Full Profile
Ronald (Ron) Payne focuses his practice on large-loss complex litigation, including cases involving catastrophic injury and death, as well as ones featuring multiple parties. Clients admire him for his ability to coordinate among various players connected to a multi-party lawsuit, with their differing goals and agendas, while still providing keen legal analysis and excellent client service.
Ron has extensive experience representing a wide variety of clients across the spectrum of personal injury, property damage, and other litigation claims including defamation and civil rights cases. His clients have included those in the construction, transportation, hospitality, and manufacturing sectors. He has tried over a dozen cases to verdicts. He also has experience in post-trial and appellate work including appellate oral arguments.
In addition, Ron is involved in insurance coverage litigation involving first-party and third-party claims. He has defended multiple condominium and homeowner’s associations in a variety of disputes. He has handled products liability claims and cases involving the Underground Utility Facilities Damage Prevention Act. He has also defended hotels, restaurants, and retailers against personal injury and property damage claims.
Admissions
- Illinois
- US District Court for the Northern, Central, and Southern Districts of Illinois
- US Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois
- US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
Education
- J.D., DePaul University College of Law, 2006
- B.A., University of Iowa, 1997
Experience
- Secured multiple summary judgments in hospitality/premises cases for a global hospitality management and real estate group in Cook County Circuit Court.
- Secured summary judgment in construction case involving catastrophic brain injury with over $3M in disclosed medical bills.
- Won summary judgment in favor of farming company in a personal injury case in Iroquois County Circuit Court (IL) involving a grain silo fire and suffocation injuries.
- Secured multiple successful appellate court decisions in matters in personal injury, property damage, and insurance coverage litigation matters.
- Represented a truck driver in a personal injury case in Cook County Circuit Court that settled mid-trial for less than 10% of the plaintiff’s demand.
