Practice Areas

Education

  • Loyola University Chicago School of Law, J.D. cum laude, 1991
  • Boston College, B.A. cum laude, 1988
  • National Institute for Trial Advocacy Midwest Regional Program, 1994

Bar & Court Admissions

  • U.S. Supreme Court, 2009
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Trial Bar, 1998
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, 1991
  • Illinois, 1991
Daniel M. Kotin
Partner
33 N. Dearborn Street
21st Floor
Chicago, IL 60602
DMK@CorboyDemetrio.com    vCard

Daniel M. Kotin is a partner and personal injury trial lawyer at the Chicago law firm of Corboy & Demetrio. He is an experienced personal injury, wrongful death and medical malpractice attorney and his practice includes representing individuals in transportation, product liability, and medical negligence cases. As a result of his vast experience, he has attained leadership positions on Steering Committees and has been appointed Lead Counsel on mass tort litigation arising from fires, train derailments, airplane accidents and other disasters.

Dan has achieved numerous multi-million dollar jury verdicts on behalf of clients. Several of these verdicts have been noteworthy for their amount and legal significance. Recently, he obtained a $29.6 million verdict on behalf of a woman who suffered brain injuries in the derailment of a Metra train. The verdict is the largest in Illinois for an individual injured in a mass transit crash. In 2008, he secured a $9.5 million verdict on behalf of the family of former Chicago Blackhawk hockey player and coach Keith Magnuson who was killed in a Toronto car crash. That verdict is the largest award for a personal injury or wrongful death case in the history of St. Louis County, Missouri. Several years earlier, he tried a medical negligence case which resulted in a $10 million verdict, one of the ten largest medical malpractice verdicts ever handed down in Cook County at that time. Another trial of note took place early in Dan's career when he obtained a jury verdict in a negligence case against a nursing home that resulted in a significant appellate interpretation of the Illinois Nursing Home Act. In 2008, Dan obtained a $17.5 million settlement on behalf of the family of a woman who was killed and three others who were injured in the high-rise fire in the Cook County Administration Building. The lawsuit settled on the day of jury selection.

Outside of the courtroom, Dan is involved in multiple legal and civic organizations. He lectures at Loyola University School of Law where he serves as a coach of the School's National Mock Trial Team. He also sits on the Board of Governors for the law school and serves as a Co-Chair of its Circle of Advocates. He is on the faculty at the National Institute for Trial Advocacy where he teaches trial skills to lawyers in an annual program. He is very involved with the Chicago Bar Association (CBA), where he was recently elected to the Board of Managers and serves on the Association’s Finance Committee. Over the years, he has chaired multiple committees of the CBA and served as the director of its Young Lawyers Section. Dan is also involved in the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, where he is a member of the Board of Managers and was previously the Chairman of the Association's Seminar Planning Committee. He is also a member of the prestigious Society of Trial Lawyers where he currently serves as treasurer. Dan was recently appointed to the boards of two charitable organizations. He will serve on the Board of Advisors for Catholic Charities and on the Lawyers Lend-A-Hand to Youth Board of Directors.

Dan regularly lectures at various bar association and interest group seminars and has published chapters and articles in legal books, periodicals and newspapers. To date, he has presented at more than fifty legal programs and has been published more than a dozen times.

In addition to being frequently consulted by the media as a legal expert on contemporary legal issues and cases, Dan is regularly interviewed about the lawsuits he has handled as a personal injury lawyer. He has appeared on numerous television and radio news and talk programs, including, Fox News, ABC, NBC, CBS, WGN TV and Radio, and WBBM News Radio 780.

In 2002, Dan was recognized and profiled by Chicago's Law Bulletin Publishing Company as one of "40 Illinois Attorneys Under Forty to Watch," and honored by the Lawdragon as one of "500 New Stars, New World," in 2006. He is currently profiled as one of the Top 5% of Civil Trial Lawyers in Illinois by the Leading Lawyers Network, has been designated an "Illinois Super Lawyer" and maintains an AV rating - the highest possible rating for any attorney - from the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory.

View expanded bio

Profiles

"40 Illinois Attorneys Under Forty to Watch," Law Bulletin Publishing Company,  2002

News

Publications

Honors

  • AV rating, Martindale-Hubbell - Highest level awarded for professional excellence
  • Illinois Super Lawyers - Top 5% of all Illinois attorneys
  • Leading Lawyers Network Member - Top 5% of all Illinois attorneys
  • “New Stars, New World,” Honoree, Lawdragon, 2006
  • “40 Under 40 Illinois Attorneys to Watch,” 2002
  • Loyola University Chicago School of Law, Board of Governors
  • Loyola University Chicago School of Law, Circle of Advocates
  • Loyola University Chicago School of Law, President’s Society

Professional Affiliations

  • American Bar Association (ABA)
  • American Association for Justice (AAJ) formerly known as Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA)
  • Chicago Bar Association (CBA), Board of Managers, 2009-Present; Board of Directors of CBA Administrators, Inc., 2008-Present; Finance Committee, 2007-Present; Tort Litigation Committee, Legislative Liaison, 2007-Present, Subcommittee on voir dire procedures, 1994; Judicial Evaluation Committee, Investigator, 2003; Chicago Bar Foundation Fall Benefit, Steering Committee 2003; Television Committee, Vice-Chair, 2000; Young Lawyers Section, Director, 1996-1998, Executive Council, 1994-1998, Planning Committee, 1995-1998; Special Project Coordinator, 1995-1996; House Committee, 1995, Trial Techniques Committee, 1993-2001, Chairman, 1994-1995
  • Illinois Trial Lawyers Association (ITLA), Board of Managers, 2001-Present; Board of Advocates, 2000, Seminar Planning Co-Chair, 2002-2004; Publications Committee, 1994-1996
  • Loyola University Chicago School of Law, Adjunct Faculty, 1998-Present; Board of Governors, 2008-Present; Circle of Advocates, 2002-Present, Co-Chairman, 2006-Present, Advisory Board, 2005-Present; President's Society, 2006-Present; Dean's Circle, 2005-Present; Class Representative, 1996-Present
  • Society of Trial Lawyers, 2002-Present; Treasurer, 2009-Present; Board of Directors, 2003-2006
  • Trial Lawyers for Public Justice (TLPJ)
  • National Institute for Trial Advocacy, Faculty, 2000-Present
  • Women's Bar Association of Illinois, 2009-Present

Community Involvement

  • Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of Chicago, Board of Advisors, 2009-Present
  • Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of Chicago, North Regional Advisory Board, 2009-Present
  • Lawyers Lend-A-Hand to Youth, Secretary, 2010-Present, Board of Directors, 2009-Present
  • Sacred Heart School Board, President, 2010-Present, Secretary, 2008-2010
  • Kenilworth Winnetka Baseball Association, Coach, 2008-Present
  • AYSO Soccer, Coach, 2004-Present

Seminars & Speeches

  • Faculty, National Institute for Trial Advocacy, Midwest Regional Program, 2001-present
  • Lecturer, Loyola University Chicago School of Law
  • Coach, National Mock Trial Team, Loyola University Chicago School of Law, 1993-present
  • Judge, Trial Advocacy Program, Loyola University Chicago School of Law, 1996-present 
  • "Make Your Case: Courtroom Visuals," Admisibility of Courtroom Visuals, Law Bulletin Seminars, 2010
  • "Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct," CLE in Cancun, Chicago Bar Association, 2010
  • "Deposition Strategy," Taking and Defending Depositions in State and Federal Court Seminar, Chicago Bar Association, 2009
  • "Trends in Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Law," Moderator, Trial Super Stars Seminar, Chicago Bar Association, 2009
  • "Jury Selection Law and Technique," Chicago Bar Association, College of Trial Advocacy, 2009
  • "Deposition Strategy," Taking and Defending Depositions in State and Federal Court Seminar, Chicago Bar Association, 2008
  • "Taking and Defending Effective Depositions in Illinois," Lorman Education Seminar, 2008
  •  "Managing Depositions," Litigation Skills Seminar, Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, 2008
  • "Deposition Strategy," Taking and Defending Depositions in State and Federal Court Seminar, Chicago Bar Association, 2007
  • "Common Carrier Liability," Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education,  Handling a Vehicle Crash Seminar, 2007
  •  "Non-Physical Injuries: PTSD, Emotional Distress, Pre-Impact Terror & Related Claims," Florida Trial Practice Seminar XII, Florida, 2007
  • "Common Carrier Liability," Illinois Trial Lawyers Association Update and Review Seminar, 2007
  • "Taking and Defending Effective Depositions in Illinois," Lorman Education Seminar, 2007
  • "Effective Depositions - The Building Blocks for an Effective Case at Trial," National Constitution Center, Pennsylvania, 2007
  • Speaker, Illinois Supreme Court Rules Committee, Public Hearing on Proposal 06-02 Regarding Amendment to Supreme Court Rule 216, 2007
  • "Taking and Defending Depositions in State and Federal Court," Chicago Bar Association, 2006
  • "Opening Statements: Winning the Case Before Evidence is Heard," BOCA XI Advanced Litigation Tactics and Procedural Seminar, Florida, 2006
  • “Persuasive Opening Statements: Increasing Your Client’s Chance of Success,” National Constitution Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2006
  • "Taking and Defending Depositions in State and Federal Court," Chicago Bar Association, 2005
  • "Representing Plaintiffs in Mass Tort and Catastrophic Injury Cases," Indiana Trial Lawyers Association, 2005
  • "Getting Your Way: Effective Negotiating Techniques Every Lawyer Should Know," American Bar Association Annual Meeting, 2005
  • "Career Advancement Through Pro Bono Work," Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, 2005
  • "How Plaintiff's Lawyers Perceive Insurance Companies," Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters, Association, 2005
  • "Liens," Illinois Trial Lawyers Association Total Law Trends Seminar, 2005
  • "Deposing Fact Witnesses," Taking and Defending Effective Depositions in Illinois Seminar, Lorman Education, 2005
  • "Deposition Strategy", Taking and Defending Depositions in State and Federal Courts Seminar, Chicago Bar Association, 2004
  •  "All Schools Reception," Chicago Bar Association, 2004
  • "How Plaintiffs Push Verdicts Higher", Crittenden Medical Insurance Conference, California, 2004
  • "Lawyers Forum", Chicago Daily Law Bulleting Career Day, 2004
  • "Reducing the Costs of Civil Litigation in Illinois Circuit Courts,"  Illinois State Bar Association, 2004
  • "Opening Statements," Anatomy of a Trial Seminar, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, 2004
  • Moderator and Planning Committee Chairman, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, Medical Malpractice Seminar, 2003
  • "Opening Statements", Indiana Trial Lawyers Association, 38th Annual Trial Institute, 2003
  • "Successfully Managing Legal and Strategic Challenges," Hands-On Civil Discovery Workshop, Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, 2003
  • "Settlement: Liens Right of Subrogation, Good Faith Findings and Set-Offs," , Getting to Trial Seminar, Illinois State Bar Association, 2003
  • Moderator and Planning Committee Chairman, Evidence, Seminar, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, 2003
  • Program Planning Committee Chairman, Overcoming Jury Bias Seminar, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association,  2003
  • "Deposition Strategy," Taking and Defending Depositions in State and Federal Court Seminar, Chicago Bar Association, 2002
  • Moderator,  Avoiding Common Pitfalls Seminar, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, 2002
  • "Pleadings and Discovery," Product Liability Seminar, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, 2001
  • "Corporate Counsel," Midwest Product Liability Workshop, American Bar Association, 2000
  • Instructor, Intensive Advocacy Program, Chicago Bar Association College of Trial Lawyers, 2000
  • "Trial Considerations: Plaintiff's Perspective," Preparing and Litigating Premises Liability Cases Seminar, Chicago Bar Association, 2000
  • "Liability to Particular Persons," Product Liability/Premises Liability Seminar, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, 2000
  • Moderator, Evidence Seminar,  Illinois Trial Lawyers Association Seminar, 1999
  • "Deposing Defendants in a Personal Injury Case", Chicago Bar Association, 1998
  • "Proof of Facts: Proving Damages in a Personal Injury Case", Chicago Bar Association, 1998
  • "Negotiating and Settling Personal Injury Cases - Valuing Your Case, " Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, 1998
  • "Proof of Facts: Proving Damages in a Personal Injury Action", Chicago Bar Association, 1997
  • "Effective Evaluation of a Tort Case: Plaintiff's Perspective," Chicago Bar Association, 1997
  • Moderator, Trial Superstar Seminar, Chicago Bar Association, 1997
  • "Proving Damages in a Personal Injury Case," Chicago Bar Association, 1996
  • "Effective Cross-Examination," Chicago Bar Association, 1995
  • Moderator, Preparation and Trial of Automobile Cases Seminar, Chicago Bar Association, 1995
  • "Building Security and Civil Liability," Institute of Real Estate Management, 1994
  • Moderator, Deposition Strategies and Techniques Seminar, Chicago Bar Association, 1993