Gary McCallister
McCallister Law Group, LLC
Chicago, IL
How long have you been in practice? 43 years
Tell us a little about your firm. McCallister Law Group, LLC is a small trial firm currently comprised of 3 lawyers, including our father and son partnership, and professional staff. Our firm has been a leader in handling cases nationally as well as Chicago. We vigorously pursue our client’s cases using a personal team approach in achieving outstanding results for our clients over the years. Please visit our website to learn more about our firm and our practice.
Why is IB membership important to you? I have been an IB member since the very beginning of this organization. The community based conscience of IB, its leadership and members, as well as its outstanding networking opportunities, is the hallmark of this organization and what makes it so special.
What is it that initially drove you to become a trial lawyer? The ability to make a difference in people’s lives and being able to shape the law through advocacy into what it should be not necessarily what it is.
What made you choose the area of law in which you practice? Trials and ardent advocacy can have an effect on the status of the law.
What’s been most rewarding about your career? Providing meaningful solutions for our clients in resolving their disputes and making a difference in their lives even though they have often been confronted with challenging obstacles due to their injuries.
What advice would you give to a young professional considering law school? Make sure the pursuit of a career in law is truly your passion. If it is, you will be rewarded everyday in the cases you handled, the people you meet and the difference you can make.
Other than law, what are you most passionate about? Family, music and biking.
Have you published? If so, where? Yes, I have published a number of articles in law journals, Trial Magazine, and other professional periodicals, as well as having made numerous presentations to national and state trial lawyer organizations, civic groups, schools and charitable organizations.
What legal organization(s) are you involved with, and how do you see this/them being of value to attorneys like yourself? AAJ, Public Justice, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, Kansas Association of Justice, Injury Board, Illinois State Bar Association, The National Trial Lawyers, America’s Top 100 Attorneys, Super Lawyers and Leading Lawyers. The value of these organizations is in the relationships,common interests and resources that you enjoy with other members that better enable you to succeed in your cases for the benefit of your clients. Continuing education is a very positive and valuable part of these organizations as well.
Can you tell us about your favorite community outreach project? Why do you think it’s important for trial attorneys to give back? Marc McCallister is an officer, on the board and very active in the Tutoring Chicago program which has been enormously successful in enhancing the educational pursuits of children and young adults in Chicago. We are also involved in the distracted driving education programs spawned by Joel Feldman and embraced by IB. We strive to use our talents in giving back to the community in which we live to make it a better and safer place.
The world today put an incredible emphasis on technology. Do you feel it plays a role in your day-to-day as a lawyer? Technology has transformed our trial practice. The automation of our practice gives us increased efficiency and productivity, as well as enabling us to access sources of information that we in the past could not even have imagined. These technology resources have contributed in a big way to the successes and multi-million dollar recoveries we have made for our clients.
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