On October 26, 2011, the Law Bulletin’s Cook County Jury Verdict Reporter held its annual awards ceremony and luncheon. Among an elite group of attorneys honored with a Trial Lawyer Excellence Award were Johnson & Bell, Ltd. shareholders John W. Bell and Charles P. Rantis. (View video of award ceremony here.)
A Trial Lawyer Excellence Award was presented to Mr. Bell and Mr. Rantis as a result of a “not guilty” federal products liability case where plaintiff sought $10-18 million. The plaintiff had previously rejected a settlement offer of $3 million. The awards reception was held at the University Club in Chicago and was attended by more than 200 of Illinois’ most prestigious attorneys.
John W. Bell is co-founder and vice president of Johnson & Bell, Ltd., as well as one of the firm’s managing partners. He concentrates his practice in product liability and defense of complex/catastrophic litigation, with a focus on defense of personal injury litigation. Mr. Bell’s extensive experience includes numerous high-profile cases which have led him to be featured in many reputable law journals. Mr. Bell has been in The Best Lawyers in America each year since 1995. He has also been named one of the Top 20 Tort Defense Lawyers in Chicago by Chicago Lawyer magazine. In 2009, he was named one of the Top 10 Attorneys in Illinois in the Chicago Magazine Super Lawyers.
Charles P. Rantis concentrates his practice in construction and product liability. Mr. Rantis has successfully represented owners, general contractors, and subcontractors in construction negligence cases involving serious injury and death. He also has extensive experience in defending traumatic brain injury claims filed against his clients. Mr. Rantis has written a number of articles relating to his practice areas. His success as a trial attorney has been recognized by his peers, who have honored him with an AV-rating from Martindale-Hubbell.
Johnson & Bell, Ltd. is a law firm with over 120 attorneys and offices in Illinois and Indiana. The firm specializes in complex civil disputes and has 17 distinct practice groups. The firm has received national recognition for its trial and appellate advocacy, including American Lawyer’s Corporate Counsel Magazine’s acknowledgement as one of the Top 100 Law Firms in the country in client satisfaction.
