Biography
During a distinguished, 23-year judicial career and later as a JAMS neutral, Judge Rakowski has presided over hundreds of appeals and conducted countless bench and jury trials, pre-trial conferences, arbitrations, and mediations in nearly all areas of Illinois practice. Judge Rakowski understands both sides of a dispute and studies, listens, carefully analyzes, and assists parties and counsel to reach innovative and sensible results.
Representative Matters
- High Rise Structures: Mediated an emotional matter involving a high-end condominium and water infiltration resulting in extensive property damage and mold infestation along with insurance coverage and allocation issues
- Manufacturing Facilities: Mediated a matter involving a manufacturing plant, alleged design defect, and the efficacy of a water purification system for non-potable water needed in the manufacturing process
- Public Buildings: Mediated a matter involving a community college and a state agency regarding defective roof and mold infestation
- Storage Facilities: Mediated a matter with multi-million dollars at issue involving a major food purveyor, food storage, an ammonia leak, reliance on material information, and insurance coverage
- Underground Tunnels: Authored all Appellate Court Opinions involving damage claims, including issues of tort immunity and economic loss, that ensued after a construction accident provoked the Great Chicago Flood
Completed Virtual ADR training conducted by the JAMS Institute, the training arm of JAMS.
- Illinois Courts Commission, 1998-2000; appointed by Appellate Court colleagues to serve on panel which adjudicates complaints alleging misconduct against Illinois judges
- Alternate Member, Illinois Courts Commission, 1994-1998
- Executive Committee, Illinois Appellate Court, First District, 1998-2000
- Chairman, Executive Committee, First District Appellate Court, 1993
- Supreme Court Committee on Judicial Education, 1992-1993
- Chairman, Illinois Appellate Court, Statewide, 1993
- Appointed by peers in a statewide survey to be among the top lawyers in Illinois, at Leading Lawyers Network as a leading lawyer in "ADR: Commercial Litigation" and "ADR: Commercial Real Estate, Environmental and Construction Law"
- Frequent lecturer for Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education, the Supreme Court Committee on Judicial Education, law schools and government agencies on topics including civil procedure, motion practice, pre-trial discovery, contract law, chancery proceedings, Tort Immunity Act, appellate practice, and workers' compensation
- Justice, Appellate Court of Illinois, First District, 1989-2000
- Justice, Appellate Court of Illinois, Industrial Commission Division, 1991-2000 (In addition to his First District responsibilities, Justice Rakowski was appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court as First District representative to a five member panel hearing all Illinois Worker’s Compensation appeals.)
- Judge, Circuit Court of Cook County, 1980-1989 (Chancery Division, 1987-1989; Law Division, Motion Section, 1984-1987)
- Associate Judge, Circuit Court of Cook County, 1977-1980
- Private practice of law, Sole Practitioner and Partner in local law firm, 1971-1977
- Assistant State's Attorney of Cook County, 1970-1971
- J.D., The John Marshall Law School, Chicago; staff member of the John Marshall Journal of Practice and Procedure (currently the John Marshall Law Review)
- B.S., Finance/Economics Major, De Paul University, Chicago
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Practice Areas
- Appellate
- Arbitration
- Business/Commercial
- Class Action/Mass Tort
- Construction Defect
- Employment
- Insurance
- Personal Injury/Torts
- Professional Liability
- Surety
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