Tara R. Devine, Partner, Salvi Schostok and Pritchard, PC – Managing Partner of Lake County Office
Tell us a bit about your practice/company.
We specialize in the areas of catastrophic personal injury, medical negligence as well as nursing home abuse.
What is your firm/company’s mission statement?
Protecting the rights of the unjustly injured. Our firm has selectively built a diverse team of top litigators with the resources and skill to aggressively fight for the rights of our deserving clients.
How has your business/practice changed during the pandemic?
We have continued to actively litigate and advocate on behalf of our clients using various forms of technology, including taking depositions and attending court hearings via Zoom.
What is one habit/practice that you’ve adopted during the pandemic that you plan on keeping?
I would make sure I was professionally dressed for any Zoom meetings even if I was doing the Zoom meeting from home.
Share with us a career highlight of yours.
I have several career highlights and I hope to have several more in the future, but the two that come to mind are being part of the trial team for a record-setting personal injury verdict in Cook County, IL, as well as a record-setting verdict in Stephenson County, IL. I hold my Stephenson County verdict near and dear to my heart considering I won it alongside my Associate, Elizabeth Olszewski, who was unfortunately tragically killed earlier this year.
What is the most challenging part of your practice/business?
Being a trial lawyer can be a very stressful job and it is challenging to find ways to manage stress and learn to delegate certain tasks.
What is the most rewarding part of your practice/business?
Helping real people every day.
What sets you apart from your competitors?
I think in addition to being skilled litigators we also develop relationships with our clients and their families. They know that they can count on us at any time for anything.
How do you create opportunities for women and young attorneys in your practice/business/firm?
I make sure that women and young attorneys in our office have a voice and that they are heard and given credit for their hard work and dedication.
Why are you a supporter of the WBAI?
Shouldn’t everyone be? All kidding aside, it is important for women to support other women and particularly mentor young female attorneys as they navigate their legal careers.
Tell us something most people would not know about you?
I used to have a professional CDL license which allowed me to drive a 75-passenger school bus.
When this pandemic is behind us, where do you most want to travel?
Someplace warm, the Midwest winter season is upon us and so when this is all said and done, I would like to travel somewhere warm.
What do you/your firm/company/business hope to accomplish in the next 12 months?
Continue to successfully advocate on behalf of our clients and do our best to assure that there are no unnecessary or unreasonable delays in their cases as a result of the pandemic