ALTON, Ill. – Simmons Hanly Conroy, one of the nation’s largest mass torts firms, is pleased to announce firm Chairman John Simmons, Managing Shareholder Michael J. Angelides and Shareholders Perry J. Browder, Brian J. Cooke and Randy S. Cohn have been named 2018 Illinois Super Lawyers. In addition, Shareholder Eric Johnson has been selected as a 2018 Illinois Rising Star.
Based in the firm’s Alton office, the attorneys are recognized for their work in the area of Personal Injury – Products: Plaintiff. Only the top 5 percent of lawyers in Illinois are named Super Lawyers. No more than 2.5 percent of lawyers in the state are selected as Rising Stars, who must be 40 years old or younger or have been in practice for 10 or fewer years.
Simmons Hanly Conroy Chairman John Simmons has been listed as a Super Lawyer since 2012. He has overseen some of the biggest verdicts and settlements in the history of asbestos litigation. Motivated by Simmons’ belief of giving back to the community, the firm’s employees have donated more than $1 million to local charities and events through the Simmons Employee Foundation. In addition, the Simmons Mesothelioma Foundation has donated over $20 million to cancer research. Simmons received his J.D. from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law and his bachelor’s degree from Southern Illinois University.
Angelides, who has been listed as a Super Lawyer since 2016, oversees the firm’s asbestos and complex litigation practices. He has been instrumental in helping to grow the firm’s reputation as a national leader in representing victims of mesothelioma against some of the largest companies in the nation. Angelides earned his J.D. from Saint Louis University School of Law and his Bachelor of Arts from Kenyon College.
As head of the firm’s Asbestos Group, Browder manages the firm’s more than 50 asbestos attorneys and oversees all asbestos cases. He successfully secured one of the largest asbestos verdicts in the country, a $250 million verdict against U.S. Steel. Browder received his J.D. from Valparaiso University School of Law and his Bachelor of Science from Bradley University. He has been named an Illinois Super Lawyer every year since 2011.
Cooke has been listed as a Super Lawyer since 2016. He helps victims of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases. Previously, he served two tours of duty with the U.S. Marine Corps, for which he was a prosecutor and company commanding officer. During his final year of active duty, he served in Baghdad as a legal adviser to the Iraqi Ministry of Justice. Cooke received his J.D. from the University of Missouri Columbia School of Law and his Bachelor of Science from Spring Hill College.
Cohn has been listed as a Super Lawyer since 2015. He has helped recover more than $100 million on behalf of families throughout the country injured by mesothelioma and asbestos-related diseases. He also has experience in aviation and securities litigation, as well as complex financial and business legal matters. Cohn received his J.D. from the Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago-Kent College of Law and his Bachelor of Arts from Indiana University.
With an extensive background in biology, biochemistry and public health, Johnson represents individuals who have been injured by dangerous drugs and defective medical devices. He also litigates class action and mass tort cases. He received his J.D. from St. Louis University School of Law, his master’s degree in public health from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and his Bachelor of Arts from Augustana College.
Published by Thomson Reuters, Super Lawyers uses independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations to determine the honorees. Attorneys cannot nominate themselves and cannot pay to be included on the list. The Illinois Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists are published in Illinois Super Lawyers Magazine and Chicago Magazine, as well as distributed to attorneys and ABA-accredited law school libraries. For more information, visit www.superlawyers.com.
