Resume

Education 

University of Chicago, Bachelor of Arts 1992

  • Majored in Classics (Latin) 
  • Dean’s List 

George Washington University Law School, Juris Doctor 1995

  • Advocate for Somali refugees, Immigration Clinic 
  • Law Clerk, U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs, General Counsel
  • Law Clerk, American Bar Association 

Legal Experience

Admitted to practice, 1995 

Barron Legal, Ltd., Naperville, Sole Practitioner

  • Advocating for plaintiffs and defendants in civil appeals 
  • Researching and drafting appellate briefs 
  • Presenting oral arguments in appellate courts and before the Illinois  Supreme Court 

Law Offices of Lynn D. Dowd, Naperville, Of Counsel

  • Assisting in civil appellate practice 

Prairie State Legal Services, West Chicago, Pro Bono Attorney

  • Assisting pro se clients with civil appeals 
  • Providing telephone counseling 

Boyle & Barron, Ltd., Chicago, Partner (previously known as Charles A. Boyle & Associates, Ltd.) 

  • Engaged in every aspect of civil litigation, discovery, trial and appeals
  • Obtained multiple seven figure awards on behalf of clients 
  • Began as an associate, left as a name partner

Cozen & O’Connor, Chicago, Associate (formerly Blatt, Hammesfahr & Eaton) 

  • Managed insurance coverage litigation representing Lloyd’s of London in  multi-state toxic tort litigation 
  • Developed strategies for insurers with respect to internet liability coverage

Awards & Publications 

  • Trial Journal, Vol. 24, No. 1, Winter 2022: “Beating 2-615 Motions: How to  Reliably Plead Foreseeability When There is an Intervening Act.”
  • Outstanding Volunteer, West Suburban Philanthropic Network, May 2017
  • @Risk, Internet & e-Commerce Insurance and Reinsurance Legal Issues,  ed. Robert Hammesfahr, Reactions (London, 2000). Co-Author
  • Women’s Bar Association of Illinois Service Award recipient, 2000
  • National Volunteer Recognition Week honoree for mentoring children in  Cook County Juvenile Detention, 1998 

Notable Appellate Cases & Jury Verdicts 

  • Givens v. City of Chicago, 2021 IL App (1st) 192434, reversed dismissal of seven figure jury award for plaintiff and successfully revived claims of  two other plaintiffs dismissed on summary judgment. 
  • Jarosz v. Buona Companies, LLC., 2022 IL App (1st) 210181. Obtained  reversal of summary judgment by the trial court, and successfully  persuaded the appellate court that the accepted and complete work  doctrine is not determinative of liability, and that genuine issues of material  fact existed as to proximate cause. 
  • Lagesse v. Franciscan Alliance, Inc., 2021 IL App (1st) 200956-U. Secured affirmance of a jury verdict of $1.6 million in favor of plaintiff appellee on the issue of proximate cause in a medical malpractice case. 
  • Miden Property Holdings, Inc. v. Sweiss, et al., 2021 IL App (1st) 191153- U. Procured affirmance of the trial court’s ruling to quiet title and to permit  the recovery of punitive damages in a declaratory action following a  disputed real estate transaction. 
  • Kramer v. Szczepaniak, et al., 2018 IL App (1st) 171411. Successfully  revived plaintiff-appellant’s case against Uber, where the Appellate Court  found that the injury was a reasonably foreseeable result of the  defendants’ misconduct. 
  • Beccara v. Dialysis Centers of America-Illinois, 2020 IL App (1st) 190099- U. Earned affirmance of a ruling that the Medical Studies Act did not shield  an accident report or a notice to the insurer from production in discovery.
  • Christakes v. SP Plus, 2018 IL App (1st) 172675-U. Persuaded the  appellate court to reverse summary judgment where the trial court failed to  properly apply the “distraction exception” to an “open and obvious”  defense. 
  • Ciampaglia v. Chicago Transit Authority, 389 Ill. App. 3d 1142 (1st Dist.  2009). Case involving premises liability and the fireman’s rule.  Successfully represented Plaintiff-Appellee on appeal, verdict affirmed. 
  • Mays v. Holy Cross Hospital, 347 Ill. App. 3d 1103 (1st Dist. 2003).  Represented Plaintiff-Appellant at trial and through appeals in medical  malpractice case involving false cancer diagnosis resulting in needless  mastectomy. Reversed trial verdict in favor of defendant at appellate level,  affirmed by Illinois Supreme Court. 
  • In Re Certain Underwriters at Lloyd’s, 18 S.W.3d 867 (Tex. Ct. App.  2000). Successfully represented insurance company appellant seeking to  compel arbitration and defeat claim of waiver. 
  • Madej v. St. Joseph Hospital, No. 00 L 3300 (Cook County Cir. Ct.  Chicago, Ill. Oct. 10, 2003). Acting as lead attorney at trial, obtained  verdict of $2,537,306.35 on behalf of minor plaintiff in medical malpractice  case involving Erb’s palsy. 

Professional Organizations 

  • Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, current (member of Women’s Caucus)
  • Women’s Bar Association of Illinois, Executive Board Member, 1997-2003
  • DuPage County Bar Association 

Community Involvement 

  • PTA President, Still Middle School, Aurora (past) 
  • PTA President, Owen Elementary School, Naperville (past)
  • Indian Prairie Parents Council, School District 204, Vice President (past)
  • National Council for Jewish Women, Tri-County Section, Executive Board  Member (past) 
  • Wheatland Athletic Association, Volunteer Soccer Coach (past)