2025 ILLINOIS ATTORNEYS TO WATCH
JONATHAN CAVINS
AGE 39
FIRM Brennan Burtker LLC
LAW SCHOOL DePaul University College of Law
“
AREA(S) OF PRACTICE Professional liability, medical malpractice defense
He is fearless and a tireless advocate for his clients, and does whatever it takes to provide exceptional legal work.
”
H is fellow attorneys describe Jonathan Cavins as a highly motivated, smart and driven attorney, one who is mature beyond his years. He also boasts a keen legal mind, a strong courtroom presence and a fierce commitment to providing the best representation to his clients. This combination of traits explains how Cavins has earned so many successful results for his clients, and why he is considered a young star in Chicago's professional liability and medical mal- practice defense field. "He is fearless and a tireless advocate for his clients, and does whatever it takes to provide exceptional legal work," said Cath- erine Garvey, associate general counsel with the University of Chicago Medical Center. "He is well respected by judges, medi- ators, his clients and peers in the legal community, and is most certainly a rising star." Garvey said that Cavins works early, late and often, and is me- ticulous when it comes to communication, meeting deadlines and attention to detail. During his still-young career, Cavins has successfully defend- ed his clients in several high-exposure medical malpractice
trials. His work on the defense team on a 2020 trial earned him the 2023 Jury Verdict Reporter Defense Trial Lawyer Excellence Award. In one of Cavins' highest-profile cases, he worked on the de- fense team for the University of Chicago Medical Center in a case involving the death of a 2-month-old boy who died a day after being discharged from the center's emergency room with cold and flu symptoms. A Cook County jury, thanks in part to Cavins' work, found that the hospital was not liable for the in- fant's death. The complaint alleged that the University of Chicago Medi- cal Center and its doctor failed to order the correct tests, lab work and medication and failed to recognize the seriousness of the infant's illness. Cavins and the defense team argued that the medical center was not liable for the death as autopsy results found that the child died under "unclear circumstances." The plaintiffs sought $15 million in damages. Outside the courtroom, Cavins is a frequent lecturer about issues related to medical malpractice in both hospital settings and for professional organizations.
40 Under Forty 2025
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CHICAGO LAWYER & CHICAGO DAILY LAW BULLETIN
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