Brian Monico is a skilled litigator who focuses on wrongful death, professional malpractice, personal injury, and civil rights cases. Brian has successfully obtained over $100 million in verdicts and settlements for his clients in his career. While many cases are resolved through settlement, Brian has tried over 50 jury trials with great success.
Throughout his career, Brian has distinguished himself as a leader in the development and use of computer-generated graphics and electronic presentations to juries. Brian has shared his knowledge of trial advocacy and courtroom technology with various lawyer groups and taught a class of that name at Loyola University of Chicago School of Law for many years. Brian’s ability to incorporate current technology into his trial strategy, along with his tenacity and intelligence, has contributed to his many successes.
In cases that involve complex or technical issues, Brian is skilled at simplifying and explaining concepts and presenting them in a convincing way to juries and judges. While Brian enjoys taking cases to trial, he works with each of his clients to create the best strategy for maximizing their recovery, whether by settlement or trial.
At the age of 34, Brian was recognized by the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin as one of Illinois’ 40 under 40 attorneys to watch. In 2016, Law Bulletin Publishing Company published its inaugural “Emerging Lawyers Magazine”, where Brian was recognized on the cover as the top “Emerging Lawyer” in Illinois. That magazine recognized Brian as the number one lawyer under 40 years of age in Illinois. Brian continues to be recognized, and in 2018 was recognized as a Leading Lawyer and Super Lawyer.
Brian received his undergraduate degree from Fairfield University, located in Fairfield, Connecticut. After working in finance in New York, Brian returned to his hometown to attend Loyola University Chicago School of Law.
While in law school, Brian was a member of the nationally recognized Corboy Mock Trial Team, participating in numerous trial competitions throughout the country and receiving multiple merit scholarship awards. Additionally, Brian received two scholarships, the Philip H. Corboy Fellowship, a fellowship in trial advocacy and the Thomas F. and Patricia A. Bridgman Scholarship, which is awarded to a baptized Roman Catholic student who has demonstrated achievements in academic and extracurricular activities. During law school, Brian externed for the then-Chief Judge of the Northern District of Illinois, Charles P. Kocoras, and clerked at a prestigious plaintiff’s personal injury law firm. This is where Brian began to appreciate the good a plaintiff’s attorney can bring to someone’s life.
After graduating from law school, Brian began his career as a Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney in the Criminal Appeals Division. Brian was then hired away from public service, to private practice, and began his career working with two giants of the Plaintiffs’ trial bar, Lorna Propes and Patti Bobb. Over the next 15 years, Brian’s practice was predominately plaintiff’s personal injury work at one of the best plaintiff’s firms in Illinois. In 2019, Brian formed his own firm with Andy Hale and Hale & Monico was formed.
Brian has two boys, 5 and 8 years of age, with whom he spends most of his free time. Brian and his boys love baseball and superheroes. When not at work, Brian can be found with his boys in the park or at a movie theater seeing the latest superhero release or blockbuster film.
Professional Accomplishments
• Illinois Super Lawyer, 2014 – Present
• Illinois Super Lawyers “Rising Star”, 2012 – 2013
• Leading Lawyers, 2017 – Present
• Emerging Lawyers, 2015-2016
• Emerging Lawyers, 2016 - #1 Lawyer Under 40
• Law Bulletin Publishing Company’s “40 Illinois Attorneys Under Forty to Watch”, 2011
• Adjunct Professor, Advanced Trial Advocacy with Courtroom Technology, Loyola University Chicago School of Law, 2010 – 2015
• Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, Speech “Mastering Trial Technology”, 2013
• Panelist 7th Circuit Judicial Conference, “The Impact of Social Media on the Administration of Justice”, 2011
• Illinois State Bar Association, Chair of the Task Force on New Lawyers, 2014
• Illinois State Bar Association, Board of Governors Award, 2014
• Chicago Bar Association, Speech “Anatomy of a Medical Malpractice Trial – Damages”, 2018
• Chicago Bar Association, Speech “Trial Preparation and Presentation”, 2016