2025 ILLINOIS ATTORNEYS TO WATCH
MELANIE VANOVERLOOP
AGE 39
FIRM Rapoport Sims Perry & VanOverloop, P.C.
LAW SCHOOL Loyola University Chicago School of Law
in all respects. “
AREA(S) OF PRACTICE Plaintiff catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death
Melanie embodies a ‘trial lawyer’
”
M elanie VanOverloop's record as a personal injury and wrongful death attorney is impressive: During her career, she has already secured more than $100 million in recoveries for her clients. She's also notched several verdicts considered to be record-breaking – including a $24.1M verdict for pediatric lead poisoning and a $13.2M verdict for medical malpractice in Wisconsin. These are remarkable accomplishments for any at- torney, but especially one with such a young career. Her peers have noticed these results, with VanOverloop ris- ing to the status of shareholder and equity partner at her firm, all before reaching her 40th birthday. Lara Lickhalter, a partner at Wilson Elser who went to verdict against VanOverloop, put it this way: “Melanie embodies a ‘trial lawyer’ in all respects. Where many use that designation loosely, Melanie has earned it.” She added: “How she presented her case put me on my heels, it was a challenge, and I’m a better attorney for sharing that journey with her.” VanOverloop’s record of recoveries is well-rounded, having
achieved multi-million-dollar recoveries in a variety of cases, including medical malpractice, product liability, construction negligence, commercial trucking, and aviation. "Melanie's results speak for themselves," said Natalie Federle, general counsel and head of people at Sermo. “She's effective, tenacious, passionate and practical in her advocacy." It's not just her trial skills that set VanOverloop apart. She's also a strong believer in giving back to the legal community and mentoring younger lawyers, including as Chair of the Illinois Trial Lawyers’ Association’s Women’s Caucus, through authorship of the IICLE chapter on Construction Negligence and by regularly publishing and presenting at ITLA educational seminars. Her law partner, Matthew Sims added: “Melanie is tenacious and passionate, but always empathetic. She never sets aside the reality that our clients are human beings who have sought out help with what is usually the worst thing they have ever experi- enced.” Sims added: “That type of compassion is not something that can be learned.”
40 Under Forty 2025
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CHICAGO LAWYER & CHICAGO DAILY LAW BULLETIN
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