Chicago Injury Attorney Phil Berenz has obtained other numerous settlements and verdicts in other matters and all types of matters.

He has successfully “turned cases around” for defendants when sued and obtained judgments and decisions against plaintiffs suing his clients far in excess of the amounts some plaintiffs originally sought.

Philip has also “first-chaired” (also known as “lead trial attorney” or the only trial attorney) numerous bench and jury trials and has practiced extensively in Illinois State and Federal Courts.

He has also been admitted pro hac vice to litigate in the Western District of Federal Court in Virginia and the States of Florida and California. His clients span the United States, Canada, Ukraine and the Sultanate of Oman.

He currently litigates throughout the United States through a network of local counsel and personally.

Prior to law school, Philip spent five years in the securities and derivatives trading division of one of the largest banks in the world. There, he served as a financial analyst and an Assistant Vice-President for U.S. financial operations and foreign financial operations in Hong Kong, England, Germany, Asia and Japan.

Practice Areas

Personal Injury Litigation

  • Nursing Home Malpractice and Abuse
  • Automobile and Trucking Accidents
  • Medical Malpractice
  • Slips and Falls
  • Dog Bites
  • Clergy / Priest Sexual Abuse Matters
  • Pharmaceutical Injuries
  • Products Liability
  • Class Actions
  • Workers Compensation
  • Social Security Disability Denials / Long Term Disability Insurance Denials

Education

  • Indiana University School of Law—Bloomington: JD, 2000
  • Purdue University: B.S. in Finance & Accounting, 1992
  • Certified Public Accountant (CPA): 1993

Bar Admissions

  • Illinois (2000)
  • Federal Court, Northern District of Illinois (2000)
  • Federal Trial Bar, Northern District of Illinois (2011)
  • Federal Court, Western District of Virginia (pro hac vice)
  • Florida (2010) (pro hac vice)
  • California (2013) (pro hac vice)

Memberships / Associations

  • The National Trial Lawyers- Top 100 Trial Lawyers
  • Avvo Clients Choice-Superb Rating
  • AV Preeminent
  • Martindale-Hubbell-15 Year Anniversary
  • Martindale-Hubbell- Top Rated Lawyer- Litigation
  • Lawyers.com- Client Distinction Award
  • Illinois Trial Lawyers Association
  • American Association for Justice
  • International Network of Social-Eco Entrepreneurs
  • Taxpayers Against Fraud

Publications

  • Chicago Trial Attorney Blog: 2008-present; Main and sole author
  • Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education (IICLE), Co-Author, Chapter 4, Recent Federal Legislation—HIPAA Update, ISSUES IN LONG TERM CARE Practice Handbook, 2002 (a 40+ page chapter on healthcare privacy rules
  • Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA), Lead Article Co-Author, Arbitration in 1997-1998, The Year in Review in the ISBA’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Section Publication, IN THE ALTERNATIVE, November 1998 (Volume 5, Number 1) (Survey of ‘97-’98 national case law