James H. Lawlor III

James H. Lawlor III is a Chicago personal injury attorney with Shea Law Group whose practice focuses on catastrophic injury, traumatic brain injury, wrongful death, workers’ compensation, car accidents, dangerous premises, and medical malpractice. He has practiced for more than 25 years and represents people harmed by serious injuries and fatal events. His work includes jury trials, arbitrations, and complex damages claims that require detailed medical evidence and careful litigation preparation.

James earned his J.D. from John Marshall Law School, where he served on the Herzog Moot Court Team. He received a B.A. from Northeastern Illinois University, graduating summa cum laude with a major in Management and a minor in Economics. His legal and undergraduate training supports the research, writing, case analysis, and damages evaluation required in serious personal injury matters, including cases involving medical proof, long-term consequences, and substantial financial losses.

James has handled significant injury claims and has numerous seven-figure recoveries to his credit, including a multi-million-dollar brain injury recovery and a seven-figure post-concussion syndrome recovery. He has co-chaired jury trials and binding arbitrations, including matters that began without settlement offers. His practice requires developing medical evidence, preparing witnesses, assessing liability, and presenting the effects of catastrophic injuries in a form that judges, juries, and opposing parties can understand.

James H. Lawlor III received the Illinois State Bar Association’s Lincoln Award for legal research and writing and has been selected as an Illinois Super Lawyer in personal injury litigation. He has written for the Illinois Bar Journal, lectured for the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, and co-authored material on medical evidence. He is admitted in Illinois and the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and has practiced before the US Supreme Court.

Law Office Affiliations

• Attorney, Shea Law Group
• Member, Illinois State Bar Association
• Member, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association
• Member, Chicago Bar Association

Licensed State

• Illinois

Education

• John Marshall Law School
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• Northeastern Illinois University
  Bachelor of Arts (BA) (Summa Cum Laude)

Awards & Badges