William Lazarus, Attorney at Law

About Our Firm

William Lazarus concentrates his practice on personal injury, medical and legal malpractice, criminal defense, excessive force by police, business litigation and appeals. Lazarus has practiced law with the prominent firm of Neal Gerber & Eisenberg in Chicago’s Loop as well as with a highly successful personal injury firm based Valparaiso, Indiana. Lazarus also has extensive experience as an investigative reporter for daily newspapers across the nation. He is a graduate of the University of Chicago Law School and launched his own firm in 2009.

Lazarus has a passion for persuasive writing and digging out and presenting facts that can achieve justice in the wake of personal tragedy. Licensed in Illinois and Indiana, Lazarus is available for a free consultation in personal injury and many other cases and will consider undertaking matters on both a contingency fee and an hourly fee basis.

Our Practice Areas
- Appellate
- Personal Injury
- Civil Rights
- Business Wrongs
- Products Liability
- Truck and Car Accidents
- Workplace Injuries
- Wrongful Death

Featured Content

Safety Devolution: Bike law and Illinois roadways

In 1909, the Illinois Supreme Court found that bicyclists had the same right to safe roads as horse-drawn wagons and even that new-fangled contraption, the motor car. The story was different in 1998 in a supreme court case marked by a 5-4 split decision with a stinging dissent.

In the Event of a Severe Bike Crash

Bicyclists and others must make decisions quick in the wake of a serious crash. Here’s advice on what to do, put together by William Lazarus in preparation for a presentation to the south suburban bicycle club, Folks on Spokes.

Pointers on Appeal

© By William Lazarus 1. Consider whether the appeal makes sense. Why are you likely to beat the odds that the trial court will be affirmed? Do you have an issue particularly worthy of challenge? If so, is your case a good vehicle for raising that issue? If you’ve won below, what are the weak [...]

High court rejects immunity claim

A West Chicago striptease club, argued it could not be held responsible in a wrongful death lawsuit alleging that it forced a sick, drunk customer to drive away. The Illinois Trial Lawyers Association submitted a friend-of-the-court brief to the Illinois Supreme Court. The brief, written by William Lazarus, begins: “On Stage Productions, Inc. banks on its own lawlessness in arguing that its wanton behavior is immune from the rule of law.” On March 18, 2010, the high court ruled in plaintiffs’ favor, allowing the case to proceed. Simmons v. Homatas, 236 Ill.2d 459 (2010). The body of ITLA’s brief follows.

Refocusing with replies

The steel mill argued the plaintiff was its employee. But the purchase order indicated Darryl was nothing more than a part supplied by his real employer. The documents added grist to our reply on appeal.

Safeguarding dangerous design – a brief sample

Due to her unbending insistence on the “open and obvious” doctrine, the judge was unwilling to consider how the design defects related to the hazard and the resulting tragedy. Unwilling to consider the realities, the judge insisted upon transcendental proof in the name of science. Indiana law,however, is not so finicky in cases where hazards are clear.
A case description and sample from our brief follow.

About Our Firm