Gerard (Gary) Cook joined IFMK Law from OKGC Law, LLC. Gary’s comprehensive litigation practice encompasses trial work and consulting. He has successfully tried numerous cases to verdict and has extensive trial and appellate experience in the areas of product liability, municipal liability and general tort liability. His work includes litigating numerous wrongful death and serious injury cases and acting as First Chair Trial Counsel internationally. In one case he represented a rail car manager in a train derailment/toxic spill that resulted in the evacuation of most of the population in Duluth, Minnesota and Superior, Wisconsin. He achieved dismissals on behalf of his client in multiple resulting lawsuits, including class action suits, in several jurisdictions. He won summary judgment for a product manufacturer involving a precedent-setting issue under the federal preemption doctrine, as it applies to product warnings. In 2018 he was awarded the prestigious Trial Lawyer Excellence Award for one of the five best defense jury verdicts in Illinois by the Illinois Jury Verdict Reporter. He was named Super Lawyer for 2022 and 2023. Gary is a frequent presenter on product liability and municipal tort defense topics.
Gary is also involved in community service. He has served on the Board of Directors of a drug and alcohol abuse counseling organization, worked with the Boy Scouts teaching law merit badge classes, and worked with the Lawyers in the Classroom organization, giving lectures in various areas of constitutional law in schools.
AREAS OF FOCUS
- Product Liability Law
- Municipal Liability Defense
- General Tort Defense
EDUCATION
- University of Illinois (Chicago), J.D. 1978 (Phi Delta Phi)
- Northwestern University, B.A. 1975
ADMISSIONS
- United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
- United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois
- United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois
- United States District Courts for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
- United States District Courts for the Western District of Wisconsin
- Illinois
- Wisconsin
- Florida (inactive)