Hon. David R. Donnersberger, (Ret.) is a skilled mediator, arbitrator and settlement judge with experience managing thousands of pre-trials and settlement conferences seeking damages in excess of $30,000. In addition as an attorney he has presided over 250 misdemeanor bench trials, approximately 100 felony bench trials, 30 criminal jury trials, and 4 civil jury trials. Judge Donnersberger has extensive experience in business/ commercial, personal injury, employment, and statutory interpretation cases. During his legal career, Judge Donnersberger gained valuable experience as a trial attorney in both civil and criminal matters.

ADR Experience and Qualifications

• 17-year judicial career focused on contract, lease, real estate dispute, and insurance coverage litigation; personal injury, business, employment, and statutory interpretation cases in the Circuit Court of Cook County. Calendar 5, Chancery Division, 2003-2006. Commercial Calendar, Commercial Litigation Section, Law Division 2001-2003. Trial Judge, Domestic Relations Division, 1996-2001. Motion Call, Law Division, 1996-2001. Motion Judge, First Municipal District, 1989-1994

• 17-year legal career that includes: Sole Practitioner, 1978-1989. Felony Trial Assistant, Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, 1975-1978; Associate, Kvistad & Dunn, 1972-1975. As an attorney he tried over 250 misdemeanor bench trials, approximately 100 felony bench trials, 30 criminal jury trials, and 6 civil jury trials

Successful resolution of the following types of cases:

• Business / Commercial / UCC
• Class Action: Telephone Consumer Protection Act (Designated Chancery Calendar: 60+ cases); Illinois Wage Act; insurance policy holders class action matters; products liability
• Personal Injury
• Medical Malpractice
• Products Liability: pharmaceuticals
• Construction
• Employment: Illinois Wage Act
• Insurance
• Real Estate
• Domestic Relations: dissolution of marriage, child custody and support, distribution and division of material assets

Honors, Memberships and Professional Activities

• Faculty, Chicago Bar Association, Trial Practice Courses, 1985
• Assistant Professor, Chicago City Colleges, Business Law, Criminal Justice, Labor Law, English, 1969- 1989
• Faculty, Cook County Training Academy, 1983-1987
• Lecturer, Judicial Conferences, Civil Motions, Courtroom Management, Grandparent Rights, & Tort Law, 1991-2005
• Lecturer, Chicago Bar Association, Cross Examination, Motions Practice, & Discovery Rules, 1995- 1996
• Lecturer, Chicago Police Academy, 1983-1987
• Lecturer, Kane County Sheriff’s Correctional Department, Bell vs. Wolfish: Impact on County Jail Facilities, 1988. Body Cavity Searches, 1986
• Chair, Illinois State Bar Association, Committee on Correction Facilities & Services, 1988-1989
• Member, Illinois State Bar Association & Chicago Bar Association, Illinois Legal Needs Study/ Private Bar Committee, 1988-1989
• Member, Chicago Bar Association, Judicial Evaluation Committee, 1979-1984
• Member, Chicago Bar Association, Lawyer Referral Service, 1978-1985
• Member, Chicago Bar Association, In-Court Lawyer Referral Services, 1978-1989
• Member, Illinois Judge Association
• Member, American Bar Association
• Member, Chicago Bar Association
• Member, Illinois Sate Bar Association
• Member, American Bar Association
• Member, Florida State Bar Association
• Supreme Court Appointed Committee Member, Advanced Judicial Academy Committee on Education, 2001-2006
• Supreme Court Appointed Committee Member, Planning and Oversight for Judicial Performance Evaluation Programs, 2001-2006
• Supreme Court Appointed Committee Member, Judicial Conduct, 2001-2006
• Member, AEI Brookings Joint Center & American Bar Association, Business Courts Society
• Member, AEI Brookings Joint Center, Advisory Board
• Founding Member, American College of Business Court Judges, Inc., 2005-2006

Admitted

• Illinois Bar, 1972
• Florida Bar, 1972
• U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, 1972
• Federal Trial Bar, 1982

Background and Education

• J.D., DePaul University,  1972
• M.A.,DePaul University, 1967
• B.A.,St. Bonaventure University, 1963