Michael Block

Michael D. Block

Michael D. Block

Phone: 888-BLOCKLAW, 815-726-9999, 312-307-7999
Fax: 815-727-6378
E-mail: mblock@blocklaw.com

Mike Block is one of the current firm’s founding partners. He was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1970 at the age of 22. He is also admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois (1970), Northern District of Indiana, U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit (1970) and U.S. Supreme Court (1997). He has been admitted, pro hac vice in other jurisdictions.

Mike’s undergraduate degree was earned at Roosevelt University (B.A. 1968). He received his legal education at John Marshall Law School earning his J.D. with honors in 1970. He was an instructor at John Marshall Law School from 1970-74. Mike and his wife, Judy have three children.

Mike has served on the Board of Governors of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America over 10 years. Mike is also co-chair of The ATLA Pesticide Litigation Group (1992 – present); he is a member of ATLA Construction Site Accident Group (1991-present). Mike has also been the author and speaker of “Identifying and Using Experts in Construction Cases” as part of the ATLA Construction Site Accident Litigation Group (1992-1993); ITLA Trial Evidence and Hearsay Seminar “Special Admissibility Topics (1991); “ITLA Expert Witnesses, Rule 220, FRCP 26(b)(4)” (1992); ITLA Handling Technical Evidence (1994); ITLA Evidence, It’s a whole New World (1996), Pesticides in the Home, ” ATLA Section on Toxic Environmental and Pharmaceutical Torts (1999); ITLA, Use of PET Scans in Traumatic Brain Injury (2000) and ATLA Using OSHA Regulations in Construction Site Accident Litigation (2004)

Mike has authored articles in addition to the papers for seminars such as: “Clordane/Heptachlor,” “Some Immune Consequences of Chlordane Exposure,” Products Liability, Commentary & Cases, Callaghan & Co. November/December 1986.

Mike is a member of the Will County, Illinois State and American Bar Associations; Member of the State of Illinois Supreme Court Committee on Jury Instructions on Civil Cases; Member of the Board of Directors Illinois Trial Lawyers Association (1992-present); The Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Board of Governors, (1993-2004); Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Association. He has served as a Trustee and President of the Illinois State Bar Association Political Action Committee. He has chaired the ITLA as well as the Will County Bar Civil Practice Committee.

Areas Of Practice

Litigation Percentage

  • 100% of practice devoted to litigation

Education

  • B.A. Roosevelt University – 1968
  • J.D., with Honors, John Marshall Law School – 1970

Bar Admissions

  • Illinois, 1970
  • U.S. District Court, Illinois, 1970
  • U.S. District Court, Indiana, 1986
  • U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, 1971
  • U.S. Supreme Court, 1997

Bar Membership

  • Will County Bar Association
  • Illinois State Bar Association (LAW-PAC 1997-2003)
  • Illinois Trial Lawyers Association (Board of Directors 1992 – Present)
  • American Association for Justice (Board of Governors 1995-2004)

Honors and Awards

  • AV Rating, Martindale-Hubbell
  • Leading Lawyers Network

References

  • First Midwest Bank, Joliet, Illinois

Representative Cases

  • Bandura v. Orkin Exterminating Co., Inc., 865 F.2d 816 (C.A.7 (Ill.) 1988)
  • Bandura v. Orkin Exterminating Co., Inc., 664 F.Supp. 1218 (N.D.Ill. 1987)
  • Berard v. Eagle Air Helicopter, 257 Ill App. 3d 778, 629 N.E. 2d 221, 195 Ill. Dec. 913 (3rd Dist. 1994)