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Donna Kaner Socol

shareholder

T 312.604.2604

F 312.604.2605

E dsocol@hsplegal.com

Donna Socol is a founding member and Shareholder of Hughes Socol Piers Resnick & Dym, Ltd. She concentrates on representation of the health care industry, including tort, medical malpractice, medical device, pharmaceutical and commercial litigation defense.

She has defended numerous multi-million dollar lawsuits involving brain damaged and impaired infants, as well as serious injuries and deaths involving adults and children. She has defended almost every medical specialty in malpractice matters. She has also arbitrated matters before the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation on behalf of physicians.

Education

DePaul University College of Law (J.D. 1976) — cum laude — Member, DePaul Law Review

Northwestern University (B.A. 1973) — cum laude

Admissions

Illinois (1976)

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois – General & Trial Bar

Professional Recognition

AV® Preeminent™ Rating by Martindale-Hubbell®

Best’s Listed Recommended Attorney

Listed in Who’s Who in American Law by Marquis

Included on the Illinois Super Lawyers® list (2016-2024)

Leading Lawyer — Illinois Leading Lawyers Network

Top Rated Lawyer in Medical Malpractice Law by The American Lawyer Media and Martindale-Hubbell® (2014)

Chicago Lawyer / Chicago Daily Law Bulletin 2nd Annual Salute! Award — Top 50 Women in the Law Honoree (2021)

Memberships / Associations

Member, The American Board of Trial Advocates (“ABOTA”)

Member, The Society of Trial Lawyers

Member, American Bar Association

Member, Illinois State Bar Association

Member, Chicago Bar Association

Member, Association of Trial Lawyers of America

Member, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association

Member, Legal Club of Chicago

Member, American Health Lawyers Association

Member, Illinois Association of Hospital Attorneys

Chairman, Institutional Review Board JFK Eye Institute

Member, Chicago Healthcare Risk Management Society (CHRMS)

Member, Illinois Association of Healthcare Attorneys (IAHA)

Member, American Society for Healthcare Risk Management (ASHRM)

Member, Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN)

Member, Illinois State Bar Association

Board Member, Executive Committee of Friends of Prentice (2000 - present)

Gala Co-Chair, Friends of Prentice (2012 - present)

Presentations & Publications

“What’s It All About,” published by The Woman Advocate Section of Litigation, a committee of the American Bar Association (ABA) (December 7, 2021).

“The Expert Witness: Friend or Foe?” published by The Woman Advocate Section of Litigation, a committee of the ABA (May 25, 2021).

The Anatomy of a Lawsuit, Northwestern Prentice Women’s Hospital Summer Educational Series (July 26, 2013).

Ms. Socol has spoken at numerous physician and hospital conferences on medical and legal topics, including the Annual Conferences of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Society of Anesthesiologists.

Speaker at Illinois State Bar Association on The Defense of Catastrophic Damages.

Languages

English

Representative Matters

Represented a neurologist in a case in which the plaintiff was paralyzed from lupus-related transverse myelitis. The plaintiff demanded $16 million, and, after a month-long trial, the jury returned a not-guilty verdict in 45 minutes.

Represented a cardiologist and a hospital in a wrongful death case accused of failing to diagnose and treat a patient with congestive heart failure. A not guilty verdict was obtained for both defendants in fewer than thirty minutes.

Represented a physician in a wrongful death action who was alleged to have caused the death of an elderly patient for failing to diagnose and treat an E. Coli infection. Despite inflammatory evidence presented at trial, a not guilty verdict was obtained.

Represented a radiologist in a case involving plaintiff’s headfirst fall from a myelogram table in which he allegedly suffered multiple cervical fractures and never returned to work. The jury returned a not guilty verdict on behalf of the defendant.

Represented a manufacturer of tampons in toxic shock syndrome cases throughout the state of Illinois.

Represented a pediatric surgeon in a case involving the death of a twin and his brain-damaged twin brother in which she obtained a not guilty verdict.

Represented a Fortune 500 company in a complex multi-party lawsuit involving a magnesium explosion at a steel plant. The case was successfully concluded on behalf of Ms. Socol’s client.

Represented a manufacturer of asbestos in a products liability action.