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Firm Practice Areas

Bar Admissions

  • Illinois Supreme Court, 1966
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, 1967

Education

  • Chicago-Kent College of Law, J.D., 1966; University of Kentucky 1962-63
  • Marquette University, B.S., 1962

 

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William V. Johnson
President/Shareholder
Phone (312) 984-0218


Fax (312) 372-9818


E-Mail johnsonw@jbltd.com

Vcard

William V. Johnson, co-founder and president of Johnson & Bell, Ltd., is an acclaimed litigator who has tried many high-profile catastrophic injury and mass tort cases in Chicago and across the United States. During his tenure as president since 1979, the highly-regarded firm has grown to 120 attorneys. Over the years, Mr. Johnson has tried virtually every type of civil injury case. He has also defended many commercial liability, professional liability and trade secrets cases during his career.

Mr. Johnson has been listed in The Best Lawyers in America since 1989 (click here for Chicago's Best Lawyers 2012), Who’s Who in American Law since 1987 and The International Who’s Who of Product liability Defense Lawyers. He is a fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, the International Society of Barristers and the American College of Trial Lawyers, among other groups, and is a past president of the Chicago Society of Trial Lawyers. Mr. Johnson was inducted into the 2011 Class of Laureates in Aprill 2011. He was recognized during a ceremony conducted by John G. O’Brien of Arlington Heights, chancellor of the Academy Board of Regents. Seven attorneys were chosen this year, bringing the total to 102 distinguished Illinois attorneys.



For more information on Mr. Johnson, please click here.

Recent Trials

  1. Johnson Obtains Defense Verdict for Hospital in HIV Transplant Case
  2. Johnson and Renken Obtain Defense Verdict in Birth Injury Case - $65+ Million Sought
  3. Johnson Obtains Verdict in Favor of Chicago Medical Center, Obstetrician, in Birth Injury Case
  4. Defense Verdict In Suit Arising From Shoulder Dystocia

Awards

  1. William V. Johnson Inducted Into Academy of Illinois Lawyers
  2. Two Johnson & Bell, Ltd. Shareholders Honored with Trial Lawyer Excellence Award

Professional & Community Activities

Mr. Johnson is admitted to the Illinois State Bar Association, 1966 (Member: Civil Practice and Procedure Section, 1984-88; and TIPS Professional Issues Committee, 1990-92). He is also a member of the Chicago Bar Association; the American Bar Association; Society of Trial Lawyers (Director, 1981-1986; President, 1987-1988); Trial Lawyers Club of Chicago (Past Member of Board of Directors); Illinois Defense Counsel; Defense Research Institute; Federation of Insurance Counsel; International Academy of Trial Lawyers; Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers; Fellow, International Society of Barristers;  Panel Member, Professional Trial Lawyers College of Advocacy, Champaign, Illinois, 2002; and the American Board of Trial Advocates.

Speaker and Lecturer:

Association of Trial Lawyers of America

  1. Contributions and Indemnity, 1986.

Chicago Bar Association

  1. Continuing Education Seminar, House Bill 20 - Redefining Tort Practice in Illinois:  An Overview of New Procedures, Standards and Strategies, May 5, 1995.
  2. Effective Trial Techniques,September 19, 1991. Wrongful Death Seminar, Mitigation ofDamages: Defendant's Perspective on Reducing Plaintiff's Recovery, February 15, 1990.
  3. Continuing Legal Education Seminar, The Art of Closing Argument, January 7, 1988. Young Lawyers Council, Contributions and Indemnity, 1986.

Federal Defense Corporate Counsel

  1. Symposium Presentation, Recent Developments in Class Actions and Mass Torts, September, 2004.

Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel

  1. Product Liability - RIP or Is There Still Life In Old Suvada - What the Defense Lawyer Can Expect, September 22, 1995.

Illinois Defense Counsel Meetings

  1. Contributions and Indemnity, 1986.

Illinois State Bar Association

  1. Guest lecturer, Fred Lane Trial Technique Institute, 1999-2000.
  2. Point/Counterpoint Seminar, The Art of Minimizing Damages, October 11, 1993.
  3. Law Education Series, Products Liability, April 10, 1992. Trial Evidence Seminar, Closing Argument for the Defendant, November 10, 1989.

Illinois Trial Lawyers Association

  1. Update on Comparative Fault, Defendant's Perspective, August 15, 1988; September 10, 1988.

Law Bulletin Seminar

  1. Preparing your Expert Witness & Challenging Theirs, May 20, 2009, Hilton Chicago Hotel, Chicago, Illinois.

Michigan Defense Counsel

  1. Defense of Catastrophic Injury Case, June 1986.

Michigan Defense Trial Council

  1. Defending Against Damage Claims, June 12, 1986.

Plastic Surgery Educational Foundation

  1. Faculty Member, ASMS/PSEF Facial Injury Management: State of the Art Symposium, April 20-24, 1991, Chicago, Illinois.

Practicing Law Institute

  1. Panelist and speaker, Advanced Medicine Malpractice, the Brain Damaged Child, June, 1984.  

The Law Bulletin Publishing Company

  1. Roundtable speaker, Tort Reform Summit, May 17, 2005.

The Roscoe Pound Foundation 

  1. Healthcare and the Law: Patients, Doctors, Lawyers and Juries, August 1, 1988.