Jay Paul Deratany

Jay Paul Deratany is the founder of The Deratany Law Firm LLC in Chicago, Illinois, and a seasoned trial attorney known for zealous advocacy on behalf of injured and vulnerable clients throughout the Chicago metropolitan area and its environs. Over a multidecade career, he has built a reputation for achieving efficient, outcome-focused results in complex litigation involving social services and foster care negligence, birth injury, medical malpractice, personal injury, product liability and wrongful death.

An academic scholar, Mr. Deratany earned his Juris Doctor from DePaul University College of Law in 1987 and was admitted to practice in Illinois the same year. Drawing on decades of courtroom experience, he combines rigorous case preparation with strategic litigation to pursue meaningful recovery for clients and to hold institutions and individuals accountable when negligence or systemic failures cause harm.

Mr. Deratany’s courtroom record includes landmark verdicts that underscore his commitment to children and families. Notably, he secured a historic $45,000,000 verdict in a foster care wrongful death case, and he obtained what was then the largest jury award in Lake County history – $23,000,000 – in a birth-injury matter. These results reflect both his willingness to litigate difficult cases to verdict and his focus on achieving remedies that address long-term needs of victims and their families.

Beyond litigation, Mr. Deratany has been an active advocate in the civic and nonprofit spheres. He has served on the boards of organizations such as Howard Brown, Chicago House, Perspectives Charter Schools and Community Support Services, bringing legal insight and leadership to programs that serve marginalized and at-risk populations. He is also the recipient of the Ekroth Award for his federal lawsuit on behalf of disabled women who were subjected to discriminatory housing practices – a recognition of his sustained commitment to civil rights and fair treatment.

Mr. Deratany’s perspectives on law and policy have been published in a variety of professional and trade outlets, including the Illinois Bar Journal, the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, Adoption Magazine and Fostering Families Today. He has appeared as a legal commentator on national and regional media, including Fox & Friends, CNN and The O’Reilly Factor, and his advocacy on behalf of foster children has been featured in Fostering Families Magazine.