Partner

Lew is a partner in the Chicago office and chairman of the firm’s Commercial Transportation Group and leads the E Discovery practice. He focuses his practice on the representation of all aspects of the businesses of motor carriers, logistics providers, product manufacturers, distributors and their insurers in both state and federal court and regulatory agencies. He leads the firm’s Commercial Transportation Rapid Response Team and coordinates responses to catastrophic losses for clients in the Midwest. With a coordinated immediate response, we are better able to protect our client’s best interests and efficiently and accurately evaluate matters long before any litigation ensues. Lew counsels clients and attorneys on best practices for managing and litigating issues involving electronically stored information and e-discovery. He is licensed to practice in Illinois, the Northern and Central Districts of Illinois, and the Northern District of Indiana.

Lew is on the Board of Directors and an active member of the USLAW Network. He edited and directed the recently published USLAW Compendium of Law, a survey of state laws. In 2008 he served as the Chair of the USLAW Transportation Practice Group. He also designed and coordinated the Transportation Motor Carrier Boot Camp, a training program for transportation lawyers. He has written numerous articles, been a frequent speaker, and taught many courses on civil practice, developing trends in the law, and a variety of industry issues.

At SmithAmundsen, Lew served as the firm’s hiring partner for 10 years. In his capacity, he has hired many of the associate attorneys and a number of partners. Lew is also an active member of SmithAmundsen’s Diversity Task Force (DTF). Since its inception, the DTF has helped improve the firm’s diversity practices and awareness as well as its attorney diversity and recruitment efforts beyond national norms.

Lew was named to the Illinois Super Lawyers* list for 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010 in transportation law, a peer review designation published by Law & Politics magazine. He was also named a Leading Lawyer by the Law Bulletin Publishing Company, and has received an AV rating from Martindale Hubbell for his legal ability and ethics.

At home, Lew coaches baseball, softball, and soccer and serves as host and master of ceremonies for charitable events.

*The selection of attorneys to the Super Lawyers list does not guarantee a positive client outcome in any specific legal matter or engagement nor constitute a representation by the firm of SmithAmundsen about the caliber of legal work performed by any other attorney not selected as part of this list.

Columnist, “Legally Thinking,” The Waybill: “Additional Insured Coverage — Another Way to Protect Your Business,” (February 2010); “Killing Me Softly — The End of Indemnification in Motor Carrier Transportation Contracts (Almost),” (October 2009); “An Expansion of Broker Liability,” (August 2009).

Moderator and Panelist, “The Lesser of Two Evils? What to do with Preventability Determinations and In House Post Accident Investigation,” 2010 USLAW Seminar, Transportation Track, Miami Beach, FL, April 2009.

Co-author, “Post Accident Investigation and Preventability Determinations Best Practices” 2010 USLAW Seminar, April 2009.

Panelist, “Economy and Efficiency: Strategies and Solutions – A Little Preparation Now Can Reduce Future Risks – Not So Common Tools,” International Warehouse Logistics Association, Annual Convention and Expo, San Diego, CA, March 8, 2010.

Co-author, “Being Prepared – Some Alternative Considerations for Minimizing Risk, Protecting Your Company and Doing Business Just a Little Bit Better,” International Warehouse Logistics Association, March 2010.

Speaker, "Keeping Up with the Millennials – The Use and Ramifications of Technology," DRI Trucking Law Seminar, Las Vegas, NV, February 5, 2010.

Co-author, "Keeping Up with the Millennials -- The Use and Ramifications of Technology," DRI Trucking Law Seminar, Defense Practice Seminar Course Materials, pp.165 - 194, February 2010.

Speaker, “Illinois & Wisconsin Substantive Law & Procedural Pointers," Sedgwick University webinar, November 16, 2009 and Broadspire webinar, January 6, 2010.

Author, "The Department of Transportation Agrees to New Hours of Service Rulemaking," Transportation E Brief, November 16, 2009.

Speaker, "Transportation Accident Investigation — Immediate Response & Forensics," IWLA 2009 Safety & Risk Conference, Rosemont, IL, November 12, 2009.

Author, "Illinois Clarifies Insurance Coverage for Motor Carriers and Their Permissive Users," Transportation E Brief, November 3, 2009.

Co-presenter, "Your Company: Limit Unnecessary and Financial and Liability Exposures in 2010," SmithAmundsen client seminar, Oak Brook, IL, October 27, 2009.

Author, “Illinois Motor Vehicle Code Amended By House Bill 3832,” USLAW Transportation E-Brief, September 3, 2009.

Speaker, “Saving Yourself – From Yourself: Properly and Intelligently Managing Electronically Stored Information,” Chicago Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel, September 2, 2009.

Co-author, “Understanding and Taking Advantage of the Electronic Discovery Rules,” Association of Corporate Counsel, September 2009.

Speaker and Panel Moderator, “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire – Damages,” American Trucking Association Forum for Motor Carrier General Counsel, July 2009.

Co-author, "It's Not Just Motor Carriers Anymore – Big Verdict and Broker Liability: Sperl, et al. v. C.H. Robinson, et al.," American Trucking Association Forum for Motor Carrier General Counsels, July 2009.

Accepted Project Co-author, NCHRP 20-6, Study Topic 15-1: Update of Selected Studies in Transportation Law: Volume Three, Environmental Law and Transportation, National Academy of Sciences.

Accepted Project Co-author, TRCB - J-5, Study Topic 10-02 - Transit Advertising Issues, National Academy of Sciences.

National Editor and Project Director, USLAW Network Compendium of Law, 2009.

Speaker, “A Bad Day,” client seminar, Mechanicsburg, PA, June 2009.

Speaker and Co-author, “Transportation Seminar -- Rapid Response, Spoliation and E- Discovery,” client seminar, Schaumburg, IL, April 2009.

Panelist, “Mind Your Own Business: The Practical Realities of Best Practices and Every Day Business Decisions,” 2009 USLAW Seminar, Transportation Track, Charleston, South Carolina, March 2009.

Program Designer, “Transportation,” USLAW Client Conference, Charleston, South Carolina, March 2009.

Contributor, "Metadata Grows in Legal Import," The National Law Journal, January 26, 2009.

Chapter Author, “Special Considerations in a Product Liability Case,” Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education’s Illinois Civil Discovery Practice Supplement, 2006 and 2009.

Chapter Author, “Special Considerations in a Premises Liability Case,” Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education’s Illinois Civil Discovery Practice Supplement, 2006 and 2009.

Co-author, "Trucking Policyholder's Duty to Preserve Coverage," DRI Trucking Law Committee, 2009.

Featured Guest, "Rapid Response: Best Practices," USLAW Radio, December 2008.

Co-author, “Airport Commercial Ground Transportation Programs Survey of Law,” Airport Cooperative Research Program’s Legal Research Digest 3, July 2008.

Program Designer, Co-coordinator, and Speaker, “USLAW Trucking Boot Camp II,” Omaha, NE, July 2008.

Section Co-author, “ABA’s Commercial Transportation Litigation Committee’s Spoliation of Evidence, A State by State Summary,” Wisconsin Chapter, 2008.

Co-author, “Survey of Laws and Regulations of Airport Commercial Ground Transportation,” ACRP Program 11-01, and “Legal Aspects of Airport Regulations,” Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences, Washington, D.C., July 2008.

Program Moderator, “Transportation,” USLAW Client Conference, Miami, FL, March 2008.

Program Designer, Coordinator, and Speaker, “USLAW Trucking Boot Camp,” Omaha, NE, September 2007.

Speaker and Co-author, “Top 10 Issues in Coverage and Litigation,” claims personnel meeting, St. Louis, MO, August 2007.

Speaker, “Every Breath You Take, Every Move You Make: I’ll Be Watching You: Electronic Record Management and Discovery,” American Trucking Association Forum for Motor Carrier General Counsels, August 2007.

Co-author, “Electronic Media Discovery Applications to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26,” American Trucking Association Forum for Motor Carrier General Counsels, August 2007.

Section Co-author, “ABA’s Commercial Transportation Litigation Committee’s Punitive Damages Compendium,” Indiana Chapter, 2007.

Speaker, “E-Discovery,” Claims Personnel and Panel Counsel Meeting, Denver, Colorado, November 2006.

Speaker, “Business Auto Legal Issues & Observations from the Litigation Team,” client educational seminar, October 2006.

Panelist, “Electronic Discovery -- Claims and IT Departments Joined at the Hip,” 2006 USLAW Seminar, Transportation Track, San Diego, California, September 2006.

Chapter Author, “Special Considerations in a Product Liability Case,” Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal
Education’s Illinois Civil Discovery Practice Supplement, 2006.

Chapter Author, “Special Considerations in a Premises Liability Case,” Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education’s Illinois Civil Discovery Practice Supplement, 2006.

Section Co-author, "Spoliation of Evidence. A Compendium of State and Federal Law," Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals Chapter, 2006.

Speaker and Author, “Post Accident and Pre-Suit Investigation Techniques,” Chicago Claims Managers, November 2005.

Speaker and Author, “Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana Law Update,” client educational seminar, October 2005.

Moderator and Speaker, “Driver Decisions – Independent Contractors, Statutory Employees, Owner-Operators, Employee Drivers, Best Practices, Post Accident Investigation and Ethics of Representation,” 2005 USLAW Transportation Seminar, Savannah, Georgia, May 2005.

Speaker and Author, “Transportation Equity Act Graves Amendment on Vicarious Liability,” Chicago Claims Managers, November 2005.

Lecturer, “Pleadings, Motion practice and Arbitration,” University of Illinois College of Law Boot Camp, Winter 2001 – 2005.

Lecturer, “Spoliation and Electronic Commercial Transportation Devices,” client educational seminar, Fall 2004.

Lecturer, “Conflicts for Attorneys and Claims Handlers," client educational seminar, Summer 2004.

Editor and Author, “Commercial Transportation Law Update,” SmithAmundsen Case Reports, 2003 to present.

Lecturer, “What to do with Electronic Data Recorders," client educational seminar, Summer 2004.Lecturer, “Use of On-Board Computers (Black Boxes) in Vehicle Litigation – Spoliation and Commercial Motor Vehicles,” client educational seminar, Fall 2003.

Author, “Use of On-Board Computers (Black Boxes) in Vehicle Litigation – Privacy and Case Law Update,” client educational seminar, Fall 2003.

Lecturer, “Top Ten Recent Developments in Illinois Law,” client educational seminar, Summer 2003.

Chapter Author, “Special Considerations in a Product Liability Case,” Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education’s Illinois Civil Discovery Practice, 2003.

Chapter Author, “Special Considerations in a Premises Liability Case,” Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education’s Illinois Civil Discovery Practice, 2003.

Lecturer, “Anatomy of a Lawsuit,” client educational seminar, Summer 2001.

Co-author and Co-editor, “Recent Developments in Commercial Transportation Litigation,” American Bar Association’s TIP’s publications, Winter 2000.

Lecturer, “Closed Head Trauma & Defense,” client educational seminar, 1999.

Lecturer, “The Amended Illinois Supreme Court Rules,” client educational seminars, 1996 – 1998.

Lecturer, “Illinois Discovery Practice,” University of Illinois College of Law, 1998.

Chapter Author, “Effective Uses of Discovery in Automobile Accident Litigation,” Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education’s Illinois Discovery Manual, 1996.

Author, “A Primer on Sexual Harassment,” Passenger Transport, January 11, 1993, vol.51, no.2.

Author, “A Defendant’s Perspective on Open and Obvious Conditions,” Illinois State Bar Association’s Trial Briefs, February 1993, vol.38, no.5.