Gregory D. Conforti is co-chair of the Transportation group at Johnson & Bell, Ltd. He has been recognized as an Illinois Leading Lawyer in the past two years. He also has been recognized as an Illinois "Super Lawyer." His peers have recognized him with an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell. In 2003, he was named as one of the "40 Attorneys Under 40 in Illinois to Watch," by the Law Bulletin Publishing Company. He is also recognized as a Member of the Nation’s Top One Percent of attorneys by the National Association of Distinguished Counsel.
Clients regularly retain Mr. Conforti for their most complex catastrophic litigated cases. He has successfully tried cases to verdict in the Law Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County, as well as in the surrounding municipal districts and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
Mr. Conforti has given presentations across the country for the American Trucking Association, Chicago Bar Association, the American Law Firm Association (ALFA International), and the Transportation Lawyers Association. He serves as Chair Emeritus for the ALFA Transportation Practice Group. Mr. Conforti earned his J.D. from Wake Forest University in 1988 and is admitted to the Illinois Supreme Court, Federal Trial Bar, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, and U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois.
Co-Presenter, "Responding to Critical Accidents." KLB Safety Summit, Dallas TX, September 27, 2022.
Co-Presenter, "Disability: How to Use it to Your Advantage in Litigation"
Co-Presenter, "When Your Over-the-Road Operator Takes a Hit, Who Carries the "Freight?" Presented at ALFA International Transportation Seminar in St. Louis, February 17, 2017. Presentation covered accident scenarios involving owner/operators versus company drivers and where does liability fall in each instance.
Presenter - "Using the Affordable Health Care Act to Mitigate Future Medical Claims," presented at the American Trucking Associations 2016 Forum for Motor Carrier General Counsel. Bellevue, Washington on July 17-20, 2016.
Co-presenter - “Using the Affordable Health Care Act to Mitigate Future Medical Claims,” discussing the current status of the ACA and how it can be currently used to successfully reduce future medical claims. Presented at ALFA International Transportation Seminar. Key Biscayne, FL on May 4-6, 2016.
Moderator - “Corporate Counsel, Risk Manager, Safety and Claims Professional Roundtable: A Unique Insiders’ Perspective on Litigation Management, Cost Control Initiatives, Policy Issues, and More,” presented at ACI’s 6th National Forum on Defending and Managing Trucking Litigation, Chicago, Illinois on March 30-31, 2016.
Moderator - "Professional Liability: North America's Lessons to the World," ALFA International's 2015 International Law Seminar. London, October 8, 2015.
Featured Presenter - "Affordable Care Act: Using the ACA to Mitigate Future Medical Claims," 2015 Chicago Healthcare Risk Management Society’s (CHRMS) Law Day. Chicago, IL, November 13, 2015.
Moderator - "Factual Information vs. Factual Interpretation: The Pros and Cons of the Use of Accident Simulations," ALFA International 2014 Transportation Seminar. Coral Gables, FL, April 23-25, 2014.
Speaker - "Defense Litigation Benefits of Well-Trained Rapid Response Teams and Effective On-Site Investigations," at the American Conference Institute's Fourth Annual National Forum on Defending and Managing Trucking Litigation. Chicago, IL, March 31-April 1, 2014.
Co-presented at a seminar entitled, "Texting, Hands Free Mobile Devices, Electronic Devices and More: How Counsel Can Use the Distracted Driver Defense as a Shield in Trucking Litigation," discussing a state-by-state analysis of distracted driving laws and methods of obtaining forensic retrieval of information useful in defending civil actions. Atlanta, Georgia on November 29-30, 2012.
Speaker - ISBA LawEd: Medicare Set Asides: “How to Work Them Out with Plaintiff and Defense,” May 23, 2012.
Speaker – “The Importance of Vior Dire in Achieving a Positive Outcome,” 2012 Transporation Seminar hosted by ALFA International's Transportation Practice Group, Amelia Island, FL, May 2-4, 2012.
Speaker – “Settlement Negotiations and Alternative Dispute Resolution: Using ADR to Minimize the Impact of Trucking Litigation,” American Conference Institute, Trucking Litigation, Orlando, FL, December 5-6, 2011.
Speaker – “Accident Response Team Best Practices,” Republic Services National Claims Counsel Litigation Conference, Lowes Hotel and Spa in Lake Las Vegas, NV, October 16, 2009.
Speaker – “Handling Ethical Dilemmas,” ATA Litigation Center's Forum for Motor Carrier General Counsels, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, July 26, 2009.
Moderator – “Medicare-Medicaid Mandatory Reporting/Set Aside,” ALFA International Transportation Practice Group Tele-Seminar, June 24, 2009.
Speaker - “Trading Places: Coordinating Claims & Safety Department Activities,” American Trucking Association Litigation Center's Forum For Motor Carrier General Counsels, Dana Point, CA, 2008.
Speaker - “ECM'S and Reconstruction - The Digital Witness,” American Trucking Association Litigation Center's Forum For Motor Carrier General Counsels, La Jolla, CA, 2005.
Moderator – “Accident Reconstruction Animations & Juries: Hindsight Bias and Counterfactual Thinking by the Jury?” ALFA Transportation Practice Group Seminar, Amelia Island, Florida, 2005.
Speaker - “Tort Law Update,” Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel Fall Seminar, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, 2004.
“ECM's and Airbag Modules: Thinking Outside the Black Box,” American Law Firm Association Transportation Practice Group Seminar, Kiawah Island, South Carolina, 2003.
“Trial Strategies: Give Me 40 Acres to Turn This Rig Around,” American Law Firm Association Transportation Practice Group Seminar, Las Vegas, Nevada, 2002.
“The Carrier's Perspective on Preventable Accidents: Causes and Countermeasures,” American Law Firm Association Transportation Practice Group Seminar, New Orleans, Louisiana, 2000.
“Liens and Subrogation Interests: Dealing with Road Blocks to Settlement,” Illinois Association of Defense 35th Annual Spring Seminar, Chicago, Illinois, 1999.
“Effective Deposition Taking,” Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel Seminar, Chicago, Illinois, 1998.
“Permissible Attorney Advertising,” Transportation Law Institute, Washington D.C., 1998.
“Creative Defense Strategies in Product Liability,” Scaffolding, Forming and Shoring Institute, Orlando, Florida, 1996.
"Trial of General Negligence and Premises Liability Claims,” Chicago Bar Association, 1995.
Co-Author and Editor, "2016 ALFA Transportation Compendium for Illinois."
"U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois Grants Summary Judgment In A Negligent Entrustment Case,” ALFA International Transportation Update, Volume 2011, Issue 1, (Winter).
Co-Author, “Liability of a Carrier for Property Damage or Personal Injury Caused by Debris from the Truck Becoming Loose and Striking Another Vehicle,” May 2011
Co-Author, Johnson & Bell, Ltd. Transportation Law Update, April 2011
Editor, Go Team Manual, American Law Firm Association Transportation Practice Group, 2005
Editor, Go Team Manual, American Law Firm Association, 2004 and 2001
“Beware the Company You Keep: You May Be Liable for an Independent Contractor's Employees' Actions,” American Law Firm Association Transportation Practice Group Seminar, Kiawah Island, South Carolina, 2003
Co-Author, “DUIC: Driving Under the Influence of Cell Phones,” American Law Firm Association Transportation Practice Group newsletter Transport Update, Spring 2002
Co-Author, “Spoliation of Evidence, an Illinois Perspective,” American Law Firm Association Compendium, 2001.