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Sheila Genson

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Biography

Sheila Genson will assist you with your legal needs from start to finish. Her law career is solidly based on the knowledge gained by clerking for judges in the Circuit Court of Cook County, the Illinois Court of Claims, and the First District Appellate Court. These clerking positions led to a working knowledge of the Illinois civil court system, which formed the basis of her interest in assisting business owners in all aspects of civil litigation and assisting those who suffer personal injuries due to defective property, medical malpractice, automobile accidents, and imperfect products. Ms. Genson also focuses on the issues that materialize when a loved one is disabled or passes away, and it is discovered that there has been undue influence or unneeded control in the distribution, or potential distribution, of the assets of the estate. Ms. Genson is a strong proponent of settling a case through negotiation or formal mediation when a case is a candidate for such resolution. However, if such a course is not successful, Ms. Genson strongly advocates for justice through a jury trial, a bench trial, or arbitration. Due to Ms. Genson's background with the Appellate Court, when a decision is made to appeal, the appeal process is familiar ground. Ms. Genson graduated from Illinois State University with a B.A. in Spanish and English where she was president of her sorority and was on the swim team. She graduated from the University of Illinois Chicago Law School in 1991. Ms. Genson is admitted to the Illinois State Bar, the U. S. District Court of Illinois, Northern District, the Trial Bar of the U. S. District Court of Illinois, and the U. S. District Court of Illinois, Central District. She is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association, the Northwest Bar Association, and the Alpine Runners Club. In her spare time, she enjoys fishing.

Education

  • University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, Chicago, Illinois
    • J.D. - 1991
    • Honors: Herzog Moot Court
  • Illinois State University, Normal , Illinois
    • B.A., Bachelor of Arts - 1984
    • Honors: Alpha Delta Pi Sorority, President
    • Major: Spanish
    • Major: English

Honors

  • Board Member for Prince of Peace Lutheran Church

Representative Cases

  • Lyons Lumber v. 7722 N. Ashland, LLC , 2016 IL App (3d) 140487, App Ct
  • Goodman v. Chicago Housing Authority, 2002 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9253, US Dist Ct
  • O'Banner v. McDonald's Corp., 173 Ill. 2d 208 , IL Sup Ct
  • Mikolaitis v. Morano Invs., Inc., 2014 IL App (2d) 131066-U, App Ct

Classes & Seminars

  • Small Claims Litigation, Northwest Suburban Bar Association, 2017

Pro-Bono Activities

  • Pro Bono Desk at Rolling Meadows Courthouse

Past Positions

  • Chicago Housing Authority, Associate General Counsel
  • Law Office of Sheila A. Genson, Ltd., President
  • Illinois Court of Claims, Judicial Law Clerk
  • Illinois Appellate Court, First District, Judicial Law Clerk
  • Circuit Court of Cook County, Judicial Law Clerk

Languages

  • English

Published Works

  • Void vs. Voidable: A Distinction Without Meaning, 2 Appellate Law Review 1, 2, 1990

Professional Associations

  • Illinois State Bar Association
  • Northwest Suburban Bar Association
  • Attorney

Practice Areas

  • Personal Injury
  • Trucking Injury
  • Business Litigation
  • Business Litigation
  • Medical Malpractice
  • Trusts, Wills, and Probate Litigation
  • Trusts, Wills, and Probate Litigation
  • Prisoner's Rights and Civil Rights Violations
  • Prisoner's Rights and Civil Rights Violations

Bar Admissions

  • Illinois, 1992
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit, 2023
  • U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois, 1992
  • U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois Trial Bar, 2000
  • U.S. District Court Central District of Illinois, 2016
  • U.S. District Court Southern District of Illinois, 2023