Kenneth T. Lumb

Kenneth T. Lumb joined Corboy & Demetrio as a Chicago personal injury and medical malpractice lawyer in 1995 after a tour of duty in the United States Army.  Ken was named Partner in 2015 and Managing Partner in 2019.

As a captain in the Army's Judge Advocate General's Corps (JAG Corps), Mr. Lumb served four years as the Medical Claims Judge Advocate at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. His duties at the Defense Department's largest medical facility included medical malpractice defense and hospital law. He has also served as a Special Assistant United States Attorney. In 2003, he was mobilized in support of operation "Enduring Freedom" and spent six months on active duty at Walter Reed for which he received a Meritorious Service Medal. Mr. Lumb is currently a retired major in the U.S. Army Reserve.

As a personal injury and medical malpractice trial lawyer at Corboy & Demetrio, Ken has obtained numerous multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements on behalf of his clients. He obtained an $11 million verdict on behalf of a child who suffered brain damage at birth; a $10.5 million verdict for the estate of a woman who died after being improperly anesthetized for hip surgery; a $1.75 million verdict for the family of an infant who died as the result of medical negligence; and a $1.7 million verdict for the family of a man killed by a packaging machine at a Nabisco plant. He has also secured, along with partner, Philip Corboy, Jr., a record-setting settlement of $7 million for a woman who was injured when she was struck by a malfunctioning automatic door as she entered a Target store.

In addition to his trial work, Ken is an active member of many legal organizations, including the American Bar Association; the Chicago Bar Association; the American Association for Justice where he serves as  Chair of the Federal Torts and Military Advocacy Section and serves on the Veterans and Military Service Members Committee; the Illinois State Bar Association, where he serves as Chair of the Standing Committee on Military Affairs; and the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, where he serves on the Medical Negligence Committee.

In 2022, the National Law Journal selected Ken to its elite "Trailblazers - Plaintiffs' Lawyers," and Crain's Chicago Business named Ken to "Notable Gen X Leaders in Accounting, Consulting, and Law in 2021.

Since 2019, Ken has been selected to the Best Lawyers in America, and is recognized in the areas of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs and Mass Torts-Class Actions. He's been selected to Illinois Super Lawyers since 2012. Ken has been selected to the elite Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America, as well as Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers since 2019.

In 2005, Ken was honored and profiled by the Law Bulletin Publishing Company as one of "40 Illinois Attorneys Under 40 to Watch." He is a member of the Leading Lawyers Network, a distinction earned by fewer than 5% of all lawyers in Illinois and has an AV rating - the highest possible for any attorney - from the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory.

Ken is the co-author, along with Thomas Demetrio, of the column "Med-Mal Matters" in Chicago Lawyer magazine.  In addition, Ken has authored other legal articles and book chapters.  He also lectures on a variety of legal and military topics.   

Profiles

"Lawyer Limelight: Kenneth T. Lumb," Lawdragon Magazine, 2019

"40 Attorneys Under Forty to Watch," Law Bulletin Publishing Company, 2005 

Honors

"Trailblazers - Plaintiffs' Attorney," National Law Journal, 2022

"Notable Gen X Leaders in Accounting, Consulting, and Law," Crain's Chicago Business, 2021

AV rated - Highest level awarded for professional excellence - Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory

The Best Lawyers in America, 2019-present

Illinois State Bar Association, Lawyers Who Care About Military Families Award, 2011

Illinois Super Lawyers, 2012-present

Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America, 2019-present

Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers, 2019-present

Leading Lawyers - Top 5% of all Illinois attorneys, 2009-present

“40 Under 40 Illinois Attorneys to Watch,” 2005

Professional Affiliations

American Association for Justice (AAJ), formerly known as Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA), Veterans and Military Service Members Committee and Chair, AAJ Federal Tort and Military Advocacy Section.

American Bar Association (ABA)

Chicago Bar Association (CBA)

Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA), Chair of Standing Committee on Military Affairs

Illinois Trial Lawyers Association (ITLA), Co-Chair of the Civil Procedure and Rules Committee; Medical Negligence Committee Member; Board of Managers

Community Involvement

United States Army Reserve, Judge Advocate General's Corps, Major (Ret.)

Spinal Cord Injury Association of Illinois, Board of Directors

Anima(Young Singers of Greater Chicago), Board of Directors

St. Petronille School Board, Glen Ellyn, Illinois, 2010-2013

Successes

Practice Areas

Speaking Engagements and Presentations

"Medical Bias," Professional Negligence Section, AAJ Annual Convention, Seattle, 2022

"Basics of the Federal Tort Claims Act," Federal Tort and Military Advocacy Section, AAJ Annual Convention, Seattle, 2022 

“Agency and Apparent Agency,” ITLA Medical Negligence Seminar, Chicago, December, 2019 

    “Strategies to Maximize Compensation,” ITLA Damages Seminar, Chicago, February, 2019

• “Using Treaters & Experts at Trial,” Illinois Trial Lawyers Association's Update & Review Seminar, Oct. 29, 2017

• "Federal Federal Tort Claims Webinar," American Association for Justice, July, 2015

• "The Ins and Outs of Litigating Against the Government:  A Federal Tort Primer," American Association for Justice Annual Conference, 2015
• "Jury Instructions Update," Personal Injury Practice Update, Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, Chicago, Illinois, April 2014
• "Nursing Home Litigation for the Elder Law Practitioner," Elder Law Boot Camp Seminar, Illinois State Bar Association, Chicago, Illinois, April 2014
• "Military Liens," Complex Lien Resolution in Personal Injury Settlements Seminar, National Business Institute, December, 2013
• "Evidence and Procedure," Illinois Trial Lawyers Association Update and Review Seminar, Chicago, Illinois, October 2013
• "Distracted Driving," Percy Julian High School, Chicago, Illinois, May, 2012
• "Medical Liens/Healthcare Subrogation," Liens and Settlement Seminar, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, Chicago, Illinois, February, 2012
• "Military Family Law Issues," Illinois State Bar Association (moderator), Chicago, Illinois, April, 2011
• “Medical Liens and Healthcare Subrogation, Settlement, Liens & Insurance Seminar, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, 2010
• "Federal Tort Liability for Contractors," Understanding and Litigating FTCA Cases Seminar, Federal Tort Liability & Military Advocacy Section, American Association of Justice, Pennsylvania, 2008
• "Witnesses and Third-Party Bad-Faith Actions," Insurance and Bad-Faith Actions Seminar, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, 2008
• "Illinois Economic Damages," Determining Economic Damages, Lost Compensation Seminar, Chicago, 2007
• "The Witness List," Insurance and Bad Faith Actions, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, Chicago, February, 2007
• "Jury Instructions," Medical Malpractice Seminar, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, 2006
• "Litigation/Liability Issues and Exceptions to Confidentiality," Confidentiality of Medical Records in Illinois Seminar, Lorman Education Services, 2006
• "Proper Parties, Amended Complaints and Relation Back Doctrine," Civil Litigation: Update and Overview of Civil Practice and Procedure Seminar, Illinois State Bar Association, 2006
• "Confidentiality Agreements," Liens and Settlements Seminar, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, 2006
• "Legal Issues in Neonatal Nursing: The Attorney's Perspective," Balancing the Legal and Emotional Aspects of Neonatal Care, NICU Solutions Seminar, 2005
• "Independent Contractors and Medical Malpractice," Understanding and Litigating FTCA Cases, Federal Tort Liability & Military Advocacy Section Seminar, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Toronto, 2005
• "Proving Deviation from the Standard of Care," Medical Malpractice Seminar, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, 2002
• "Claims Against the Federal Government," Avoiding Common Pitfalls - Including the New Rule 213 Seminar, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, 2002
• "Military Law," Wheaton College, Army ROTC, 2002 - 2004
• "Basics of Handling an Auto Accident Case: Initial Investigation and Preservation of Evidence Through Discovery," Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, 1999
• "Defense Department Standards of Conduct," University of Illinois at Chicago, Army ROTC, 1999
• "Law of Land Warfare," University of Illinois at Chicago, Army ROTC, 1999
• "Army Medical Records," WRAMC Directorate of Patient Administration, 1995
• "Department of Defense Standards of Conduct," WRAMC, 1995
• "Legal Aspects of Military Psychiatry," WRAMC, Department of Psychiatry, 1995
• "Preparing for Expert Witness Testimony," Rehabilitation of the Injured Soldier Seminar, Ninth Annual AMEDD Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Short Course, WRAMC, 1993
• "Medical and Psychiatric Malpractice" and "Emotional Injuries," WRAMC Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship Program, 1993-1995
• "Tort Law" and "Basic Legal Research," WRAMC Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship Program, 1992-1995
• "Legal Aspects of Military Medicine," WRAMC, 1992-1995
• "AIDS and the Law," WRAMC, Department of Nursing, 1992

Education

DePaul University College of Law, J.D., 1991

University of Notre Dame, B.A., 1988

Bar & Court Admissions

• Illinois, 1991
• U.S. Army Court of Military Review, 1992
• U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, 2000
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit, 2005