Hon. Donald M. Devlin (Ret.) is a skilled mediator and settlement judge, known for his creative settlements in resolving all types of complex litigation matters including medical and legal malpractice, products liability, personal injury and construction.

Since retiring from the bench, Judge Devlin has acted as a guardian ad litem in both Disabled Adult cases and Minor’s estates in the Circuit Court of Cook County. As such he has real life experience in dealing with probate problems.

ADR Experience and Qualifications

• 10 year judicial career in the Circuit Court of Cook County; 1996-2006.
• 22 year legal career including Associate General Counsel, Loyola University of Chicago, 1992-1996; Assistant State’s Attorney, (Criminal Prosecutions Bureau, Torts Litigation Section, Civil Actions Bureau and Real Estate Tax Litigation Division, Supervisor of the Hospitals and Special Litigation Section of the Civil Actions Bureau) 1974-1992.
• Successful resolution of the following types of cases:
  • Business / Commercial / UCC
  • Personal Injury: Catastrophic injury, slip and fall, wrongful death, automobile accident, and dog bite cases.
  • Medical Malpractice
  • Professional Malpractice: Legal and Accounting Malpractice.
  • Products Liability
  • Construction: Contracts; Defects; Insurance Coverage.
  • Insurance: All types of issues.
  • Real Estate
  • Probate Matters, as GAL

Representative Cases

• Estate of Taylor v. Estate of Matricard – accident case involved the question of a Jehovah’s Witness’ refusal to undergo surgery because it involved a blood transfusion; there was also a question of insurance coverage for the defendant.
• Estate of Guerin v. Dr. Yu, M.D. – medical malpractice case alleged the failure to diagnose subinvolution of the uterus.  The plaintiff’s deceased wife developed postpartum hemorrhage, Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome and eventually died.
• Employers Insurance of Wausau v. Heico Holding Co. – product liability case alleging a dangerous auto crusher at a junkyard.  The crusher expelled a Coke can-sized piece of metal that killed a worker standing some 50 feet from the machine.
• Tully v. Wabash Fibre Box Co. – case alleged construction negligence.  The plaintiff, a construction painter, fell into an unbarricaded pit and fractured his hip.
• Curtain v. Chicago Osteopathic Hospital – case alleged construction negligence.  The plaintiff electrician fell off a ladder installing a fire alarm system.
• Albright v. Dr. Glaser, M.D. – case alleged medical malpractice in the improper administration of an epidural steroidal injection.  The plaintiff was rendered a paraplegic within 10 minutes of the injection.
• Estate of Feltes v. Elmhurst College –  estate of a construction worker alleged that the worker had been electrocuted due to the defendant’s negligence.  The defendant claimed that the worker suffered a heart attack due to clogged coronary arteries.
• Fisher v. Cirignani, et al. – case of alleged legal malpractice.  The plaintiff claimed that the defendants’ failure to name a specific physician in a medical malpractice action was professional negligence.
• Pietruszynskis v. McClier Corporation – two plaintiffs, brothers, alleged retaliatory discharge because they testified in a third brother’s workers’ compensation hearing.  The defendant contended that the plaintiffs were let go because the job they were working on ended.
• DePersia v. Walsh Construction Co. – plaintiff millwright stepped on a golf ball-sized piece of debris on defendant’s construction site, fracturing his ankle and tearing articular cartilage of the ankle.  He could no longer work as a millwright.
• Araujo v. Catholic Health Partners –  case alleged medical negligence in the delivery of a baby girl.  The mother had a seizure during the delivery, and the fetal heart rate showed profound bradycardia.  The hospital-employed OB on duty waited over 30 minutes until the mother’s regular OB arrived to deliver the child.  The plaintiff mother alleged that the delay caused hypoxic encephalopathy with damage to the deep structures of the brain resulting in cerebral palsy and spastic athetoid quadriplegia.
• Significant Settlements
• $20,000,000 settlement in a case alleging bilateral brachial plexus nerve injury and phrentic nerve injury, all resulting from excessive traction on the baby during delivery.
• $11,500,000 settlement in a case alleging a failure to timely diagnose and treat compartment syndrome in the plaintiff ‘s legs which syndrome led to necrosis of the leg tissue and eventual amputation of both legs just below the knees.
• $6,500,000 settlement in the death of a female patient administered an excessive amount of versed during a radiographic procedure.
• $3,750,000 settlement in a case alleging medical malpractice in the failure to respond properly to a mother’s seizure during her baby’s delivery, leaving the baby severely handicapped.  (Not Araujo v. Catholic Health Partners above.)

Honors, Memberships and Professional Activities

• Certificate of Appreciation, Real Estate Tax Committee, Chicago Bar Association, 2000.
• Lecturer, Cook County Hospital and Loyola University Medical Center residents regarding medical malpractice law; Loyola University Grand Rounds, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University School of Law and Loyola University Graduate School of Business
• Panelist / Speaker: Chicago Bar Association Circuit Court Committee.
• Speaker: County Division judges seminar on scientific evidence.
• Member, Chicago Bar Association.
• Member, Illinois State Bar Association.
• Board Member, Illinois Judges Association.
• Former Member, Illinois Association of Health Care Attorneys.
• Former Member, National Association of College & University Attorneys.
• Host Judge, Justice at Work.
• Host Judge, Chicago Public Schools: Law and Safety Program.
• Mentor Judge, John Marshall Law School: Extern Program.

Background and Education

• Beloit College, Beloit, WI. 1968. B.A., cum laude.
• University of Missouri School of Law, Columbia, MO. 1973, J.D.
• National Judicial College, Mediation Certification Training