When The Law Is Tough, You Want Us At Your Table
Biography
Zane D. Smith is the founding partner for Zane D. Smith & Assoc., Ltd. Mr. Smith was admitted to practice law in the State of Illinois in 1983 and he has been selected as a Super Lawyer for 2022, an Honor earned by only 5% of Illinois lawyers. He is a member of the State of Illinois Bar, Federal Bar for the Northern District of Illinois, Federal Trial Bar for the Northern District of Illinois and the Federal Bar for the State of Indiana, Hammond. Mr. Smith is the past Chairman, Vice Chairman and Legislative Liaison of the Chicago Bar Association Tort Litigation Committee. Mr. Smith has extensive jury trial experience at both the state and federal level. Mr. Smith concentrates his practice in the area of catastrophic personal injury cases and has obtained substantial verdicts and settlements in excess of $1 million dollars.
Education
- University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, Chicago, Illinois
- J.D. - 1983
- Honors: Elected Class Representative
- Honors: Phi Alpha Delta
- Southern Illinois University , Carbondale , Illinois
- B.A. - 1978
- Honors: Dean's List
- Honors: Elected Student Council
- Major: Psychology
- Minor: Pre-Law
Honors
- Board Member for the Winnetka Youth Organization
- Candidate for US Congress, Primary Race 10th District Illinois
- Elected twice to the Winnetka Park District Board of Commissioners
- Distinguished Service Award, Chicago Volunteer Services Foundation
Classes & Seminars
- Illinois Code of Civil Procedure on Rule 213(f)(3), CBA, Tort Litigation Committee, 2000
- Deposition Strategies, CBA, Tort Litigation Committee, 2001
- Speaker on "Deposition Strategies" at CBA, Tort Litigation Committee, 2000: I had the honor of sharing insights and strategies on effective deposition techniques with fellow legal professionals at the Chicago Bar Association.
- Chicago Bar Association (CBA), Tort Litigation Committee, 2000: As an active member of the Tort Litigation Committee, I had the privilege of contributing to the drafting of Illinois Code of Civil Procedure Rules 213(f)(1), 213(f)(2), and 213(f)(3). These rules govern the disclosure
Pro-Bono Activities
- Chicago Volunteer Legal Services Volunteer Attorney, 2000 - Present
- Boy Scouts of America/Cub Scouts of America, 1997 - 2011
Past Positions
- Synergism, Inc., Vice President and General Counsel, 1985 to 1989
- French, Kezelis & Komaniarek, P.C., Associate Attorney, 1983 to 1985
Languages
- English
Professional Associations
- Chicago Bar Association, Member, Present
- Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, Member, Present
- Chicago Bar Association, Chairman Tort Litigation Committee, 2001 to 2002
- Chicago Bar Association, Vice Chair Tort Litigation Committee, 2000 to 2001
- Chicago Bar Association, Legislative Liaison Tort Committee, 1999 to 2000
- Founding Partner
Practice Areas
- Medical Malpractice
- Personal Injury
- Professional Negligence
- Complex Litigation
- Civil Rights
Bar Admissions
- Illinois, 1983
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois, 1983
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois Trial Bar, 1983
- U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit, 1983
- U.S. District Court Central District of Illinois, 2008
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Indiana, 2015
Representative Cases
- Seals v. Rush Univ. Med. Ctr., Walgreen Company and Melamed, 2021 IL App (1st) 200558, App Ct; Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, Vol. 167, 118, 2021 Lyons Lumber v. 7722 N. Ashland, LLC, 2016 IL App (3d) 140487, App Ct