John F. Winters, Jr.

Email: jwinters@wsorlaw.com | V-Card

John F. Winters, Jr. is the founding member of the firm Winters Salzetta O'Brien & Richardson, LLC. The firm was formed in 1997. John has successfully settled or tried to verdict a variety of cases including medical negligence, police misconduct, VA Hospital negligence, automobile/trucking negligence, premises liability negligence and defamation cases, obtaining multi-million dollar results for his clients against defendants and their insurance companies.

John has been involved in a number of high-profile matters, including his current representation of former NFL players against the NFL in the CTE brain injury cases. Also, John served as lead counsel in the wrongful death trial of the Estate of Eric Morse, the 5-year-old boy who was dropped to his death by two 12-year-old gang members from the window of an abandoned apartment on the 14th floor of the Chicago Housing Authority - Ida B. Wells development. That case received nationwide notoriety as it involved the Chicago Housing Authority and two of its vendors being held responsible in a civil trial after the two minor assailants were tried as adults and found guilty in the criminal trial. The death of Eric Morse is recounted in a book entitled Our America, by LeAlan Jones and Lloyd Newman.

John has litigated and also presented argument before the Illinois Appellate Court on cases involving such topical issues as the civil responsibility of the Catholic Church for the tortious conduct of its priests in the commission of sexual misconduct ranging from molestation to rape.

John has also litigated and presented argument before the United States Appellate Court, Fifth District (New Orleans, LA) in a highly controversial case involving the death of a volunteer nurse in Vietnam who contracted cancer through exposure to the chemical defoliant known as "agent orange" that was knowingly manufactured with carcinogens by the seven major chemical companies in the United States and sold to the United States government to be used by the military during the Vietnam War.

John has been a lecturer at the Chicago Bar Association, Continuing Legal Education classes, as well as an invited speaker before the Illinois House of Representatives on numerous issues involving the protection of injured individuals' rights. John also serves as an adjunct professor teaching Trial Advocacy at the John Marshall Law School.

John has appeared on numerous television and radio news shows, such as NBC Today Show, MSNBC with Lester Holt, WLS Radio, WVON Radio and WGN Radio, to discuss a recent verdict or settlement, or to provide commentary on a current legal dispute in the news.

In addition to his work as a litigator, John Winters gives back to the community through his many philanthropic activities ranging from volunteer positions with Holy Name Cathedral, various youth organizations and served as past President of former NFL Player, Russell Maryland's charitable foundation that provided scholarships and mentoring for many disadvantaged youths in the City of Chicago.

Practice Areas:

• Personal Injury
• Wrongful Death
• Car Accidents
• Truck Accidents
• Medical Malpractice
• Products Liability
• Defamation
• Police Misconduct

Bar Admissions:

• Supreme Court of the United States of America, 2008
• United States Court of Appeals – Ninth Circuit, 2008
• United States Court of Appeals – Fifth Circuit, 1997
• United States Federal Trial Bar, 1995
• United States Court of Appeals – Seventh Circuit, 1992
• United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois, 1991
• State of Illinois, 1991

Education:

• The John Marshall Law School, Chicago, Illinois, J.D, 1991
• Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois, B.S. History, 1977
• Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa
• Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana

Professional Associations and Memberships:

• Illinois Trial Lawyers Association
• Illinois State Bar Association
• American Bar Association
• Chicago Bar Association
• Association of Trial Lawyers
• Society of Trial Lawyers

Honors and Awards:

• Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, Trial Lawyer Excellence Award 2022
• Leading Lawyers Magazine – Leading Lawyer, Personal Injury, 2008 - 2016
• Super Lawyers Magazine – Super Lawyer, Personal Injury, 2008 - 2020
• The National Trial Lawyers, Top 100, 2015
• Martindale-Hubbell AV-Preeminent Peer Review Rating: Ranking by peers at the highest level of professional excellence.