McElligott, John K.

A seasoned litigator, Mr. Zimmerman practices extensively and has obtained multi-million dollar jury verdicts in class action, corporate, commercial, medical malpractice, consumer fraud, general civil, product liability, toxic tort and other complex litigation where he has obtained multi-million dollar jury verdicts. He represents both plaintiffs and defendants nationwide in state and federal trial and appellate courts. He also represents individuals and corporations in transactional matters, and before state and federal administrative and regulatory agencies.

Mr. Zimmerman has been lead counsel in national and state-wide class action litigation, and has handled other multi-party litigation involving such companies as MCI/Worldcom, United Airlines, Peoples Gas, AT&T, Warner-Lambert, Pfizer, Liberty Mutual Insurance Co., DaimlerChrysler, Commonwealth Edison, Ameritech, and Bridgestone/Firestone. He is well respected for his representation of physicians, dentists, nurses, psychologists, veterinarians, and many other licensed professionals before state and federal agencies including the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 

In 2000, he was voted one of the Top 40 Illinois Attorneys Under the Age of 40. This is especially notable, as he was chosen out of 60,000 attorneys in Illinois under the age of forty.

In 2003, the Illinois Supreme Court appointed Mr. Zimmerman to the Review Board of the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission. In that capacity, he presides over appeals by attorneys who have been found to have committed misconduct, and imposes discipline for their ethical violations.

Additionally, the Illinois Governor appointed Mr. Zimmerman to the Illinois Courts Commission. A Commission member presides over proceedings wherein judges are charged with committing ethical violations, and imposes discipline on judges who are found to have engaged in misconduct.

Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. Zimmerman worked for AT&T where he negotiated partnerships with companies for domestic and international joint-venture and new product development activities. During this time, he was the featured speaker at 400 conferences, seminars and presentations. Thereafter, he presented oral testimony at various Federal Senate and Congressional hearings. 

Mr. Zimmerman earned a B.S. in computer science-mathematics from the University of Illinois, and an M.B.A. in finance from DePaul University in the evenings while working for AT&T. After leaving AT&T, Mr. Zimmerman earned his law degree from the Chicago-Kent College of Law, where he was a Ramsey-Burke Scholarship recipient and earned the Academic Achievement Award.

He is admitted to practice law in Illinois, and other states on a case-by-case basis, and he is admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, federal district courts and federal court of appeals. Based on his demonstrated experience and ability, he was appointed to the federal court trial bar.

Mr. Zimmerman is currently the chair of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County Attorney Advisory Committee, and was formerly co-chair of the Clerk of the Circuit Court Transition and Strategic Planning Public Policy Subcommittee.

Mr. Zimmerman is a member of the American, Illinois State, and Chicago Bar Associations, and the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, where he serves on various committees.  He is also a member of the American Association for Justice.  In 2000, he was appointed to the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association Board of Advocates.

Involved in numerous community service activities, Mr. Zimmerman has been an Illinois State Board of Education surrogate parent of disabled children since 1988. In addition, he was a speaker on the rights of disabled people for the Illinois Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities, and a Family Shelter Service counselor to battered children for many years. He has been recognized by the federal court for his pro bono representation of indigent clients.