“ The list of distinguished former Phil Cor- boy lawyers that would have loved to have been his partner reads like a who’s who of famous trial attorneys: Al Hofeld, Richard Phelan and Jack Hayes just to name a few. It was well known that Corboy would never take a partner because to do so would be to admit that he had an equal. And, he never did. Until Tom. That puts Tom Demetrio in a class of ONE. His skills and knowledge of the law remain unparal- leled as is evidenced by his incredible trial record. In addition, he did not just try win- ners – he tried tough cases and virtually always prevailed. I was able to see Tom progress through his career and then watched him con- trol and persuade from the bench. It was much more relaxing to make rulings as a judge than argue against him as a liti- gant. As talented a lawyer as he became, his wagering on the golf course remained suspect. He never met a challenge he did not accept and golf was no exception. It is not surprising that he brings the same approach to life that he always brought to the courtroom. Always a gentleman and friend to all, he continues to guide one of the most powerful law firms to new heights. Though Corboy would never ad- mit it, history has revealed that he met his equal in his partner – Tom Demetrio.”
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Everyone you meet in this business some day might have an important matter that depending on how you treated them will dictate if that important matter comes to you.
The crash killed Carol Rickerson and the Rickersons’ 8-year-old son, Scott. It left their 10-year-old son Steven permanently disabled. Demetrio agreed to take on this case and rejected an $8 million settlement of- fer before the trial began. The results affirmed that Demetrio was right to refuse the offer: He obtained a record-setting $12 million jury verdict for Rickerson, the first such eight-figure verdict in the state of Illinois. “I would not have gotten the call to take on this case if I hadn’t taken on the Commonwealth Edison matter first,” Demetrio said. “That was a lesson learned. Everyone you meet in this business some day might have an important matter that depending on how you treated them will dictate if that important matter comes to you.” This wasn’t the only time that Demetrio turned down a big settlement offer. There was one case in which he was offered a $16 million settlement. Demetrio rejected this offer, too. The eventual verdict in that case came at just under $30 million in favor of Demetrio’s client. “I have never worried about losing,” Demetrio said. “I just make decisions. If you worry about the decisions that you make professionally, it will detract you from the job at hand. You make a decision based on the facts known to you. You either accept an offer or you don’t.” Another rare accomplishment? Demetrio has never lost an appeal. He says this is because he doesn’t just try a case for the jury in front of him. He also
Hon. William D. Maddux (Ret.)
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Someone who doesn’t know Thomas Demetrio might think that his most memorable cases would be the ones where he’s secured record-setting ver- dicts, including the first 8-figure verdict in Illinois in a personal injury case. Or the $42.4 medical malpractice verdict he obtained in 2022 for the wife and children of a quadriplegic man who died as the result of medical negligence. Thomas has been ranked the #1 lawyer in Illinois by Super Lawyers for six of the past seven years. But he won’t mention that either. These accolades are not what makes Tom an extraordinary lawyer and per- son. Tom is professionally devoted to
obtaining justice for his clients and he’s equally devoted to giving back to under- served communities and to those with- out access to justice. Tom is the inspiration and founder of Lawyers Lend-A-Hand, which was start- ed in 1995. It has provided $2 million in grants to tutoring/mentoring groups over the years and, since 2016, provides direct mentoring/tutoring to students by Chicago legal professionals. Tom’s passion for giving back has resulted in thousands of underserved and at-risk children in Chicago getting the resourc- es they deserve. Another example of Tom’s drive to help people in need is the matter of Kaney
O’Neill, who was serving in the U.S. mili- tary and was rendered a quadriplegic after a gust of wind knocked her from a balcony. O’Neill’s ex-boyfriend was seeking full custody of their infant, al- leging O’Neill was unfit because she was quadriplegic. Tom took her case pro bono, schooled himself in domestic relations law, and after a several week hearing, secured full custody for O’Neill. Kaney and her family visit Tom each year, bringing Christmas cookies for him and the entire office.”
Hon. James N. O’Hara (Ret.)
62 JURY VERDICT REPORTER • 2023 ANNUAL TRIAL LAWYER EXCELLENCE AWARDS
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