Daniel started his legal career as a Supreme Court Rule 711 Intern with the Kane county States Attorneys office in January of 1985. On his first day, without any training, he successfully handled over 1,000 cases before the bench from 8:30 AM until 6:30 PM, even conducting trials. This learning under fire did not abate as the traffic and misdemeanor calls in northern Kane county at that time were massive and overwhelming. This helped Daniel develop a calm and fearless demeanor in the courtroom as well as the ability to respond effectively to whatever circumstances or surprises might arise. Daniel will bring this same calmness and fearlessness to bare in his representation of you in the prosecution or defense of your legal matter. In his years as an assistant state's attorney, Daniel successfully prosecuted all types of misdemeanors and felonies including severe child abuse and neglect cases. He also had the extraordinarily unique experience of presenting weekly involuntary commitment hearings at Elgin State Mental Health Center. From murderers to innocent and now disabled crime victims, persons institutionalized from early ages, to a nationally renowned professionals who suffered severe breakdowns, Daniel witnessed the most unfortunate and horrific of mental illnesses and the terrible effects they had on the patients as well as family members and society at large. This experience deepened Daniel's already profound sense of empathy and compassion. Daniel brings that sense of empathy and compassion to every case he handles.
When Daniel entered private practice, in his first civil trial he successfully prosecuted an injury claim against a major insurance defense firm. At the conclusion of the hearing the experienced defense counsel asked, in exasperation, "where did you learn your trial skills, how did you you get so good?' to which he replied that this was his first civil trial but that he had handled hundreds of trials as an assistant state's attorney", she just shook her head!
Daniel then had the privilege of working for a fledgling high-end plaintiff's medical malpractice firm. The most significant among many highlights, is that the physician-attorney owner of the firm, contacted me the night before a major deposition was scheduled and asked Daniel to cover it. Daniel knew nothing about the case and had never handled a deposition nor even been present at one. Opposing counsel was a partner at what is one of the three largest law firms in the country. The deponent was a smug but intelligent triage nurse who worked and taught at a major trauma center. Daniel elicited damaging testimony from this witness before she knew what hit her. The partner left the deposition shaken and bleary eyed. That deposition led directly to a nearly fifteen million dollar settlement in 1992 dollars.
Professional memberships-DuPage County Bar Association-Illinois State Bar AssociationBiography-Former prosecutor.
