Michelle M. Kohut

Michelle M. Kohut, a Chicago personal injury trial lawyer, joined Corboy & Demetrio in 2004 and was named Partner in 2019.  She practices in all areas of personal injury law, including cases arising from automobile collisions, medical malpractice, construction negligence, premises liability, product liability and railroad negligence, as well as in the area of workers' compensation.

Michelle has tried many personal injury cases to verdict and has obtained numerous multi-million dollar settlements on behalf of her clients.  In 2013, Michelle obtained a $1.6 million settlement for a school crossing guard who was struck and injured by a day care bus.  In 2012, Michelle obtained a $2 million settlement for a Chicago pedestrian who was struck and injured by a garbage truck. In another case, she secured a $2 million settlement on behalf of a roofing foreman who fell through a hole in a roof, fracturing his heel.

Michelle is very active in local and national bar associations, including the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association where she currently serves as Chair of the ITLA Women's Caucus.

In 2024, Michelle received Top Women Lawyers in Leadership Award from the Women's Bar Association of Illinois for her mentoring and leadership.  She served as WBAI President from 2013-2014.

She's a member of the Chicago Bar Association and the Illinois State Bar Association, where, since 2016, she has served as a member of the Tort Law Section Council.

Since 2023, Michelle has been selected to Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America, an elite directory of the top 500 attorneys in the country.

Since 2020, Michelle has been selected to The Best Lawyers in America in the area of personal injury litigation, and since 2022, she has also been selected in the area of Workers' Compensation - Claimants.

Since 2023, Michelle has been named to "Top 50 Women" by Illinois Super Lawyers, a statewide ranking of female attorneys in the out of all practice areas.  She's been selected to Illinois Super Lawyers in the area of personal injury litigation every year since 20014. 

Michelle was selected by Crain's Chicago Business to the prestigious 2022 Notable Women in Law, an honor given to women who "brilliantly illustrate the sheer power of women in law," according to the magazine.

In 2021, Michelle was selected to "Salute! Top 50 Women in Law" by Chicago Lawyer magazine and the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin.

Since 2019, Michelle has been selected to the Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers, a highly-selective group of trial attorneys from across the country.

Michelle was named to The National Trial Lawyers: Top 100, which comprises the top trial lawyers out of both civil plaintiff and criminal defense, in 2020 for the second year in a row. 

Since 2014, Michelle has been named an Illinois Leading Lawyer, a designation earned by only 5% of attorneys in the state, and in 2021 and 2022 was selected to its Top 10 Leading Women Lawyers, ranking, respectively, #8 and #6 out of all women lawyers in the state. 

In 2014, the National Law Journal honored Michelle for her accomplishments in law by recognizing her in "Two Steps Forward: Leading Women in Law." 

Michelle was honored by the Chicago Bar Association's Alliance For Women Alta May Hulett Award in 2013 for her work in helping women in the legal profession.  In 2007, in recognition of her success, hard work and community involvement, she was named one of "40 Illinois Attorneys Under Forty to Watch" by the Law Bulletin Publishing Company.

Michelle has served as President of Women Everywhere - Partners in Service Project, Inc., a community service project that helps women and children in need and introduces teenage girls to the legal profession.   She has also served on the Board of Directors of Heartland International Health Center, which is dedicated to improving the health of persons in Chicago-area communities by providing affordable, quality and multilingual health services.

A graduate of Loyola University Chicago School of Law, Michelle was a Judicial Law Clerk to William D. Maddux, Presiding Judge of the Law Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County, prior to joining Corboy & Demetrio.

Profiles

"40 Illinois Attorneys Under 40 to Watch," Law Bulletin Publishing Company, 2007  

"Two Steps Forward: Leading Women in Law - 2014," National Law Journal

Honors

Top Women Lawyers, Legislators & Legal Employers, WBAI, 2024 

Crain's Notable Women in Law, 2022

Salute! Top 50 Women in Law, 2021

The Best Lawyers in America, 2020-present in Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs; 2022-present in Workers' Compensation - Claimants.

Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America, 2023-present

“40 Under Forty Illinois Attorneys to Watch," Law Bulletin Publishing, 2007

Chicago Bar Association: Alliance For Women Alta May Hulett Award, 2013

Illinois Leading Lawyer, 2014 - present, named to Top 10 Leading Women Lawyers in 2021 and 2022, ranking #8 and #6, respectively.

Illinois Super Lawyer, 2014 - present; Top 50 Women, 2023; Rising Star, 2008 - 2013

Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers, 2019 - present

National Law Journal, Two Steps Forward: Leading Women in Law - 2014

The National Trial Lawyers: Top 100, 2019 - present

Women's Bar Association of Illinois: President, 2013 - 2014

Professional Affiliations

American Bar Association (ABA)

American Association for Justice, formerly known as the Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA)

Chicago Bar Association (CBA), Hearing Officer 2011-Present; Judicial Evaluation Committee, Investigator, 2005-Present; Judicial Evaluation Executive Committee, 2012-Present. Student Trial Advocacy Competition 2007, Chicago Regional, Scoring Judge,

Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA), Tort Law Section Council, 2016-Present

Illinois Trial Lawyers Association (ITLA), Board of Managers, 2019-Present, Chair of Women's Caucus, 2024.

WilPower, Political Action Committee of WBAI, Chair, 2008-2010

Women's Bar Association of Illinois (WBAI), President, 2013-2014; First Vice President, 2012-2013; Second Vice President, 2011-2012; Financial Secretary, 2010-2011; Treasurer, 2009-2010, Board of Directors, 2007-Present; Civil Litigation Committee, Co-Chair, 2005-2007; Nominating Committee, 2007, 2012

Community Involvement

Women Everywhere - Partners in Service, Inc., President, 2009-2010; Board of Directors, 2007-Present; Planning Committee, 2005-Present

Heartland International Health Center, Board of Directors, 2008-2009

Loyola Chicago Women's Law Society, Panel Member 2010

Successes

Practice Areas

Speaking Engagements and Presentations

• "ITLA Trial & Practice Tips Seminar, Co-chair and Moderator, May 5, 2023
• "8 Things Every Trial Lawyer Should Know," ISBA Law Ed, 2020 
• "Liens and Subrogation," Personal Injury from A to Z, New Business Institute, 2019
• "Diversity in the Legal Profession and the Impact of Statutory Amendments in the Advancement of Women," Women's Bar Association of Illinois & Saint Louis University Law School, 2014
• "Women in the Profession:  Where We Are Now" - Women in Litigation Conference, Loyola University Chicago Law School, 2012
• "Civil Practice Update - Discovery," Illinois State Bar Association, 2011
• Judge, Chicago Regional Student Trial Advocacy Competition, Chicago Bar Association, 2007
• "Judicial Internships," Judicial Internship Opportunity Program, American Bar Association, 2004
• Judge, Student Trial Advocacy Competition, American Association for Justice, 2005

Education

Loyola University School of Law, Chicago, IL, J.D., 2002

Institute for Paralegal Studies, Loyola University, Chicago, IL, Certificate in Paralegal Studies, 1997

Loyola University, Chicago, IL, B.A., 1996

Bar & Court Admissions

• Illinois, 2002
• U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, 2002