An Accomplished Career, A New Mission
Donald E. Stellato Sr. has over four decades of jury trial experience handling significant personal injury and wrongful death cases. Upon graduating from the College of Law of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, he joined a large and highly respected litigation firm, Williams & Montgomery, Ltd. With hard work and immediate success in the courtroom, he quickly became a partner in just six years. For 16 years, Mr. Stellato practiced law at that firm, gaining vast experience as one of the most prodigious and successful trial lawyers in Illinois.
In 1989, Mr. Stellato embarked on a new venture and founded Stellato & Schwartz, Ltd., a trial firm that at its peak employed 36 attorneys and 60 employees in two offices. During the 28 years of its existence, he was not only the founder and majority shareholder, but also the managing partner and for most of that time, the lead trial lawyer.
With the sale of that firm, and with an eye towards getting back to basics, it is his mission to return to serving clients with a hands-on approach. Mr. Stellato now seeks to personally represent clients in significant matters of litigation. This is the mission of The Stellato Law Office.
Recognized By Peers As A Leader
Mr. Stellato is one of the top-rated civil litigation attorneys in Chicago and Illinois. His accolades include:
- Illinois Super Lawyer
- Illinois Leading Lawyer
- Top 100 Attorneys in Illinois
- AV Preeminent* peer-review rating from Martindale-Hubbell
A Sought-After Speaker
Mr. Stellato is proud to have been selected as a speaker for various presentations at bar association young lawyer programs, continuing legal education seminars and company claims department meetings regarding such subjects as expert witnesses, jury selection and civil jury trials. Some formal lectures and seminars are as follows:
- Chicago Bar Association – CLE Program Lecturer – May 13, 1991
- “The Preparation and Trial of the Automobile Collision Case”
- Chicago Bar Association – YLS Program Lecturer – December 13, 1990
- “Deposition Strategies and Techniques”
- Chicago Bar Association – YLS Program Lecturer/Demonstration – May 31, 1990
- “Trial Techniques Micro Class – Voir Dire”
- Chicago Bar Association – YLS Program Lecturer – February 28, 1990
- “Deposition Strategies – Deposing the Medical Expert”
- DePaul University College of Law – Trial Advocacy Course – 1989 – 1991
- Judge, Mock Trials
In addition, as recently as 2016, numerous presentations have been made over the years to various insurance company claims people and departments including but not limited to USAA, Allstate, Guide One, IMT, The Chicago Motor Club, Jewel Food Stores, the Auto Club of Michigan and the First Nonprofit Insurance Company.
Involved In The Community
On a personal note, Mr. Stellato was on the board of a charitable foundation devoted to fostering the nonprofit community. From 2013 to 2015, he was a member of the Board of Directors of the First Nonprofit Foundation. Also, in connection with his continuing work and mentoring for his alma mater, the College of Law of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, he is a member of the Board of Visitors and the Cribbett Society as well as a lifetime member of the President’s Council of the University of Illinois Foundation.
A Formidable Presence In The Courtroom
Mr. Stellato has deep connections in the Chicago law community and his fellow attorneys know he fights hard for his clients. Let him put his decades of knowledge regarding insurance companies and how they handle personal injury cases to work for you. Contact his office via phone at 312-909-3280 or via email.
*AV®, AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished and Martindale-Hubbell Notable are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell® is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Rating™ fall into two categories – legal ability and general ethical standards.