Practice Groups
- Medical Malpractice
- Catastrophic Injuries
- Professional Negligence
- Commercial Litigation
- Fraud
- Employment Discrimination
Education
- American University
Washington College of Law, J.D. 1983 - Michigan State University
James Madison College, B.A. 1979
Bar Admissions
- Illinois 1984
- Missouri 1983 (Inactive)
Court Admissions
- United States Supreme Court
- United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
Meet Founder and Senior Partner, David A. Axelrod
Meet Founder and Senior Partner, David A. Axelrod. Mr. Axelrod is one of Chicago’s foremost trial attorneys. He has extensive trial experience and is known for his comprehensive and meticulous preparation.
Mr. Axelrod has been recognized for his proven success by being named an Association of Trial Lawyers of America (now American Association of Justice) Top 100 Trial Lawyer, an Illinois Super Lawyer® and an Illinois Leading Lawyer. He represents clients in a variety of complex cases against major companies, who are represented by some of the largest law firms in the world.
Mr. Axelrod has won millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements in cases involving Medical Malpractice, Catastrophic Injury, Professional Negligence, ERISA, Fraud, Commercial Disputes, Copyright Infringement, and Equitable Relief. He has argued and tried cases in courts across the country.
Those include but are not limited to, the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit; the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois; the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin; the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania; and in State courts throughout Illinois and the nation.
In addition to his trial work, Mr. Axelrod is a member of the Board of Managers of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association; the American Association for Justice, Commercial Litigation Section and Professional Negligence Section; the Illinois State Bar Association; and the Chicago Bar Association. He is also one of the founding fellows with the Litigation Counsel of America. Mr. Axelrod is a frequent presenter on legal topics before organizations such as the Litigation Counsel of America and the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association. He has also co-authored legal articles published in the areas of punitive damages and toxic torts. Mr. Axelrod is also a member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
Mr. Axelrod is recognized by peers and was selected to Super Lawyers ® 2006 - 2013, 2015 - 2022. He has received the Martindale-Hubbel AV Preeminent rating each year since 1993. In 2021, rated in the Top 100 Medical Malpractice Litigators.
Top 100 Medical Malpractice Litigators
2021 AV Preeminent® Rating
Judicial Edition
2019 AV Preeminent® Rating
Judicial Edition
AV Preeminent rating since 1993
Notable Successes
- Led the legal team that won a record $31.35 million verdict, including $25 million in punitive damages in Marston v. Walgreen Company
- Negotiated a structured settlement with lifetime payments exceeding $10 million against a large hospital in a medical malpractice case
- Procured $5.6 million in a major real estate dispute
- Recovered $4.5 million in a medical malpractice case
- Secured $3 million in a product liability case
- Collected $1.35 million from a national retail chain in a copyright infringement case
- Acquired $1.29 million in a construction litigation case
