Mitchell Hedrick

Attorney
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Phone

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Office Location

211 Fulton St.
Suite 602
Peoria, IL 61602

Mitch is a seasoned trial attorney with a decade’s experience in civil litigation, including catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death litigation, trucking and railroad litigation, general casualty and property tort litigation, employment & labor litigation, high value contested probate estate litigation, and commercial litigation. He frequently appears in state and federal courts, administrative agencies, and arbitrations panels to vigorously defend his clients. Mitch handles all aspects of litigation, ranging from pre-suit investigations to representing clients at trial – where he has successfully tried many cases to verdict.

Prior to joining the legal profession, Mitch spent eight years gaining invaluable experience in the transportation, manufacturing, and construction industries. He worked in facilities and job sites throughout the Midwest and Mid-South. He still holds a Class A commercial driver’s license. While in law school, Mitch completed the rigorous J.D. In Two Years Program at the University of Dayton School of Law, where he graduated With Honors in only two calendar years. He served as a law clerk for the Honorable Mary L. Wiseman, Montgomery County, Ohio Court Of Common Pleas. His business experience, education, and legal acumen guide his representation of clients. This is precisely why Mitch has been recognized by his peers as an “Emerging Lawyer” in Illinois since 2018 in the areas of Transportation Defense Law, Personal Injury Defense, and Employment Law: Management.

Mitch joined the firm in 2022. He previously worked for a large full-service regional law firm. When he is not practicing law, Mitch enjoys spending time with his family and friends, road bicycling, and attending sporting events. He is a husband, father of two, and an active member of his local community.

Practice Areas

  • Transportation Litigation
  • Railroad Defense (FELA, crossing accident & toxic torts)
  • Trucking Defense (accidents & regulatory actions)
  • Complex Civil Litigation
  • Insurance Casualty & Property Defense/Coverage
  • Business & Commercial Litigation
  • Construction Litigation
  • Premises and Products Liability

Education

  • University of Dayton School of Law, Dayton, Ohio
    • J.D. - 2011
    • Honors: With Honors
  • Southern Illinois University College of Business, Carbondale, Illinois
    • B.S. - 2008
    • Major: Business Management

Bar Admissions

  • Illinois, 2011
  • U.S. District Court Central District of Illinois, 2013
  • U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois, 2012
  • U.S. District Court Southern District of Illinois, 2017

Honors

  • Emerging Lawyer – Transportation Defense Law, Employment Law: Management, and Personal Injury Defense (2018 – present)a peer recommended distinction awarded by Leading Lawyers, a division of Law Bulletin Media, to the top 2% of attorneys in Illinois under age 40 or in practice for less than 10 years

Classes & Seminars

  • “Preservation Of Electronic Data and Documents: What Can Happen In Litigation?” , Mid-West Truck & Trailer Show , 2019
  • “This Small Powerhouse” , Commencement Address, Peoria Heights High School , 2019
  • “Developing a Positive Safety Policy For Your Company” , Illinois Trucking Association Safety & Maintenance Conference, 2018
  • “Positive Safety Policies And Risk Management Strategy” , Cottingham & Butler Claims Services Transportation Seminar , 2018
  • “Key (And Timely) Issues In Trucking Litigation” , Mid-West Truck & Trailer Show , 2018
  • “Investigation In Trucking Accidents”, CCMSI Training Seminar, 2017
  • “Black Box Retention & Spoliation” , Great Peoria Claims Association Seminar , 2017
  • “Ethically Unbundling Legal Services: Limited Scope Representation and Ghostwriting” , The Abraham Lincoln American Inns of Court , 2017
  • “Social Media: Gathering, Discoverability, and Evidentiary Considerations”, Great Peoria Claims Association Seminar, 2017
  • “Defending Your Company Before And After A Lawsuit Or Claim Is Filed” , Mid-West Truck & Trailer Show , 2017
  • “Current Legal Issues For IESA Athletic Directors: Injuries to Student-Athletes and Non-Participants At Sporing Events” , Illinois Elementary School Association Athletic Directors Workshop , 2013

Pro-Bono Activities

  • SIU Alumni Association – Peoria/Tri-County Chapter (Vice-President, 2015 – present)
  • Peoria Heights Alumni Association (Board Member, 2014 – present)
  • Caterpillar Street Law Program – Peoria Heights High School (2018)
  • Peoria Quest Charter Academy Career Exploration Fair (2013)
  • IHSA Registered Baseball Umpire & Basketball Referee (inactive status)
  • Peoria Officials Association (2014 – 2018)
  • Central Illinois Umpires Association (2014 – 2018)
  • National Association Of Sports Officials (2014 – 2018)

Published Works

  • Don’t Get Trucked By Plaintiff’s Counsel: Is Your Client’s Pickup Truck Really A Commercial Vehicle? , In Transit, Newsletter of the DRI Trucking Law Committee, October, 2020
  • The Duty To Settle, Bad Faith, And Ethics , – IICLE Insurance Coverage Institute: Downstate, April, 2018
  • Win The Battle Of The Experts: Tips for Retaining and Disclosing Expert Witnesses , The Voice, Weekly E-Newsletter of DRI, April 11, 2018
  • The Truck Driver: Lynchpin of the Case , ABA Commercial Transportation Litigation Committee Newsletter, August, 2017
  • #Evidence: Social Media In Trucking Cases , In Transit, Newsletter of The DRI Trucking Law Committee, June, 2017
  • Downsizing: How To Protect Your Practice When You Have To Let Employees Go , – Impact Magazine, The Private Practice Section of the American Physical Therapy Association, January, 2013

Professional Associations

  • Defense Research Institute
  • Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel
  • Illinois Bar Association
  • Peoria County Bar Association
  • Abraham Lincoln American Inns of Court

Current Employment Positions

  • Attorney