David C. Hall
HIGHLIGHTS
HPS cofounder
Leading trial lawyer who has taken more than 100 cases to verdict
BIOGRAPHY
Dave Hall is a consummate trial lawyer. He has argued more than a hundred cases before juries over the last four decades, amassing an exceptional track record of success at verdict. Most of his cases have involved medical-malpractice allegations with multimillion-dollar exposure.
For Dave, trials are neither a last resort nor a necessary evil; rather, they are the reason he loves his job. Dave, a student of military history who owns and pilots vintage military aircraft, lives for high-stakes competition.
“The energy, the juice, the excitement—it all stems from the trials,” says Dave. “It’s almost like the gladiators in the old days: two go into the Colosseum, one comes out. For most lawyers, that's an uncomfortable situation. To me, it's the highest level of theater, and if you can prevail, it's the highest level of accomplishment.”
Dave cofounded HPS in 2002 after leading the medical litigation team at Locke Lord (then called Lord Bissell & Brook). He had been with that firm for nearly 20 years, since earning his law degree from the University of Michigan in 1983. Dave chose to focus on medical malpractice matters while at Locke Lord after learning that those cases were especially likely to go to trial. Over time, the opportunity to defend doctors and other healthcare providers and institutions has taken on its own significance for him. “It's the medicine which has really sustained me over these decades,” Hall says.
Many of Dave’s cases have involved brain-damaged infants, as well as disabled and disfigured persons. He also has tried many wrongful death cases, along with other healthcare matters such as physician credentialing, medical device product liability, employment discrimination, and nursing home litigation. Outside of healthcare, Dave has handled various transportation matters involving aviation and maritime accidents. He is a member of HPS’ Catastrophic Trial Team, an elite group of attorneys who try high-exposure, catastrophic injury cases around the country.
Dave is a Fellow in the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers. He has been recognized as a Leading Lawyer and a Super Lawyer, and Chicago Lawyer magazine included him among the region’s top 20 tort defense attorneys. Similarly, the Illinois Jury Verdict Reporter has recognized Hall as one of the state’s top defense trial attorneys.
AREAS OF PRACTICE
CREDENTIALS
EDUCATION
University of Michigan Law School, J.D., cum laude (1983)
Michigan State University, B.A. (1980)
BAR ADMISSIONS
Illinois
Wisconsin
COURT ADMISSIONS
U.S. Court of Appeals (Federal Circuit)
PROFESSIONAL AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS
Illinois State Bar Association
IN THE NEWS
