Patrick G. Donnelly has 22 years experience practicing in the areas of products liability, surety, construction and commercial litigation. Prior to joining DLH, he was a litigation associate in large and mid size firms.
Pat attended Marquette University, Marquette University Law School and De Paul College of Law (J. D. 1986). Upon graduation he practiced in the area of bankruptcy litigation for the mid size firm now known as FagelHaber for three years, before joining Pretzel & Stouffer. At Pretzel he continued his commercial litigation practice and also developed a trial practice representing the makers and distributors of HVAC equipment, consumer and professional cleaning products, and pesticides.
His surety law experience includes representing major market surety companies in the litigation of construction and public contracting cases throughout the Midwest. He has tried construction defect, indemnity and bad faith cases to verdict or judgment in state and federal courts on behalf of surety companies.
Pat's product liability experience includes representing the makers and distributors of professional and consumer heating and air conditioning equipment in fire, mold, and water damage cases. He has previously acted as national coordinating counsel for PTAC defect claims. He currently serves as national coordinating counsel for a manufacturer of professional cleaning, floor care and pesticide products.
Pat's construction law practice includes representing general contractors and equipment suppliers. He has successfully challenged awards of public contracts in bid disputes. He recently won a three week trial in the Circuit Court of Cook County involving claims of defective design of a rail yard. He has participated in several multi party arbitrations and mediations.
His commercial law practice includes representing equipment suppliers, insurers and manufacturers in litigated and arbitrated disputes. He has tried cases involving letters of credit, general indemnity agreements, commercial real estate leases, and residential leases.
PUBLISHED WORKS
Book Chapters:
"Contract Claims and Disputes", Chapter 10, Illinois Construction Law Manual, (West 2008), by (Patrick G. Donnelly and John R. O'Donnell)
"Construction Bonds" Chapter 5, in Illinois Construction Law (Aspen, 2003) (D. Meyer, Ed.)
"Surety Bond Litigation" Chapter 7, in Construction Litigation (IICLE, 2006)
Articles:
"Trends In Acute Toxic Exposure Cases" For The Defense, July, 2005(DRI)
"Surety Salvage Claims Against Agents" Third Party Salvage Claims (ABA, 2006)
"Sureties Remedies" Defense Counsel Journal, (April, 2004)
"Suretyship, Insurance and Public Official Bonds" (IADC, 1994)
Papers Presented:
Surety Claims Against Bonding Agents, Fidelity and Surety Law Committee, ABA, New York, New York (2006)
Salvage Claims Against Brokers and Agents, Joint Program, Directors and Officers Liability and Fidelity and Surety Committees, ABA, Summer 2004 Atlanta, Georgia
Public Bidding - Challenges to Bid Awards, Independent Association of Trane Distributors, Summer 2003
A Primer on Chapter 7 Bankruptcies, Chicago Surety Claims Association, 1989
BAR ADMISSIONS State of Illinois United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois Trial Bar, United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois United States District Court for the Southern District for the Central District of Illinois United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
Recent Trials: William Templeman, Premier Electric v. Halm Construction. < Three week trial before the Honorable Thomas P. Quinn, Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois. Case involved allegations of defective electrical design of a rail yard, claims for extras, contract balances, and insurer bad faith. Represented St. Paul Travelers, as bonding company. Judgment for defense. Anthony Serio, as New York liquidator for Frontier Insurance Company v. Cler Construction. One week trial before United States District Court Judge John Darrah. Represented insurance liquidator pursuing recovery of completion costs for a Chicago Public Library construction project. Defense raised bad faith and necessity and reasonableness of completion costs. Judgment entered for plaintiff for full amount sought. (Confidential Plaintiff) v. (Pesticide Seller). Circuit Court for the City of Baltimore, Maryland. Organophosphate case settled after three days of trial for one percent of pretrial demand.
Honors: Elected to Steering Committee of the Society of Illinois Construction Attorneys (2003).