HOEY AND FARINA, PC - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Member of the American Association for Justice

James L. Farina began his professional career as a trial attorney in 1979, and since 1981 has limited his practice to representing seriously injured persons. Jim has successfully represented catastrophically injured persons in products liability, medical malpractice, construction negligence and transportation litigation. He has obtained record and near record verdicts for the firm's clients including many awards in excess of 1 million dollars in both State and Federal Courts throughout the country. In 2010, Jim obtained a 33 million dollar verdict for a severely injured railroad conductor which is a record Illinois verdict and the second highest individual verdict in the history of the Federal Employers Liability Act. Jim has been honored to be Designated Legal Counsel for SMART-TD Union and the Transportation Communications Union. Jim was appointed as Designated Legal Counsel for the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen back when the BLET had a DLC program. Now that the BLET has discontinued its DLC program and the BLET recommends that its members hire attorneys who belong to the Academy of Rail Labor Attorneys, Jim - who is on the ARLA Board of Managers - continues to represent members of the BLET. Jim is a member of the American Association for Justice and Illinois Trial Lawyers Association. Since 2005, he has repeatedly been recognized as an "Illinois Super Lawyer." Martindale-Hubbell, the international leader in providing persons the means evaluate and hire lawyers with the highest ethical standards and professional ability, awards Jim their absolute top rating - "AV Preeminent."

Richard A. Haydu joined the firm in 1997. Rick began his legal career in 1981. He has supervised the case management of a national network of FELA attorneys at a major railroad in Chicago and has handled all aspects of railroad litigation. His expertise provides a thorough knowledge of railroad claims handling and procedures. Rick has litigated FELA claims and transportation accidents, in both State and Federal Court, throughout the United States. Education: Marquette University - B.A. / Loyola University of Chicago - J.D.

William J. McMahon is a trial attorney at the Chicago personal injury law firm of Hoey & Farina and concentrates his practice on cases arising from railroad negligence, FELA cases, automobile collisions, truck accidents, construction negligence, medical malpractice, premises liability, and product liability. William has obtained record-setting and multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements on behalf of his clients. He obtained a $10 million verdict for a railroad worker in Chicago who suffered injuries when he was crushed between two railcars. William obtained a $2.3 million verdict for an injured railroad worker who fell in high weeds along the right-of-way. He obtained a record seven-figure verdict in Federal Court in Michigan for a paralyzed worker. He also obtained a record verdict for a non-operative shoulder injury for an occupationally disabled railroad worker (over $715,000.00) in Federal Court in Illinois. William was awarded by his peers one of the Top Ten FELA attorneys in Illinois in 2021 and 2022 for Leading Lawyers. He has also received acknowledgments for several of the highest verdicts nationally in recent years. He is admitted to the U.S. Supreme Court; License by Illinois Supreme Court; Admitted to the U.S. District Court, North Dakota; U.S. District Court, Northern & Southern District of Iowa; U.S. District Court, Northern, Southern & Central District of Illinois; U.S. District Court, Eastern & Western Districts of Wisconsin; U.S. District Court, Northern & Southern District of Indiana; U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Kentucky; U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan; U.S. District Court, District of Kansas; U.S. District Court, District of Nebraska; U.S. District Court, District of Ohio. William is a member of numerous legal organizations including the Academy of Rail Labor Attorneys, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, the Chicago Bar Association, and the DePaul University Law Association. Education: St. John's College - B.A.