COGAN & POWER - Key Persons
Bradley joined Cogan & Power, P.C.'s FELA team in March 2019. Bradley, along with partners George Brugess and Michael Terranova and the FELA team, has secured multi-millions of dollars in recoveries for injured railroad workers in the short time since he joined the firm.
Bradley is a tireless advocate for his clients and is well-versed in the intricacies of litigating FELA claims on behalf of injured railroad workers - a complicated yet important subspecialty of the law to the more than 75,000 Americans that work in the railroad industry. Bradley understands that when a railroad worker is injured, you are with them from the moment they get hurt until their claim is fully resolved. Building strong client relationships and keeping clients informed throughout the process is at the center of Bradley's practice philosophy.
Bradley knew he wanted to become a lawyer representing the "little guys" in litigation against big corporate interests ever since coming across his first John Grisham book in the sixth grade. Bradley has lived in Illinois since 1997, attending the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and then moving to downtown Chicago after graduating. Bradley graduated from DePaul University College of Law cum laude in 2011 and spent the next several years representing injured workers at two of Chicago's top plaintiffs' law firms.
Before joining Cogan & Power, Bradley's prior experience included taking nearly one dozen cases to trial with successful verdicts for his clients. In 2018, Bradley joined Cogan & Power partner, Sara M. Davis, and together they secured a record verdict in the state of Illinois for their client who developed and suffered from occipital neuralgia as the result of a serious motor vehicle accident. Later that year, in light of his achievements, the National Trial Lawyers named Bradley as one of its Top 40 Under 40 Civil Plaintiff Lawyers.
When he is not fighting for injured railroad workers, Bradley enjoys working with rescue dogs, expanding his rudimentary cooking abilities, and sharing in the agony of long-suffering Chicago Bears fans across the city.
George T. Brugess is known in the greater Chicago railway community for his generous spirit and the exceptional outcomes he has delivered in many of the toughest FELA cases. He is highly sought for his unrivaled record in the specialty, leading the field in both verdict values and total FELA cases tried. Among his many notable wins, George is recognized for litigating such high-profile cases as the Fox River Grove school bus crash, as well as co-litigating the county's largest FELA verdict, worth 24 million dollars.
While he modestly acknowledges his courtroom success and multiple awards for excellence in jury trial litigation, his pride of accomplishment comes in helping injured workers and their families through the most traumatic times in their lives.
George will choose trial over settlement any day, and he studies the merits of each case as if it were his only one. He is not afraid to fight for verdicts that bring deserved compensation to injured workers. The Chicago railway system has been George's stomping ground for over 30 years. He knows the systems and policies within railway administration as well as the practical, geographical, and logistical conditions that railway workers face every day. More importantly, he knows what he is up against in court, coming at every case with a depth of knowledge that rivals opposing counsel's. He has represented all parties in FELA cases. He was the appointed General Attorney for the CNW Railroad and Union Pacific Railroad for 15 years during which time he was responsible to oversee occupational illness trials across six states. He later turned his talents to the personal injury side, where he has shattered settlement offers and rendered verdicts in the tens of millions of dollars. He now focuses his efforts exclusively on the local region.
He is union-designated and represents the injured worker's best chance at a fair trial on a level playing field. Further contributing to his courtroom prowess is his ability to connect with jurors with sincerity and simple language. George is an experienced classroom instructor with the Bar Association and a frequent featured speaker for unions. He is trusted in the field, having built lasting friendships with clients and colleagues across the many services involved in personal injury cases. He approaches every client relationship with a compassionate understanding of the difficulties that lie ahead and takes great pleasure in seeing his efforts contribute to many of his client's full recovery
Job Titles:
- American Inn of Court ( past Member )
James joined the Cogan & Power team during his 2L year as a law clerk in March 2021. He has worked on cases involving FELA, medical malpractice, motor vehicle accidents, and other personal injury matters throughout his eighteen months with the firm. In November 2022, James was sworn in as an attorney of the Illinois Bar and officially started his role as an Associate.
In addition to his work in the legal field, James serves on the board of two not-for-profit organizations focused on education for incarcerated youth and re-entry advocacy for formerly incarcerated individuals.
James was born and raised in Normal, Illinois, growing up in a farmhouse with his parents and two older sisters. After graduating from high school, he moved to Eugene, Oregon to study political science and gender studies at the University of Oregon. During his time as a Duck, James was involved in student government and advocacy, mental health awareness programs, helped found the UO Alumni Association's LGBTQIA+ affinity group, and interned for Mobility International USA - an organization focused on empowering women with disabilities. It was from this work in community support and advocacy that James realized he wanted to pursue a future in the legal field.
James graduated summa cum laude in 2016, James moved back to the Midwest for his first full time job as a conflict analyst at a law firm in Chicago. He then transitioned into a role as a paralegal working on products liability and data security class action litigation for two years. James then decided to return to school to pursue his goal of being an advocate in the courtroom. In the Fall of 2019, he started his law school journey at the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Law.
He is a member of the Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago and plays softball and volleyball in Chicago Metropolitan Sports Association leagues. When James is not running around a field or advocating, he spends his time volunteering at the Glenwood Sunday Market in Rogers Park, coaching UIC Law mock trial competition teams, and camping.
A respected member of the Northern Illinois legal community, John has successfully represented victims of medical malpractice, wrongful death, serious personal injuries, and railroad injuries (FELA). John has recovered over $300 million in verdicts and settlements.
John is respected by his colleagues and opponents for his unmatched trial skills, intelligence, and shrewd negotiating. John stays several moves ahead of his opponents. These skills have led John to obtain record-setting verdicts and settlements including a recent 25-million-dollar settlement for an injured railroad worker. His counsel and mentoring are regularly sought out by fellow trial lawyers.
John has fostered lasting relationships with past and current clients. He prioritizes regular communication with his clients, keeping them informed of case developments, apprising them of litigation strategies, and forming friendships that endure long after a case has been resolved. With more than thirty years of experience, John has amassed an impressive list of multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements but is most proud of his lengthy list of gratified clients.
Even with his busy litigation practice, John makes time to serve his community. John is a primary benefactor for the Lazarus House, an organization that provides transitional housing for people that experience homelessness. He sits on the board of the Tri-Cities Health Partnership, an organization providing free health and dental care to individuals in need. He also sits on the board of Catholic Charities.
John lives in St. Charles with his wife of 32 years, Lori, where they raised their two sons.
Michael has dedicated his law practice to helping injured railroad workers obtain full compensation for their injuries. His commitment and hard work have yielded record verdicts and settlements.
Born and raised in Chicago, Michael is no stranger to unions. Michael is the grandson of a Union City Laborer and the son of a Union Sheet Metal Worker. Michael learned at a young age the value of hard work. He is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, where he had multiple deployments overseas and was part of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Michael left the Marines with medals, accommodations, and a desire to serve others. Michael joined the Riggers union and later worked for U.S. Steel.
Michael's dedication to justice and desire to serve others took him to law school. Never losing his connections with the unions, Michael took his law degree and began fighting for the rights of union workers. Michael has tried cases throughout Chicagoland and the Midwest. His dedication, knowledge, and experience earned him designation as legal counsel for the SMART Union.
Michael's life experiences have allowed him to understand the realities for union workers and to appreciate the fear and uncertainty that injury may cause. Michael guides his clients through the FELA, the Railroad Retirement Board, and the other many challenges an injury on the railroad may bring.
Michael is respected not only by his clients but by his peers as well. Michael has successfully tried cases throughout the Midwest, created binding precedent in the Seventh Circuit, and regularly appearing on topics related to the FELA.
Aside from his work in the courtroom, Michael is a bone marrow donor through the CW Bill Young Bone Marrow Donor Program and is the President of the Associate Board for Salute, Inc., a nonprofit organization that raises awareness, financial assistance, and benefits for wounded veterans and their families. When not fighting for railroad workers or assisting his fellow veterans, Michael enjoys spending time with his wife, Heather, and their three beautiful children.
Job Titles:
- Founding Partner
- Member of the Chicago
- Member of the Million - Dollar Advocates Forum
One of Chicago's leading trial lawyers, Michael is a compassionate and aggressive advocate for victims of personal injury, medical malpractice, and wrongful death. Over the course of his career, he has secured multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements totaling more than $220 million. Michael prides himself on taking a hands-on approach to every case, working personally with his clients throughout the litigation process, and getting to know them and their family members. Michael realizes that he often meets new clients at the most trying time in their lives, and he makes it his goal to ensure that their voices are heard-by him and by the courts-and that they are provided the compassionate care they need and deserve.
Michael's commitment to victims' rights is evident in his community involvement. As co-chair of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association's medical negligence committee, Michael works with state legislators to preserve victims' rights, fighting for legislation that protects the right to fair and reasonable compensation for victims of negligence. Michael also serves on the Board of Directors of Cornerstones, a not-for-profit organization that provides medical support to underserved communities. And to ensure that future attorneys develop the skills necessary to represent victims of medical malpractice and personal injury, Michael is an Adjunct Professor at University of Illinois John Marshall Law School.
Michael and his wife, Deb, have three adult children. Their daughter became a member of the Illinois bar in 2020, and their sons are in the medical and research fields. When not spending time with his family and five dogs, Michael can be found on the golf course or in the gym.
Below are some previous columns. "Cogan's Corner" appears monthly in the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin.
Mr. Cogan is a proud member of the Million-Dollar Advocates Forum and is a well-respected member of the legal community, having received the highest possible rating from Martindale-Hubbell, and having been inducted into the Network of Leading American Attorneys, and identified as one of the top 100 attorneys in Illinois by the Leading Lawyer Network. He was honored to be inducted into the prestigious Illinois Society of Trial Lawyers, an invitation-only organization of trial lawyers from both sides of the bar, as well as the American Trial Lawyers Association as one of the top 100 trial lawyers in the nation.
Miguel is a trial lawyer with a proven track record of obtaining significant recoveries for his injured clients. A past President of the Society of Trial Lawyers, in which membership is by invitation only, Miguel has tried numerous cases to verdict, both in state and federal courts.
While Miguel primarily practices in the area of medical negligence, he regularly handles cases for clients who have lost a loved one due to negligence, or who have experienced significant injuries as a result of nursing home neglect, motor vehicle accidents and trucking accidents. In fact, it is his background and experience in medical negligence which provides Miguel with superior understanding and knowledge of injuries suffered by his clients and their loved ones. His fluency in Spanish uniquely allows him to communicate, on a one-on-one basis, with his non-English speaking clients.
Miguel is a proud graduate of the University of Illinois At Chicago, where he obtained a degree in English. He obtained his law degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1992 and has since practiced in Chicago. He is admitted to practice in Illinois, Wisconsin (inactive status), the Northern District of Illinois, the Western District of Wisconsin and the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. As part of his professional life, Miguel has been active in sharing his knowledge and experience as an adjunct professor of law and as a frequent lecturer at continuing legal education programs; speaking on subjects including discovery, motion practice, damages and jury selection.
Raised on the southeast side of Chicago, Miguel is committed to his community and has served on the City of Chicago Board of Ethics and the Casa Central Board of Directors. He is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association, the Wisconsin Bar Association, the Chicago Bar Association, the Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois, and the International Society of Barristers.
Miguel es un abogado litigante con un historial probado de recuperaciones significativas para sus clientes lesionados. Ex-Presidente de la Sociedad de Abogados de Juicios, en la que la membresía es sólo por invitación, Miguel ha juzgado numerosos casos para veredicto, tanto en los tribunales estatales como federales.
Mientras que Miguel practica principalmente en el área de negligencia médica, regularmente maneja casos para clientes que han perdido a un ser querido debido a negligencia, o que han sufrido lesiones significativas como resultado de negligencia en el hogar de ancianos, accidentes automovilísticos y accidentes de camiones. De hecho, es su experiencia y experiencia en negligencia médica lo que le proporciona a Miguel una comprensión y conocimiento superior de las lesiones sufridas por sus clientes. Su fluidez en Español le permite comunicarse, uno a uno, con sus clientes quien no hablan ingles.
Miguel es un orgulloso graduado de la Universidad de Illinois en Chicago, donde obtuvo un título en Inglés. Obtuvo su título en derechos de la Universidad de Wisconsin en 1992 y desde entonces ha ejercido en Chicago. Es admitido para ejercer en Illinois, Wisconsin (estado inactivo), el Distrito Norte de Illinois, el Distrito Oeste de Wisconsin y la Corte de Apelaciones de los Estados Unidos para el Séptimo Circuito. Como parte de su vida profesional, Miguel ha participado activamente en compartir sus conocimientos y experiencia como profesor adjunto de derecho y como profesor frecuente en programas de educación jurídica continua, sobre temas como el descubrimiento, la práctica del movimiento, los daños y la selección del jurado.
Rebecca joined Cogan & Power, P.C. in 2022. Although she was born and raised in the Midwest, Rebecca spent the first years of her legal career working and living in Washington state after graduating Magna Cum Laude from Seattle University School of Law. In law school, Rebecca was a member of the Moot Court Board and participated in many moot court appellate competitions including the Frederic C. Tausend Appellate Competition, the Thomas Tang National Moot Court Competition, the Seattle University In-House Moot Court Competition, and the Domenick L. Gabrielli National Moot Court Competition. Rebecca also received a CALI Award for her work in the Fair Work Center Workers' Rights Clinic. These experiences laid the groundwork for her passion for oral advocacy.
Rebecca has represented injured people in personal injury, workers' compensation, and insurance bad-faith cases for her entire legal career - beginning as early as her first year of law school. She is committed to advocating for those that have had their lives upended by injuries and have been treated unfairly by large corporations and insurance companies. Rebecca has successfully represented clients through pre-suit settlement negotiations, arbitrations, mediations, administrative hearings, motions practice, trial, and post-trial appeals.
Samantha N. LaFata is a successful trial lawyer who joined Cogan & Power, P.C. as a Partner in January 2023 after working at another Chicago plaintiffs' personal injury law firm for three years. Prior to being recruited to represent victims and their families, Sam was a defense attorney specializing in medical malpractice for fourteen years representing hospitals, physicians, and nurses. Sam's trial experience and knowledge of the inner workings of hospitals gives her an advantage in the courtroom.
Sara has spent the last fifteen years litigating and trying cases in personal injury, medical malpractice, construction injuries, and on behalf of injured railroad workers. Spending the first couple years of her career working for a defense firm gave Sara an opportunity to witness and learn firsthand the way that Defendant corporations and insurance companies strategize and make decisions. The transition to representing injured victims was an easy one. Sara has always been drawn to the underdog.
Growing up the daughter of an ironworker and a teacher in a small town, the value of hard work, loyalty, and justice was instilled early. Sara always knew she wanted to fight for those that were often outmatched in a system that favors large corporations.
Sara is humbled that clients invite her into their lives during their worst and most frightening days. Sara navigates them through the complex and difficult litigation process to ensure their voices are heard and they receive full compensation for their losses. Sharing this experience with her clients has resulted in close relationships that last well beyond the end of their legal representation.
Sara's passion, drive, and skill have resulted in record verdicts and settlements for her clients. In 2018, the Chicago Law Bulletin featured a front-page article on a verdict Sara obtained for her client. Sara's skills and achievements have been recognized by her peers as she was named one of Illinois' Top 40 Lawyers under 40 in 2015, a Rising Star for the last eight consecutive years, and one of the Top 10 Female Lawyers under 40 in Illinois in 2020. She is often sought out to speak on various legal topics and to mentor young lawyers.
When Sara is not fighting for her clients she is giving back to the community through legal organizations and charitable outreach. She enjoys spending her free time with her husband, Tim, and their dynamic daughter, Samantha.
Thomas H. Murphy joined Cogan & Power, P.C. as a partner in July 2014 after working at another local plaintiffs' personal injury law firm. Since 2003, Tom has represented victims of negligence and medical malpractice, recovering over $120 million in verdicts and settlements for his clients.
Job Titles:
- Managing Partner
- Managing Partner of the Chicago Personal Injury Law Firm
Thomas K. Prindable is the managing partner of the Chicago Personal Injury law firm of Cogan & Power. In that role, he serves as the firm's primary point of contact with new and prospective clients. He is also responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the law firm. In addition to his managerial roles, Tom still fights for justice for injured victims. Tom continues to litigate and in 2017 obtained a verdict of 15 million dollars against a hospital for its negligence.