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Experience

Tim has represented some of the country’s largest hotel, restaurant, casino, and retail companies for claims ranging from wrongful death, dram shop liability, foodborne illness, slip and fall incidents, and sexual assaults. His general liability practice extended to representing clients in vehicle and trucking accident claims as well as construction accident and fire, hurricane, and property loss litigation. Tim worked with various insurers, third-party administrators, risk managers, and general counsel to prudently and economically manage litigation and achieve successful outcomes for his clients.

Throughout his legal career, Tim has tried several hundred bench trials and more than 20 jury trials to verdict. He has also written many appellate court briefs and argued both civil and criminal appeals before the Illinois Appellate Court. Tim served as a prosecutor and Assistant State’s Attorney in Cook County Illinois, from 1979 to 1984, in both the appellate division and the felony trial division. Tim tried high profile felony and murder cases including two death penalty cases to verdict. 

 

Tim has participated in more than 100 successful mediation/arbitration proceedings in civil and personal injury’s matters on behalf of his clients in Illinois and Nevada. Tim has also successfully represented injured parties in both personal injury matters and property casualty and hurricane loss matters resulting in various million-dollar settlements and awards. 

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Tim was previously a shareholder in the law firm of Johnson & Bell, LTD from 1984 to 1998 where he served as a member of the compensation committee and managed his own practice group of several attorneys. After leaving Johnson & Bell with his practice group, Tim became a managing partner of McBreen, Kopco, McKay & Nora from 1998 to 2005 where he represented his clients in Illinois, and also opened a satellite office in Las Vegas, Nevada to represent many of the country’s largest casino companies. Tim then founded and became managing partner of McKay, Nora, Tanzillo, Daddino & Kott, LLP from 2005 to 2009, before joining the large national law firm of Wilson Elser in 2010 to 2022 to better serve his clients in many jurisdictions throughout the United States. In addition to formerly managing his own law firm, Tim has presented seminars to personnel at major hotel and casino companies, restaurant companies, and insurers on premise liability, dram shop defense litigation, claim handling, security training, and risk management and insurance topics.

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Former Clients 
 

Hyatt Corporation, Hilton Hotels Corporation, Park Place Entertainment, MGM Resorts International, Accor North America, Motel 6, Grand Victoria Casino, Walter Payton and Walter Payton‘s Thirty-Four’s, McDonald’s Corporation, Brinker International, Inc., Maggiano’s, Inc., Darden Restaurants, Landrys, Inc., Bridgeman Foods, Chili’s Grill & Bar, Golden Corral Buffet & Grill, Portillo’s, Steak ‘n Shake, TGI Friday’s, The Wendy’s Company, Dave & Busters, 7-Eleven, Nordstrom’s, Barnes & Noble, Inc., Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, Simon Property Group, various property management companies, and many physicians and healthcare groups.

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Involvement

 

Tim has served on the Board of Directors of two Florida based property and casualty insurance companies since 2014. Tim is involved in charitable fundraising efforts for various health, low-vision, church, and philanthropic organizations. He is also a former member and secretary of the Board of Governors of Butler National Golf Club in Oak Brook, Illinois and a former member of TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas, Nevada