speaker on in Sky Radio's America's Premier Lawyers Hosted by Marc Holland; appellate cases include: People v. Joseph Spiezer, (2nd Dist. 2000), 316 Ill.App.3d 75, 735 N.E.2d 1017, 249 Ill.Dec. 192; Hills v. Bridgeview Little League Ass'n, (Ill.App. 1 Dist. 1999) 713 N.E.2d 616, 306 Ill.App.3d 13, (Amicus brief of counsel, for the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association); People v. Quigley, (Ill. 1998) 697 N.E.2d 735, 183 Ill.2d 1, (trial and appellate counsel); People v. Lavariega, (Ill. 1997) 676 N.E.2d 643, 175 Ill.2d 153, (trial and appellate counsel); City of Rockford v. Xayasouk, (Ill.App. 2 Dist. 1998) 705 N.E.2d 110, 301 Ill.App.3d 663, (trial and appellate counsel); Krivitskie v. Cramlett, (Ill.App. 2 Dist. 1998) 704 N.E.2d 957, 301 Ill.App.3d 705, (trial and appellate counsel); Shelton v. Gourley, Rule 23 opinion ($350K negligence verdict barroom stabbing case upheld versus tavern Ill.App 2d 87 L 17 & 18); People v. Crabbe, (Ill.App. 2 Dist. 1990) 552 N.E.2d 19, 195 Ill.App.3d 163, (trial and appellate counsel); Application of County Collector, (Ill.App. 2 Dist. 1988) 530 N.E.2d 598, 175 Ill.App.3d 985, (trial and appellate counsel).

Publications
Unreliability of the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus Test, 4 Am.Jur. Proof Facts 3d 439;
Wills v. Foster and the "Reasonable Value" Approach To The Collateral Source Rule, Vol. 54, No. 2 ISBA Trial Briefs (August 2008);
Contacting an Opponent's Employee and Former Employees, Vol. 53, No. 5, ISBA Trial Briefs (Dec. 2007);
Impact of Plea of guilty on civil proceedings, DCBA Brief, November 2001.
Impact of Plea of guilty on civil proceedings, Vol 44, No. 3, ISBA Criminal Justice Newsletter,
Compensation for the value of lost time and not lost wages, Vol. 36, No. 3, ISBA Tort Trends Newsletter;
Is Tort Liability in Illinois Joint or Several? Vol. 34, No. 1, ISBA Tort Trends Newsletter;
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Launches Assault on Trial Lawyers, Business Profile Magazine Aug/Sept 98;
Declaring Forfeitures on Contracts for Deed, Vol. 35, No. 1 ISBA YLD Newsletter;
A Case for Fall Civil Discovery and Statutory Summary Suspension Hearings, Vol. 36, No. 1 ISBA YLD Newsletter;
Supreme Court Adds Teeth To Arbitration Rules, Vol. 37, No. 4 ISBA YLD Newsletter;
Subpoena Duces Tecum, by and 38, No. 1, ISBA YLD Newsletter;
A Simple Solution for Obtaining Records Prior to Trial, Vol. 38, No. 3 ISBA YLD Newsletter;
Discovering Petrillo Violations, Vol. 39, No. 1, ISBA YLD Newsletter;
Is Loss of Enjoyment of Life Recoverable Under the Civil Justice Reform Amendments of 1995?, Vol. 31, No. 2, ISBA Tort Trends Newsletter;
Discharge of Attorney Employed by Contingency Fee Contract, Vol. 32, No. 5, ISBA Tort Trends Newsletter;
Hospital Liens, Vol. XLIV, No. 2, WCBA The Lawyer;
Are Your Real Estate Clients Insuring The Insurer?, Vol. XLIV, No. 7 WCBA The Lawyer.

Additional professional activities
Member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum
Member of the Editorial Advisory Board for James Publishing, Cross Publications and Ford Publications 1989.
ITLA Board of Managers Member (1997-1998)
ITLA Amicus Committee & Supreme Court Rules Committee
ISBA Civil Practice and Procedure Section Council Member (2005- )
ISBA Continuing Legal Education Section Council Member (2005- )
ISBA assembly 1998-2000
ISBA Tort Section Council Chair (2000-2001)
ISBA Tort Section Council Vice-chair (1999-2000)
ISBA Tort Section Council Secretary (1998-1999)
ISBA Tort Section Council Member (1996-2002)
ISBA Task Force on Allocation of Judges (1998-1999)
ISBA Task Force on Certification (1997)
Illinois Legal Education Conclave (Oct. 19-20, 1995)
ISBA Organized Bar Leadership Conference (June 1994)
Chair of the YLD Section of the ISBA (1994-1995)
Editor of the ISBA YLD Newsletter (1991-1994)
ISBA delegate to the 1994 & 1995 ABA - YLD conventions

Presentations
Basic Skills: The New Attorney's Introduction to the Effective Practice of Law, "Pleading From A Plaintiff's View" ISBA Law Ed Series December 4-6, 2007 (Chicago).
Tort Law Update 2005, "Liens" ISBA Tort and Insurance Law sections, Law Ed Series, June 17, 2005 (ISBA Annual meeting, Lake Geneva Wisc.).
The Anatomy of an Automobile Case, "Liens & Reimbursement" ISBA Tort and Insurance Law sections, Law Ed Series, May 10, 2004 (Chicago).
Potpourri of Civil Practice, Tort and Insurance Law, "Adjudicating Medicaid Liens" ISBA Civil Practice & Procedure, Tort and Insurance Law sections, Law Ed Series, June 20, 2003 (ISBA Annual meeting, Lake Geneva Wisc.).
Motor Vehicle Cases A to Z, "Adjudicating Medicaid and Medicare Liens" ISBA Tort Law Section, Law Emergency department Series, May 22, 2003 (Chicago, Ill.)
Illinois Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Benefits, a Study and Analysis, "Who is covered?" ISBA Tort Law Section, Law Ed Series, May 9, 2002 (Bloomington, Ill.).
Illinois Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Benefits, a Study and Analysis, "Who is covered?" ISBA Tort Law Section, Law Ed Series, May 30, 2002 (Chicago, Ill.).
An Update for Tort Practitioners, "Responding to 213 (f) & (g) Interrogatories," ISBA Tort Law Section, Insurance Law Section, and Special Committee of Appellate Practice, Law Ed Series, June 22, 2001 (ISBA Annual meeting, Lake Geneva Wisc.
Insurance Coverage: An Update, "The Tort of Bad Faith: A Sleeping Giant" ISBA Insurance Law Section, Law Ed Series, April 19, 2001
Supreme Court Rule 213 and its Impact in Tort Litigation, "What is opinion Testimony?" ISBA Tort Law Section, Law Ed Series, October 9, 2000
Issues and Techniques for the Settlement of Personal Injury Cases, Moderator, ISBA Insurance Law and Tort Sections, Law Ed Series, ISBA Annual Meeting June 23, 2000
An Update for Tort and Insurance Litigators, "Responding to Rule 213 (f) & (g) Interrogatories," ISBA Insurance Law and Tort Sections, Law Ed Series, May 18, 2000
Litigating Tort Cases Without Going Bankrupt, Moderator, ISBA Tort Section, Law Ed Series, October 11, 1999
Hot Tips for Trials, Getting Witnesses to the Courthouse, Winnebago County Bar Association Seminar, Oct. 1, 1998
What's Up; A Tort, Insurance and Civil Practice Update, ISBA Civil Practice, Insurance Law and Tort Law Sections, ISBA midyear meeting December 13, 1996
Trial Techniques-Getting a Case Ready; Getting a Verdict (Pretrial Discovery) ISBA Tort Section Law Ed Series, Nov. 20 1995
Tort Reform: Day-To-Day Issues (Failure To Warn)-ISBA Tort Reform Law Ed Program, Nov. 1995
Building A Well-Balanced Life In The Law, ISBA YLD Law Ed Series, ISBA Annual Meeting June, 1995
How To Open A Small Law Office - ISBA Bridge the Gap Program, December, 1994

Professional memberships
American Association for Justice, Illinois State Bar Association, and Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, past member of the Winnebago County Bar Association

Community activities
Habitat for Humanity, Boy Scouting (Eagle Scout - past assistant Scout Master), Blackhawk Presbytery Commissioner to the PC(USA) General Assembly, June 2004; Blackhawk Presbytery PC(USA) Committee on Ministry (2005 - present); Westminster Presbyterian Church (Active Elder 2001-2003), Pastoral Nominating Committee (2004), Christian Education Commission (2001-2003), and Witness Commission (1999-2000), Habitat for Humanity local congregation liaison (1998-99)

30 years of trial experience concentrating in representing plaintiffs and their families who are victims of wrongful death, serious personal injury and work related injuries.

Laura Childs has practiced law for 14 years. She is our senior Workers' Compensation attorney, focusing her practice on Workers' Compensation claims and appeals as well as plaintiffs' Personal Injury cases.

Ms. Childs aggressively negotiates with insurance companies and litigates Workers' Compensation and Personal Injury claims to help clients recover financial compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering resulting from accidents. A signification portion of her practice is devoted to helping clients with work-related injuries when benefits are denied or disputes arise about the nature and extent of injuries.