Shawn M. Collins

An outstanding trial attorney, Shawn Collins is at his best in a courtroom. Since 1986, Shawn Collins has combined his powerful communication skills with an unrelenting commitment to his clients' causes to win trials and secure favorable settlements in courts across America. Shawn has extensive experience handling "high stakes" litigation in the following areas:

• Environmental contamination

• Toxic chemical contamination

• Personal injury

• Wrongful death

• Product liability

• Business fraud

• Partnership/ownership disputes

• Breach of contract

• Unfair business practices

• Injunctions

His success can be measured in the results he has earned for his clients. Most recently, Shawn served as co-counsel in a case resulting in a $363 million dollar jury verdict for a woman who contracted breast cancer after decades of exposure to the defendant's ethylene oxide. He has also been instrumental in acquiring clean water and contamination-free homes for thousands of families. In addition, Shawn has recovered millions on behalf of clients, including: $10 million on behalf of homeowners whose wells were contaminated by dangerous chemicals; $8.5 million for the wrongful death of a firefighter killed in a motor vehicle accident; $16.9 million for families in a groundwater contamination case; $8.19 million for a town with vapor and groundwater contamination; more than $12 million for plaintiffs who contracted cancer after exposure to toxic chemicals; $8 million in settlements to families affected by landfill contamination; over $30 million for condominium owners in property disputes.

Shawn has been named as one of the top 100 trial lawyers by The American Trial Lawyers Association from 2005 through 2018, a designation extended only to those attorneys "who exemplify superior qualifications of leadership, reputation, influence, stature, and profile as civil plaintiff or criminal defense trial lawyers." Shawn is also a "Leading Lawyer", a distinction earned by fewer than 5% of all lawyers in Illinois, and one that is decided upon by peers in the legal community. In addition, since 2005, Shawn has repeatedly been selected as an Illinois "Super Lawyer", most recently in 2018. Shawn has also recently been recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award by America's Top 100 Attorneys. Selection to this group of exceptional attorneys is by invitation only and is reserved for only 100 attorneys in each state. Less than one-half of one percent of active attorneys in the United States will receive this honor.

After graduating Summa Cum Laude from the University of Notre Dame in 1980, Shawn Collins worked as an auditor for the Chicago office of Peat, Marwick & Mitchell (now KPMG). Shawn received his law degree from The University of Chicago Law School in 1986. He is also a Certified Public Accountant in the State of Illinois.

Since founding The Collins Law Firm in 1992, Shawn has been a frequent lecturer to bar associations, civic organizations and business groups on legal and environmental topics, as well as a key speaker in many webinars and conferences. Shawn is also routinely asked by the media to share his experience on various matters. In addition to his cases being covered on ABC, CBS, and NBC, Shawn has spoken with CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta on a CNN special report concerning "Toxic Schools." and with Dr. Drew Pinsky about a disturbing illness at a high school in New York and the environmental investigation to find a cause.

Shawn co-authored a new book, "Environmental Legal Insights; Top Environmental Lawyers Share What They Know Best". Shawn's chapter is entitled This Land is Our Land: Why We Must Count on Ourselves to Protect against Pollution. It deals with his experiences in investigating and litigating environmental contamination cases, and their impact on the environment and the people who live there.

Shawn is a member of the American Association for Justice, the National Trial Lawyers and the Illinois, Chicago and DuPage Bar Associations. Shawn has also been honored as a finalist for the Daily Herald newspaper's "person of the year" award for his work on behalf of the families in Lisle, Illinois to secure a safe source of drinking water after learning their groundwater had been contaminated with TCE.

Honors and Awards

• Leading Lawyer 2017-2022

• Top 100 Trial Lawyer, 2005 - 2022

• Super Lawyer, 2005, 2007 - 2008, 2012 - 2013, 2015 - 2023

• Martindale Hubbell AV Preeminent, 2001 - 2022

• America’s Top 100 Attorneys Lifetime Achievement Award

* Best Lawyer, 2021-2023

* Top 10 Environmental Trial Lawyer, 2020-2022

* Irish Legal 100, 2020

Past Employment Positions

Mayer Brown and Platt, Associate, 1986 - 1991

Professional & Bar Association Memberships

National Trial Lawyers

American Association for Justice

Illinois Bar Association