Stephen M. Passen

Mr. Passen earned his Bachelor's of Science degree from the University of California - Berkeley in 1970 and Juris Doctor degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1973. Following graduation from law school, Mr. Passen became a staff attorney at the Legal Assistance Foundation of Chicago for two years. He then joined the law firm of Rudnick and Wolfe where he concentrated on civil litigation. In 1977, Mr. Passen formed his own law firm, Stephen M. Passen, Ltd., where he has been actively practicing personal injury law to the present. In October, 2007, Mr. Passen changed the firm name to Passen & Driscoll.

Mr. Passen has been admitted to practice in Illinois since 1973, and is also admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court (1980), Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals (1979), and United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (1973).

Mr. Passen has received the highest rating from his peers, which permits his name to appear in the Martindale Hubbell's Bar Register publication as an "AV" rated attorney. Mr. Passen has also been selected by his peers to appear in the publication of Leading Illinois Attorneys as well as National Directory of Who's Who in Executive Professionals 1996-97, Marquis' Who's Who in American Law, and Strathmore's Who's Who in 2000-2001.

Mr. Passen has served as a member of the Illinois State Bar Association Tort Law Section Council from 1989 to 1993 and the Illinois Trial Lawyer's Association's Civil Procedure Committee from 1993 to 1994. He is also a member of the American and Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, American Bar Association, Illinois State Bar Association, Chicago Bar Association, and has been an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association.

Mr. Passen has written an article entitled "Application of the Nursing Home Reform Act in Wrongful Death Actions: Further Legislation is Required," published in Illinois Tort Reports, May 1989.

Mr. Passen regularly handles complex personal injury matters involving catastrophic injuries, brain damage, and wrongful death cases. Mr. Passen has received numerous large verdicts and settlements for victims and their families.

His most recent verdict occurred on September 25, 2007 when Mr. Passen was successful in obtaining a verdict for $19,082,580.98 for a minor child who suffered a brain injury when injured at a parochial school in Chicago.