Contributions to the Legal Community

No other Chicago personal injury firm matches the contributions made by the attorneys at Corboy & Demetrio to the legal community.

We are the only Chicago law firm to include four former Chicago Bar Association Presidents. They are Philip H. Corboy, Thomas Demetrio, Rene Torrado, Jr., and Michael Demetrio. We are also the only law firm to include four attorneys who have served as President of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association; namely, Philip H. Corboy, Thomas Demetrio, Robert Bingle and Philip Harnett Corboy, Jr.

Recognizing the enormous contributions of the late Phil Corboy to the legal community, the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association (ITLA) renamed its headquarters in his honor, the Philip H. Corboy Center for Justice, on April 10, 2013.  Our late founder was President of ITLA from 1963-1964.

From the time the firm began, participating actively in bar associations, writing articles, teaching, and lecturing at legal seminars and conferences has been strongly supported and encouraged.

Collectively, the attorneys at Corboy & Demetrio have authored and published over 230 book chapters or articles in legal books, periodicals and newspapers; have been appointed to 11 faculty and teaching positions; and over the last ten years alone, have taught and lectured at over 200 legal seminars and conferences.

Following is a list highlighting the legal community service work by attorneys at Corboy & Demetrio:

• American Association for Justice
  • Executive Committee Board Member
  • Civil Justice Foundation, Trustee
  • Board of Governors
  • Editorial Board Member
  • Railroad Law Committee
  • Young Lawyers Board of Governors
  • Student Trial Advocacy Competition, Judge
  • Motor Vehicle Collision Committee
  • Highway and Premises Liability Committee
  • Birth Trauma Litigation Group, Treasurer
  • Women’s Caucus
  • Stalwarts Committee
  • Leaders Forum Platinum Member
• American Bar Association
  • Litigation Committee, Chair
  • Medical Professional Liability Committee, Chair
  • Special Committee on Medical Professional Liability
  • Standards of Judicial Administration Commission Member
  • Contingency Fee Task Force
  • Jury Initiatives Task Force, Co-Chair
  • Political Action Committee
• American Bar Foundation
  • Fellows
• American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys
  • President
• American Board of Trial Advocates
• American College of Trial Lawyers
• Chicago Bar Association
  • 4 Presidents
  • Board of Managers
  • House Committee, Chairman
  • Trial Techniques Committee, Chairman
  • Finance Committee, Chairman
  • Executive Council
  • Young Lawyers Section, Director
  • Tort Litigation Committee
  • Homeless & Runaway Youth Committee
  • Legislative Liaison
  • Civil Practice Committee
  • Board of Directors of CBA Administrators, Inc.
  • General Counsel
  • Circuit Court Committee
• Chicago Bar Foundation
  • Life Fellow
  • Board of Directors
  • Judicial Evaluation Committee Member
  • Appellate Judicial Evaluation Committee, Co-Chair
• Chicago Inn of Court
  • Master of the Bench
• Chicago Neurosurgical Center
  • Leadership Committee
  • Chairman
• Civil Justice Foundation
  • Trustee
• Constitutional Rights Foundation
  • Board of Directors
• Cook County Sheriff’s Committee on Cook County Jail
• Cook County State’s Attorney’s Task Force on Life Sustaining Treatment
  • Chairman
• DePaul University College of Law Alumni Board, Mentor Program
• District of Columbia Bar Association
• DuPage County Bar Association
• Equal Justice Illinois Campaign Blue Ribbon Committee Member
• Florida Bar Association
• IIT Chicago Kent College of Law
  • Faculty
• Illinois State Bar Association
  • Committee on Judicial Appointments
  • Tort and Insurance Practice Committee
  • Judicial Evaluation Committee
  • Leadership Conference Moderator
  • Special Committee on the Future of the Courts
  • Military Affairs Standing Committee
  • Product Liability and Consumer Law Committee
• Illinois State Bar Foundation
  • Charter Fellow
• Illinois Supreme Court
  • Committee on Jury Instructions in Civil Cases
  • Committee on Character and Fitness
• Illinois Trial Lawyers Association
  • 4 Presidents
  • Board of Managers
  • Secretary
  • Treasurer
  • Parliamentarian
  • Civil Rights & Criminal Law Committee Co-Chair
  • Amicus Committee
  • Board of Advocates
  • Medical Negligence Committee
  • Product Liability Committee
  • Publication Committee
  • Seminar Planning Committee
• International Academy of Trial Lawyers
• International Society of Barristers
• Loyola University Chicago School of Law
  • Philip H. Corboy Law Center
  • Faculty
  • Circle of Advocates
  • Board of Governors
  • President’s Society
  • Dean’s Circle
  • National Mock Trial Team, Coach
• National Institute for Trial Advocacy
  • Faculty
• National Safety Council
  • Professional Safety Service Member
• Public Service Law Initiative
  • Board Member
• Senator Dick Durbin Screening Committee for Federal District Court Judges, U.S. Attorneys and U.S. Marshal
• Seventh Circuit American Jury Project Commission
• The Center for Conflict Resolution
  • Board of Directors
• The Lawyers Club of Chicago
• The Seventh Circuit Bar Association
• The Society of Trial Lawyers
  • President
  • Treasurer
  • Secretary
  • Board of Directors
• Trial Lawyers Club of Chicago
  • President
• Trial Lawyers for Public Justice
  • Board of Directors
• Women’s Bar Association of Illinois
  • Financial Secretary
  • Treasurer
  • Board of Directors
  • Civil Litigation Committee
  • Nominating Committee

Corboy & Demetrio partner Daniel S. Kirschner has been re-appointed to the Illinois Carnival-Amusement Safety Board by Governor Pat Quinn. Kirschner has been a member of the Board since 2010 and currently serves as the Board’s Chair.

The Board was created under the Carnival and Amusement Safety Act to advise the Director of the Illinois Department of Labor on matters involving the protection of the general public while using amusement rides and attractions.

William T. Gibbs has been selected to The National Trial Lawyers: Top 40 under  40.   Gibbs, along with founding partner Tom Demetrio, is representing the estate of the late Chicago Bear Dave Duerson, and three other former professional football players in litigation against the NFL.

Gibbs was a high school computer science teacher and varsity football, basketball, and baseball coach prior to his legal career.  While at the University of Notre Dame, he was a defensive back on the varsity football team, playing for Coach Lou Holtz.

Corboy & Demetrio attorney Michelle M. Kohut was installed as the president of the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois on June 13, 2013. The mission of the WBAI includes promoting and fostering the interests of women lawyers. Michelle is a 2002 graduate of the Loyola University School of Law and joined Corboy & Demetrio in 2004.

Corboy & Demetrio Partner Francis Patrick Murphy became President of the Board of Directors of the Lawyers’ Assistance Program on November 1, 2013.  LAP helps Illinois lawyers, judges, law students, and their families with alcohol abuse, drug dependency, and  mental  health problems.  LAP services include education, peer assistance and intervention.  Patrick had been serving as Vice President.

Corboy & Demetrio Associate Michelle M. Kohut recently received the National Law Journal’s 2014 “Two Steps Forward” award for her work in helping advance the legal careers of women.  Michelle is the Immediate Past President of the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois.