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A partner of the firm, George D. Pilja’s practice encompasses commercial litigation, construction litigation, product liability, insurance, subrogation/loss recovery, international litigation, plaintiff’s personal injury, transactional corporate law, and association law. On both the plaintiff and defense side, he has represented numerous insurance companies, self-insured entities, prominent businesses, and associations. Mr. Pilja has extensive experience in litigating complex, multi-million dollar matters in state and federal courts throughout the United States and internationally. He has prosecuted and defended cases involving such diverse matters as contract and UCC disputes; fraud, misrepresentation and other business tort claims; professional liability claims; product design, manufacture, testing, and warnings claims involving steel and product processing lines, refineries, generators, turbines, compressors, transformers, and chemical plant equipment; construction defect claims involving commercial buildings, acid concentrators, dock systems, electrical systems, piping and sprinkler systems, waste recovery systems; and fire and explosion losses. Mr. Pilja is fluent in Serbo-Croatian and conversant in German. |
Education
Mr. Pilja earned his B.A. degree
in political science and business management, magna cum laude as a College Scholar, from North
Central College in 1993. He earned his J.D. degree from the University of Illinois
College of Law in 1996.
Bar Admissions
Mr. Pilja is authorized to practice
law in Illinois and Florida and the U.S. District Courts for the Northern
District of Illinois and Southern District of Florida. He has also represented clients in matters pending in state and federal courts in Arizona, California, Delaware, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Professional Associations
Mr. Pilja is a member of the Chicago Bar Association, Illinois Bar Association,
Florida Bar Association, and American Bar Association. He is also a member
of the National Association of Subrogation Professionals (NASP) and the Community Associations Institute (CAI).
Cited Cases
Equistar Chemicals, LP v. Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company of Connecticut, 318 Ill.Dec.509, 883 N.E.2d 740 (Ill.App.Ct. 4th Dist. 2008)
Publications and Presentations
Mr. Pilja's publications and presentations include: "Loss Recovery: A Proactive Approach for Self-Insured Risk Management," President and CEO, April/May 2005; "Dotting and Crossing Your E's: E-Discovery and Subrogation, "2008 NASP Annual Conference, Hollywood, FL, November 4, 2008.
Honors
Mr. Pilja has earned the Rising Stars designation in 2008, 2009, and 2010, as awarded by Law & Politics for outstanding young lawyers. This honor is given to only 2.5% of the total attorneys in each state, based on nomination and evaluation of professional achievements.