Christopher J. Pickett

• Defense Research Institute (DRI), Member
• Claims & Litigation Management (CLM) Alliance, Member
• Member of CLM and DRI Attend annual conferences Participate on Committees Attend Invitation Only Symposiums 
• 7th Circuit Court of Appeals
• Illinois District Courts for the Northern, Central and Southern Districts
• Illinois Supreme Court
• Certified Litigation Manager - CLM

• 2023 – Stipulated Judgment. Cook County.  Secured judgment in $2.3M property dispute after uncovering and securing sworn testimony that insured’s agent committed insurance fraud., 2023
• Motion to Dismiss.  Kendall County.  Complaint dismissed based on contractual waiver of right of contribution in construction contract., 2023
• Settlement.  DuPage County.  We secured $800,000 in WC lien recovery while defending our client against a third-party complaint for a construction site injury., 2022
• Summary Judgment.  Cook County.  Court ruled that our insurer client did not owe duty to defend or indemnify companies in underlying, multi-million dollar bodily injury claim based on inadequate contractual requirements to secure AI coverage.  , 2022
• Summary Judgment.  Cook County.  Defended Arby’s franchise from wrongful death claim where shift employee murdered manager while on duty., 2022
• Settlement.  Cook County.  Settled construction injury claim against general contractor for $450,000 of total $6M settlement, including right to recover from non-participating insurer.  Published front page of CDLB on May 4, 2022. , 2022
• Summary Judgment.  CDIL.  Court ruled that our insurer client’s pollution exclusion barred coverage for underlying pollution claim.   , 2022
• Settlement.  AAA.  We settled a construction defect claim for $100,000 of a $1.1M settlement based on our position that we followed the architect’s design., 2021
• Settlement.  Cook County.  Settled interstate fatality for $400,000 of $1M policy during jury selection.  , 2021
• Summary Judgment. Cook County.  Court ruled that our client did not owe duty to defend or indemnify putative AI’s against underlying construction injury lawsuit because blanket AI endorsement required contract to be signed, not just executed, prior to date of loss. , 2021
• Settlement.  Cook County.  Our client tow truck company struck and killed a pedestrian just outside a crosswalk.  We settled for $300,000 of a $1M policy., 2021
• Summary Judgment.  Kane County.  We argued that our defendant, the townhome association’s landscaping company, did not create and was not on notice of the condition giving rise to the injury.  , 2020
• Summary Judgment.  NDIL.  Court ruled that our client had the right to control the defense of named insured despite reserving rights to deny indemnity for repair and replacement in multi-million dollar underlying construction defect litigation.  , 2020
• Motion to Dismiss.  Lake County.  We prevailed on a motion to dismiss arguing that the insured’s acceptance of payment constituted an accord and satisfaction that pre-empted his complaint seeking additional first-party property coverage for the same loss.  , 2020
• Summary Judgment.  Cook County.  Argued that claim for $150,000 in attorney fees was barred by res judicata.  , 2019
• Summary Judgment.  Cook County.  Court ruled that our client was entitled to defense and indemnity from sub-contractor’s insurer for underlying construction injury case.  Affirmed on appeal., 2018
• Settlement.  Cook County.  Settled multi-million dollar first-party property dispute for $485,000 based on insured’s agent’s fraud and concealment perpetrated during claim., 2018
• Summary Judgment.  Cook County.  Court ruled that the insured’s appraiser and umpire had fraudulently colluded and concealed relationship.  Entered judgment setting aside the award and ordering new appraisal., 2018

• Certification in Litigation Management from The Litigation Management Institute

• Pleasant Hill Elementary: Explore More Day, 2022
• American Cancer Society – Counselors against Cancer , 2019
• Wheaton North High School: Business Incubator Class Mentor, 2019

• 2019-2022, Illinois Leading Lawyer, Leading Lawyers Network
• Received a Blue Ocean Award for Exceptional Work in Litigation Management, Blue Ocean Award, Blue Ocean Strategy
•  Exceptional Work on Complex Litigation , Golden Gavel Award, The A List

• University Of Wisconsin-Madison (B.S.) - Dean’s List, 2001

• Insurance Company of the West:  Third-Party Over Claims, Speaker, Third-Party Over Claims, Insurance Company of the West:, 2023
• Western National Illinois Summit: Overview of Liability and Contracts in IL, Speaker, Overview of Liability and Contracts in IL, Western National Illinois Summit:, 2018
• Vukovich Agency: Contractual Indemnity and AI Risk, Speaker, Contractual Indemnity and AI Risk, Vukovich Agency, 2018
• Vukovich Agency: Contractual Indemnity and AI Risk, Speaker, Contractual Indemnity and AI Risk, Vukovich Agency, 2019
• Insurance Company of the West: Overview of WC/EL Issues In IL, Speaker, Overview of WC/EL Issues in IL, Insurance Company of the West:, 2019
• Vukovich Agency: Risk Transfer and Safety, Speaker, Risk Transfer and Safety, Vukovich Agency, 2020
• Western National Illinois Summit: Liability and Risk Transfer, Speaker, Western National Illinois Summit, 2021
• Westfield Defense Days: Budgeting for Success, Speaker, Budgeting for Success, Westfield Insurance Company, 2022
• Risk Transfer and Claim Investigation , Speaker, Vukovich Agency
• West Bend Specialty Presentation: UIM and Risk Transfer Claims, Speaker, UIM and Risk Transfer Claims, West Bend Insurance Company, 2023

• Published the LPP Claims Manual Outlining Common Questions of Law for Illinois Claim Representatives
• Editor of LPP Monthly Newsletter Discussing Case Results, Court Rulings and Industry News

“I have worked with Chris for over a decade now. He is a tremendous advocate for his clients in the coverage and defense practice groups at our firm. He is outstandingly hard-working, yet brings a personal approach to his work. He is absolutely a leading voice in coverage law and has excellent command over this difficult discipline.”

“Chris and I have worked together for well over a decade now, first in a partner-associate framework and now as partners. He is a skilled litigator and an encyclopedic source of answers to insurance coverage questions. He is aggressive in asserting and maintaining his position, but respectful of his opponent and reasonable in his approach.”