PROFESSIONAL PROFILE

KEVIN J. MURPHY has spent twenty-eight years as a practicing attorney in the courts of Cook County, Will, Kane, DuPage, and other surrounding counties, and as a counselor at law.   KEVIN entered Lewis University School of Law (now Northern Illinois University) upon his matriculation from the University of Notre Dame in 1977, working first as a security guard on campus and then as a law clerk at the downtown firm of CLAUSEN MILLER.  Upon admission to the Illinois Bar in 1981, he began employment as a trial attorney with PARILLO, WEISS & MOSS in Chicago, which specializes in automobile accident insurance defense cases.   He later joined his father, JEROME T. MURPHY, and brother, TIMOTHY P. MURPHY, in their Southside offices of the MURPHY LAW OFFICES, servicing the legal needs of their community.

A sampling of cases and issues include:

AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT cases, and the causation and damages that resulted to the innocent party.  KEVIN has tried a total of thirty-five (35) jury trials, many of which included the testimony of treating physicians, accident reconstructionists, financial experts, and witnesses.

WRONGFUL DEATH CASES, where suit is brought on behalf of survivors for the loss of life caused by the negligence or carelessness of another, including:

·         A products liability case, in which a petite, young mother of a 7-year-old boy was killed when her automobile airbag deployed while making a turn.  The force and impact of the discharging airbag caused her heart to stop.   The bag was shown to be defective and the auto manufacturer settled the case with a substantial award to the child.

·         An accident in which a driver’s mother was killed when their car was hit on the passenger’s side by a negligent driver who ran a red light, striking the victim.

·         A multi-car accident in which the passenger/victim was pinned by a truck against a guard rail, causing his death.

PERSONAL INJURY cases including:

·         An “umpire case”, in which a working dad was struck in the face when an angry batter flipped his bat upon popping out to the outfield, displaying the “willful and wanton misconduct” to make him responsible for the dad’s broken jaw.

·         The negligence of a truck driver who rear-ended a young mother’s car, causing her head to hit the windshield and disfiguring her face.

·         A medical malpractice case, in which a middle-aged woman suffering severe chest pain was taken to the hospital, examined by a physician, and sent home only to return within twelve hours with a massive heart attack and brain damage.

OTHER UNIQUE CASES including:

·         The “lottery case”, in which KEVIN and TIM’S client won a $13 million lottery, then died three years later from alcohol abuse.   When the probate estate was opened in the courts, a claim was filed by the owner of the store that sold the winning ticket alleging that he and the winner had an oral agreement to split equally any winnings.  The store owner's claim was found to be unsubstantiated and was dismissed, thus preserving the estate for the family and named beneficiaries.

·         The “boyfriend case”, in which an ex-con fraudulently convinced a woman, with an I.Q. of 50, of his love for her and then proceeded to get access to her financial accounts and other assets. Due to KEVIN’s long relationship as her attorney, a concerned bank teller contacted him about the suspicious activity, prompting KEVIN to initiate contact with the Public Guardian’s Office and State’s Attorney to provide guardianship for the woman and to bring criminal charges against the boyfriend.

The MURPHY LAW OFFICES have also handled a myriad of other legal matters for families and small businesses, including real estate transactions, wills and trusts, domestic relations, guardianships of minors and disabled adults, small business transactions and incorporation, and probate of decedents’ estates.  KEVIN and the MURPHY attorneys have regularly appeared in the multiple courts in Cook County for over two generations, and have served five generations of clients.   KEVIN’s practice necessitates a familiarity with not only the rules and procedures of the courts, but a practical understanding of the value of a case and the ability to relay information to his clients so that they may make decisions in these matters that affect their lives.   These skills and experience gained over twenty-eight years of practice serve him well as an attorney and will continue to serve him well as a judge.

PERSONAL PROFILE

KEVIN J. MURPHY is the fifth of ten children born to schoolteacher, MARY JANE, and attorney, JEROME T. MURPHY, lifelong Chicagoans who began their brood at 81st and Artesian, and then moved to the Morgan Park area with KEVIN on the way in 1955.   The Murphy siblings attended Clissold, St. Cajetan, Marist High, and Mother McAuley High schools while participating in scouts, sports, camp, and a myriad of other activities during which KEVIN forged many of his lifelong relationships.   Like his siblings, KEVIN worked from a young age as a paperboy, busboy, caddy at Beverly C.C., painter, steel-slitter at Century Steel in Chicago Heights, dockworker and driver at Contract Interiors in Chicago, and law clerk at CLAUSEN MILLER law firm while completing his undergraduate education at the University of Notre Dame and law school at Northern Illinois University.

Following his admission to the Illinois Bar in 1981, KEVIN began his legal career as a trial attorney at PARILLO, WEISS & MOSS in downtown Chicago,  then returned to the Southside to practice with father, JEROME, and brother, TIM (now Circuit Court Judge Timothy P. Murphy), where they specialized in serving the legal needs of their neighbors and community.   “One of the greatest rewards of working for your friends and neighbors is the very personal relationships you develop, and knowing that what you do really matters,” says Murphy.   “We see the real results of how the legal system works and how it affects the regular person in their daily lives. We live, work, pray and play together, and know each other’s kids. I don’t just go home and not hear from them again.”

Neighbors know KEVIN for his outgoing personality, neighborliness, years as a basketball coach at St. Alexander’s School, his volunteerism, and for his legal help.   He is the father of four children, CARA (University of Illinois graduate), JEROME (University of Illinois), DAN (University of Illinois-Chicago), and JACKIE (Shepard High School).   Their mother, SUSAN, keeps KEVIN organized and on task as secretary/administrator in his law office, and lends invaluable assistance to his campaign.   KEVIN brings twenty-eight years of legal experience in multiple fields of law to his quest to continue to serve you and the Chicagoland community as a judge in our courts.

"Our constitution is color blind, and neither knows or tolerates classes amoung citizens."
John Marshall Harlan
U.S. Supreme Court Justice
     Fair and Equal Justice is crucial to our judiciary.