Biography
Michael “Mike” Duffy is a member of the Illinois Society of Trial Lawyers, an invitation-only organization. He has litigated in 44 states and tried cases in 19 states in federal and state courthouses. Throughout his career as a policyholder advocate, Mike has spoken at the Florida Association of Public Insurance Adjusters, as well as National Association of Public Insurance Adjusters and the Windstorm Conference.
Additionally, Mike has also spoken at the University of Wisconsin Engineering Extension on experts-preparation and examining, insurance litigation, trial practice, mold, construction product litigation, construction defect, and water intrusion/building envelope issues. He has spoken at the American Association for Justice on insurance and mold issues and has been an AAJ section leader. Mike has also trained individuals on how to be effective expert witnesses. He has spoken extensively on the prosecution of property claims on behalf of insureds due to delay, underpayment, or denial. Finally, he has given presentations to roofers, contractors, adjusters, and attorneys regarding wind and hailstorm insurance issues.
Mike began practicing in the early 1980s at a nationally known insurance defense firm, where he became a partner in 1986 and a Firm Director in 1996. While at this firm, he obtained multiple defense verdicts on behalf of the auto and construction product industries throughout the country. He also obtained multiple defense verdicts across the United States on cases involving construction defect, business and commercial disputes, coverage, and negligence. He garnered notoriety for several defense verdicts involving catastrophic personal injuries as a result of truck tire and wheel mounting explosions.
In 2002, Mike became a partner in a nationally recognized plaintiff firm specializing in the representation of underpaid and denied individual and corporate policyholders throughout the country. He tried multiple cases on behalf of insureds across the country involving windstorm, hail, hurricane, fire, water, and vandalism losses. He has obtained several multi-million dollar verdicts for wronged insureds. In addition, Mike was one of the first attorneys in the U.S. to develop property and injury mold litigation against insurance companies and other entities; he worked on some of the first mold trials in the country.
Mike has been consistently AV Preeminent rated by Martindale Hubbell, the highest such ranking available. He has also been named a “leading lawyer” and a “super lawyer” for years and continues to be a dominant and well-respected attorney.