Source: http://spellmirebruck.com/our-attorneys/
Timestamp: 2019-04-25 16:21:38+00:00

Document:
Legal Malpractice Law: Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility; Accountant Professional Liability; Professional Ethics; Commercial Litigation; Securities Litigation.
George W. Spellmire is one of the country’s leading professional liability litigation lawyers. He has more than thirty years of experience and has supervised thousands of professional liability cases. He represents private and public corporations, law firms and individuals in litigation, trials and alternative dispute resolution involving professional liability and disciplinary issues. He has tried many legal malpractice and accounting cases and is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. Recognized by The National Law Journal as one of the most prominent professional malpractice lawyers in the United States, he has been included in The Best Lawyers in America since 1995. He is a member of the Leading Lawyers Network and recognized as an Illinois Super Lawyer. In Ruttenberg v. Pedersen & Houpt, P.C., Mr. Spellmire achieved the largest legal malpractice verdict in Cook County, Illinois, and that record still stands today.
E&M Investments v. Katten Muchin et al.
Lauralee K. Bell, Trustee v. Levenfeld Pearlstein, et al.
First Merit v. Canel, et al.
Lawyer Disqualification: Disciplinary and Malpractice Implications, ABA 22nd National Conference on Professional Responsibility, May 30, 1996.
Appellate Lawyer Malpractice, Illinois Appellate Lawyers’ Association, May 6, 2004.
Skeletons in the Closet and Sleepless Nights, Northern Estate Planning Council, April 24, 2002.
Kortemeier v. Ferbend & Ferbend, Ltd., 1990 WL 304276 (N.D. Ill. 1990) Not Reported in F. Supp.
Michael C. Bruck is a partner of Spellmire & Bruck LLP. He has a wide range of experience and focuses his practice on complex commercial disputes, professional ethics, financial malpractice, and insurance litigation. Mr. Bruck is “AV Preeminent” peer review rated by Martindale-Hubbell, reflecting the highest peer recognition for ethical standards and legal ability.
Mr. Bruck has more than 25 years of jury trial, litigation and client advisory experience, handling hundreds of high-stakes cases in state and federal courts throughout the United States. He has represented numerous clients in a range of industries, including Toyota Motor Sales, USA, major professional service firms, and Kemper Insurance Companies.
Mr. Bruck has been selected by his peers for inclusion in Illinois Leading Lawyers for commercial litigation, professional malpractice defense law, and insurance coverage and reinsurance law. He also has been selected for inclusion in Illinois Super Lawyers for business litigation, professional liability and insurance coverage.
Mr. Bruck received a B.S. in Organizational Leadership and Supervision in 1984 from Purdue University. He received his J.D. in 1988 from DePaul College of Law.
In addition, Mr. Bruck has been admitted pro hac vice in state and federal courts throughout the country.
Long Live the Tie-In! The Supreme Court’s Decision in Illinois Tool Works, Inc. v. Indepndent Ink Inc.
Meriturn Partners LLC, et al. v. Banner & Witcoff Ltd.,et al.
Secured $6 million jury verdict after three-week trial in favor of private equity investors in legal malpractice action against their patent lawyers for failed patent due diligence.
Belleville Toyota v. Toyota Motor Sales, et al.
Defended auto manufacturer and distributor in three-week jury trial and appeals of franchise act and breach of contract lawsuit brought by dealer arising from dispute over allocation of vehicles. In case of first impression, Illinois Supreme Court found that UCC statute of limitations applies to franchise agreements and that statute of limitations is not tolled by continuing breaches of contract or continuing violations of Franchise Act.
Fuller v. Decatur School District No. 61, et al.
Obtained not guilty verdict for school board in civil rights lawsuit brought by six students expelled for a gang fight at a football game. Claims were prosecuted by Operation PUSH and Rev. Jesse Jackson and garnered national attention due to board’s so-called zero tolerance policy. Decision reported at 78 F.Supp.2d 812 (C.D. Ill. 2000), affirmed, 251 F.3d 662 (7th Cir. 2001).
Defended trade libel and prosecuted copyright infringement claims between manufacturers of naturalistic animal statuary in two-week jury trial. Case resolved through confidential settlement.
Obtained summary judgment and affirmance on appeal on $10.5 million bad faith and breach of contract claims against excess insurance carrier.
Northern Illinois Emergency Physicians v. Sands, et al.
Obtained summary judgment and successfully argued appeals of seminal Illinois Supreme Court attorney malpractice case on damages.
In first of its kind case, obtained summary judgment and affirmance of appeal by convincing courts that the two-year statute of limitations in Section 13-214.3 of the Illinois Code of Civil Procedure – not the longer five-year statute of limitations – applies to aiding and abetting claims against lawyers that are connected to their performance of legal services.
Successfully defended accounting firm in two-week jury trial in claims alleging failure to detect and report defalcation.
Obtained dismissal of $3 million lost profits claim against environmental auditor client arising from a Phase I environmental site assessment on property containing asbestos. Claims dismissed during two­ week jury trial.
Handled case of first impression in Illinois involving claims of attorney malpractice. Appellate court found insurer had no right of subrogation against its insured’s defense counsel.
Obtained summary judgment and successfully argued appeal of accountant’s malpractice case. Seventh Circuit affirmed summary judgment for auditor client finding no breach of duty of care.
Obtained summary judgment for auditor in accountant’s malpractice case where plaintiff sought $21 million in damages. Appellate court affirmed, finding that parent corporation had no standing to assert claims for failed subsidiaries.
Jessica is an attorney with the firm. She has worked under Mr. Spellmire her entire legal career. Her practice focuses on professional liability and insurance related litigation. Jessica has participated in trials in Cook, Kane and Lake counties. She has also participated in binding arbitrations before the American Arbitration Association.
Jessica earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Marquette University College of Business in 2008 with a major in international business and a minor in Spanish literature. She also studied abroad at the Universidad Pontificia Comillas located in Madrid, Spain in 2007. While working with the Spellmire Law Firm as a paralegal, she attended the evening program at The John Marshall Law School, earning her Juris Doctor in December of 2014.
Jessica is admitted to practice law in the state of Illinois. She is also admitted to practice law before the United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois and is currently a member of Illinois State Bar Association, American Bar Association, and the Chicago Bar Association. Jessica is involved in the Coalition of Women’s Initiatives in Law and the National Association of Professional Women. Jessica is passionate about charitable organizations such as The 100 Club of Chicago and Sarahs Inn.
Tim is a trial attorney focusing his practice on legal malpractice and appellate work. Tim has represented a broad array of clients who have been harmed by their attorneys’ negligence, including Fortune 500 companies, start-ups, and individuals. Tim has trial experience in Cook, Kane, and Lake Counties, and has won appeals in the Illinois Appellate Court, First District. Tim has also successfully represented attorneys before the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission and in the Circuit Court of Cook County’s Mandatory Arbitration Program.
Tim joined Spellmire Law Firm as an associate in 2012 after earning his J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law. Prior to law school, Tim attended Illinois Wesleyan University where he earned his B.A. in History and Spanish.

References: v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v.