Bruce R. Pfaff
Free Consultation
Work in Pfaff, Gill & Ports, Ltd.
Top Rated Family Law Attorney with 44 years of experience
Product Liability, Medical Malpractice, Litigation, Car Accidents, Personal Injury, Wrongful Death
1 E. Wacker Drive, Suite 3310, Chicago, IL 60601
About Bruce R. Pfaff
Practice Areas
- Product Liability
- Medical Malpractice
- Litigation
- Car Accidents
- Personal Injury
- Wrongful Death
Education
- University of California, Hastings College of the Law, San Francisco, California, 1979J.D.
- Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, 1976B.A.
Representative Cases
- Mikolajczyk v. Ford Motor Co., 231 Ill.2d 516 (2008)
- Mikolajczyk v. Ford Motor Co., 374 Ill. App. 3d 646 (Ill.App. 2007)
- Mikolajczyk v. Ford Motor Co., 369 Ill.App.3d 78 (2006)
- Gann v. TTI, Inc., 491 F.Supp.2d 771 (2007)
- Gann v. TTI, Inc., 522 F.Supp.2d 1021 (2007)
- In re U.S., 398 F.3d 615 (7th Cir. 2005)
- Rennert v. Great Dane L.P., 543 F.3d 914 (7th cir. 2008)
- Carrillo v. Ford Motor Co., 325 Ill.App.3d 955 (Ill. App. 2001)
- Burger v. Lutheran General Hospital, 198 Ill.2d 21 (Ill. 2nd. 2001)
- Gracia v. Volvo N.V., 1112 F.3d 291 (7th Cir. 1997)
- Gracia v. Volvo N.V., cert. den. 522 U.S. 1050 (1998)
- DeYoung v. Alpha Construction Co., 186 Ill.App.3d 758 (Ill. App. 3rd. 1989)
- Schaffner v. C & NW Transp. Co., 129 Ill.2d 1 (1989)
- Schultz v. Gotlund, No. 69010
- Wakeford v. Rodehouse, No. 73352
- Kotecki v. Cyclops, No. 68568
- Boatman's v. Martin, No. 73328
- Jones v. O'Young, No. 73463
- Thompson v. County of Cook, No. 73133
- Roach v. Springfield Clinic, No. 73394
- Gill v. Foster, No. 74350
- Dominguez v. St. Johns, No. 77062
- Herzog v. Lexington Township, No. 77037
- Beavers v. Consolidated, No. 78178
- Bucheleres v. Chicago Park, No. 78760
- People v. City of Chicago, No. 84452
- Movitz v. First National Bank, No. 97-3761 * 98-864
- Lafever v. Kemlite Company, No. 84761
- Hills v. Bridgeview et al, No. 1-98-620
- People v. Philip Morris et al, No. 90185 & 90186
- Hagen v. LeDuc, No. 94920
- Rieff v. Evans, No. 02-727 (Iowa)
- Clayton v. County of Cook, No. 98127
- Mele v. Howmedica Inc., Nos. 1-01-4228 & 4229
- Melena v. Anheuser-Busch, No. 99421
- York v. Rush, No. 99507
- Blue v. Environmental, No. 98034
- Calles v. Scripto-Tokai, No. 101089
- Ready v. United/Gorecki, No. 103474
- Mount v. HCA Corp., No. 06-1859
- Studt v. Sherman Hosp., No. 2-07-0945
- LeBron v. Gottleib, Nos. 105741 & 105745
- Jablonski v. Ford Motors, No. 110096
Qualifications
Bar Admissions
- Illinois
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois
- U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit
- U.S. Supreme Court
- California, 1979
Articles
Published Works
- More than 90 speeches or articles presented, including:
- "Trying and Settling a Complex Multiple Defendant Medical Negligence Case", Illinois Trial Lawyers' Association, Medical Negligence Committee, March, 2013
- "Presenting the Case to Jury", Illinois State Bar Association, May, 2012
- "Implications of Health Care Technology for Trial Practice", Chicago Bar Association, April, 2012
- "Multi Party Cases: Who Belongs on the Verdict Form?", accepted for publication in ITLA Journal, Winter, 2011
- "Product Liability Update & Review", Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, October, 2010
- "Consumer Expectations and Risk Utility in Products Liability", American Association for Justice Annual Convention, July, 2009
- "The Right to Submit Questions to Witnesses", CBA Record, May, 2009
- "Direct Examination" and "Closing Argument", presented at the Chicago Bar Association's program, Creative Insights for the Tort Trial Lawyer, March, 2009
- Settlement Approaches, Zurich Insurance Company, January, 2008
- Update for Medical Negligence Notebook, "Res Ipsa Loquitor", Illinois Trial Lawyers' Association, November, 2007
- "Crashworthiness Cases, Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, Chicago, November, 2007
- Masters in Trial presenter, American Board of Trial Advocates, Dallas, Texas, October 2007
- Masters in Trial presenter, American Board of Trial Advocates, Oxford, Ms., April 2007
- "Automotive Seat Design Liability," Attorney's Information Exchange Group program, Chicago, April 2007
- "Product Liability: Evidence and Jury Instructions," Illinois Trial Lawyers' Association, February 2007
- "Opening Statements," Chicago Bar Association, February 2007
- "Use of Literature," Illinois Trial Lawyers' Association, January 2007
- "Products Liability: Update and Review", Illinois Trial Lawyers' Association, October 2006
- "Investigating and Proving Crashworthiness Cases", Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Midwinter Convention, February, 2006
- Masters in Trial presenter, American Board of Trial Advocates, Seattle, November, 2005
- "Preserving the Jury Trial", Defense Research Institute, October, 2005
- "Enforcing Darling Liabilities", ITLA's Annual Update and Review Seminar, Chicago, October, 2004
- "Medical Malpractice - Have They No Shame?", Illinois Trial Lawyers' Association, September, 2004
- "The Wall of Shame", presented at Bryce Downey, Chicago, August, 2004
- "Jury Trials in Complex Cases Survive Iowa Fight", Voir Dire, Spring, 2004
- Masters in Trial presenter, ABOTA, New Orleans, December, 2003
- Trial presenter of Plaintiffs Opening Statement at Advocacy Showcase, Illinois Trial Lawyers' Association, May, 2003
- "Too Complex for a Jury?", Voir Dire, Spring, 2003
- "Common Defenses in Cerebral Palsy Cases", Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Atlanta, February, 2003
- "Automotive Seat Design Liability: Discussion of Carrillo v. Ford Motor Co.", Attorneys Information Exchange Group program, Washington D.C., April, 2002
- "Automobile Products Liability", Winning Techniques from Voir Dire to Closing, ITLA, February, 2002
- Masters in Trial presenter, ABOTA, Detroit, November, 2001
- "Texts Should Have Vital Role in Litigation", Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, October 19, 2001
- Res Ipsa Loquitor chapter, ITLA's Medical Malpractice Notebook, December, 2000
- Res Ipsa Loquitor, Illinois Trial Lawyers' Association's Medical Malpractice seminar, December, 2000
- The Last 90 Days before Trial, Chicago Bar Association, December, 2000
- “Liability for Cerebral Palsy” , Presentation to AIEG, October, 2021
- “Liability for Hemorrhages", AIEG Voice, Winter , 2020
- “Civility Matters", ABOTA/CBA Panel presentation, November , 2018
- Mock Jury Selection and Moderator: Mock Trial of Product Liability Case, Attorneys’ Information Exchange Group, November , 2018
- Moderator - Mock Trial of a Truck Accident Case, Attorneys’ Information Exchange Group, November , 2017
- “The Gifts You Receive at Trial”, Illinois Trial Lawyers’ Association, December, 2014
- “Relief from the Waiver/Forfeiture Rule: Hux v. Raven and its Progeny”, 16 ITLA Trial, Journal 46-49 (Winter), 2014
- “Trying and Settling a Complex Multiple Defendant Medical Negligence Case", Illinois Trial Lawyers’ Ass’n Medical Negligence Committee, March, 2013
- “Liability for Cerebral Palsy,” presentation to AIEG, 2021
- “Liability for Hemorrhages,” AIEG Voice , 2020
- “Civility Matters,” ABOTA/CBA Panel presentation , 2018
- Mock Jury Selection and Moderator, Attorneys’ Information Exchange Group, Mock Trial of Product Liability Case, 2018
- Moderator, Attorneys’ Information Exchange Group, Mock Trial of a Truck Accident Case, 2017
- “The Gifts You Receive at Trial,” Illinois Trial Lawyers’ Ass’n, 2014
- “Relief from the Waiver/Forfeiture Rule: Hux v. Raven and its Progeny,” 16 ITLA Trial Journal 46-49 , 2014
- “Trying and Settling a Complex Multiple Defendant Medical Negligence Case,” Illinois Trial Lawyers’ Ass’n Medical Negligence Committee, 2013
Office Info
Other Colleagues
- Personal Injury, Construction, Medical Malpractice, Product Liability, Legal Malpractice
- Product Liability, Medical Malpractice, Construction, Personal Injury, Legal Malpractice
Nearby Lawyers
- Product Liability
- Medical Malpractice
- Litigation
- Car Accidents
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