Valandis Vrakas

Valandis Vrakas concentrates his practice in retail and gen­eral negligence, with focuses on premise liability, pharmaceutical negligence, and common carrier negligence.  Mr. Vrakas has defended a variety of clients including retailers, restaurants, gas stations, pharmacies, public transit providers, landlords, property managers, general contractors, subcontractors, trucking companies, as well as individually named defendants.  He regularly defends clients in cases resulting from intentional torts, falls, prescription errors, and motor vehicle collisions.

Mr. Vrakas has experience handling all stages of defense from inception to contentious litigation, arguing dispositive motions, arbitration hearings, bench trials, and preparing for trial by jury. He also has extensive experience in negotiating matters to favorable resolutions at both pre-trial conferences and mediations.

From 2017 to 2019, and from 2021 to 2024, he was recognized by the Leading Lawyers. Prior to joining Johnson & Bell, Mr. Vrakas was in-house counsel for an insurance company where he defended claims of premises liability, construction defect, construction negligence, general negligence, and property damage. He also represented insurers in underinsured/uninsured motorist claims.  While in law school, he externed for Chancery Division Judges in the Circuit Court of Cook County and was president of the Hellenic Law Student Association.

He earned his undergraduate degree from Illinois State University, and his J.D. from The John Marshall Law School.