Hon. Larry G. Axelrood, (Ret.) - ADR Systems

ADR Systems

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Hon. Larry G. Axelrood, (Ret.)

Hon. Larry G. Axelrood, (Ret.)

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Hon. Larry G. Axelrood, (Ret.) served in the Law Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County for five of his 14 years on the bench and settled nearly 1,000 cases. He has extensive experience with medical malpractice, nursing home, railroad, legal malpractice, premises liability, construction and personal injury matters. Having served on the Evanston Police Pension Board and the Illinois Judges Association Pension and Benefits Committee, Judge Axelrood has in-depth experience with pensions and their impact on various types of cases. He is also the author of four published novels. As a senior mediator and arbitrator, he reflects a dignified demeanor, yet he is warm and approachable. Judge Axelrood is known for his ability to easily connect with and understand the interests of all parties.

Types of Cases Resolved

  • Auto Liability
  • Civil Rights
  • Construction Accidents
  • Construction Defect
  • Contract
  • Defamation
  • Discrimination
  • Employment
  • Environmental
  • Family Business
  • Federal Employers Liability Act (FELA)
  • Fee Dispute
  • Fraud
  • Government
  • Harassment
  • Insurance Coverage
  • Legal Malpractice
  • Mass Torts
  • Medical Malpractice
  • Non-Compete
  • Nursing Home
  • Partnership Dispute
  • Personal Injury
  • Premises Liability
  • Product Liability
  • Professional Malpractice
  • Property Damage
  • Securities
  • Sexual Abuse
  • Sexual Harassment
  • Storm Damage
  • Subrogation
  • Toxic Tort
  • Uninsured & Underinsured Motorist Claims (UM&UIM)
  • Whistleblower
  • Workers' Compensation
  • Wrongful Death
  • Wrongful Termination

ADR Experience and Qualifications

  • Since joining ADR Systems in 2019, Judge Axelrood has served as a full-time mediator and arbitrator
  • 14-year judicial career in the Circuit Court of Cook County, serving in the First, Second and Third Municipal Districts, Criminal Division, Veteran’s Court and Mental Health Court, 2005-2014; and later the Law Division, 2014-2019
  • 20-year legal career, including private practice at Law Offices of Larry G. Axelrood, civil litigation and criminal defense, 1989-2005; Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney, including serving in the Felony Trial Division, 1985-1989
  • Mediation Certificate, Northwestern University

Representative Cases

  • Auto Liability: settled numerous cases involving automobile and truck collisions
  • Civil Rights: plaintiff spent 15 years in prison for a wrongful conviction based on police and prosecutorial misconduct and perjury; settled for $5.6 million
  • Civil Rights: plaintiff in prison suffered injuries from extraction team, leading to death; settled for $3.8 million
  • Civil Rights: car chase with law enforcement resulted in injuries to plaintiff and death of one of the plaintiff’s children; settled for $3.5 million
  • Construction Accidents: construction worker seriously injured after falling 40 feet when attempting to place a steel I-beam
  • Construction and Premises Liability: construction worker suffered catastrophic injuries from a fall while climbing an attached steel ladder during construction; settled case for $7.3 million
  • Legal Malpractice: attorney engaged to represent plaintiff in his employment restructuring and severance package with a financial services firm; plaintiff claimed attorney failed to adequately protect him in the restructuring; case settled
  • Legal Malpractice: settled case in which one party claimed the attorney was negligent in failing to adequately provide for child’s educational needs in divorce settlement
  • Medical Malpractice: severe injury incurred during a procedure performed by a podiatrist
  • Medical Malpractice: delay in recognition of a blood clot issue led to compartment syndrome and plaintiff left with limited use of left leg and constant pain; case settled for $4 million
  • Medical Malpractice: child experienced birth injuries that caused developmental problems and intellectual disabilities; child died from these injuries and case settled for $3.5 million
  • Medical Malpractice: 21-month-old child died during surgery from an embolism; settled for $2.1 million
  • Nursing Home: settled many nursing home cases ranging from neglect to wrongful death
  • Personal Injury: leaking water from an air conditioner caused water to collect on the floor of train; plaintiff slipped and fell due to the water and was injured
  • Personal Injury: infant suffered shoulder dystocia during birth
  • Personal Injury: case covered by the Montreal Convention
  • Personal Injury: settled many cases involving mesothelioma
  • Personal Injury: grandmother was struck by a bus while walking her grandchild to school, resulting in injuries to her leg that required an above-the-knee amputation; settled case for $5.3 million
  • Personal Injury: while walking in crosswalk, plaintiff was struck by a moving car; settled for $3.5 million
  • Premises Liability: settled case in which plaintiff fell down the stairs at a condominium building; stairs were in violation of city codes
  • Premises Liability: during birthday party at a bar, an unruly patron attacked a party goer; plaintiff broke an ankle while trying to avoid being beaten the by unruly patron
  • Sexual abuse: settled many cases involving child sexual abuse
  • Wrongful Death: driver killed when her vehicle was broadsided by driver running red light obstructed by snow; parties settled for $3.6 million
  • Wrongful Death: mediated case involving post-surgical respiratory distress that doctors failed to diagnose; case settled for $3.05 million
  • Wrongful Death: settled case involving on-duty security guard shot by a police officer, causing his death
  • Wrongful Death: 46-year-old man was admitted for surgery to remove a tumor on his carotid artery; doctors failed to do required diagnostic procedures, leading to death following surgery and case settled for $5 million

Professional Activities and Awards

  • Former Board Member, Evanston Police Pension Board
  • Former Adjunct Professor, Northwestern University School of Law
  • Former Member, Judicial Conference of Illinois, appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court
  • Former Member, Civil Justice Committee, appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court
  • Former Board Member, Illinois Judges Association
  • Former Co-Chair, Pension and Benefits Committee, Illinois Judges Association
  • Honorary Chairperson Award, Alliance of Illinois Judges

Presentations and Publications

  • Author, several novels titled The Advocate, Plea Bargain, Death Eligible, and Stealing Justice
  • Author, “Pension and Benefits Committee Report,” Illinois Judges Association, The Gavel
  • Presenter, “Judges Tell All: Practical Advice for Working With the Court,” National Business Institute
  • Presenter, “Judicial Perspectives on Motion Practice,” Lunch with a Judge, CBA Young Lawyers Committee
  • Panelist, “Streamline Your Trial Process,” 6th Annual Symposium with the Judges, Law Bulletin Seminars
  • Panelist, “Discovery, Confidentiality and Motions in Limine,” 7th Annual Symposium with the Judges, Law Bulletin Seminars
  • Panelist, “Pretrial Conferences: Judicial Advice for Settling Prior to Jury Selection,” 9th Annual Symposium with the Judges, Law Bulletin Seminars
  • Presenter, “Perspectives on Practice in the Law Division,” CBA
  • Panelist, “Inside the Law Division,” CBA

Education

  • JD, Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago-Kent College of Law
  • BS, Indiana State University

Admissions

  • Illinois State Bar
  • US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
  • US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
  • US District Court for the Central District of Illinois
  • US District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
  • US District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
  • US Supreme Court

Disclosure

I was a sitting judge for over 14 years, have practiced law and have been a mediator and arbitrator since 2019. Many attorneys have tried cases in my courtroom or mediated or arbitrated a case with me.

Additionally, I have one family member who is working as an associate at Johnson & Bell, LTD.

The disclosures listed above will not affect my neutrality in this dispute.

I want to express our firm’s appreciation to ADR Systems for providing us with an outstanding CLE program.  I received numerous positive comments from our partners; everyone thought that the Hon. F. Keith Brown and Stuart A. Nudelman provided us with useful and interesting insights.  I think that our Chicago partners (and anyone else who might do a mediation in Chicago) would be delighted with any of them as a mediator or arbitrator.

Alan Becker, Managing PartnerLitchfield Cavo LLP
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