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Matthew Zapf is a principal in the firm's Litigation Group, where he represents clients in complex commercial, product liability, and intellectual property litigation. He is also chair of the firm's Product Liability & Toxic Tort Group.
Before joining the firm, Mr. Zapf served as head of the litigation department of a national law firm and as chief litigation counsel for Caterpillar Inc. In those capacities, he served as regional and national counsel for clientele on a full range of complex litigation matters. He has a wealth of experience in all phases of litigation, and has a great deal of litigation experience in the United States and abroad. He also counsels companies on the use of internal litigation management systems to handle litigation claims more effectively, assists clients in creating litigation prevention programs, including effective document retention. Mr. Zapf has lectured in the United States and in Europe on various issues ranging from litigation prevention to total quality management. He has also been published on arbitration topics, such as "Waiver of Right to Arbitrate" and "Judicial Review of Arbitration Awards - Vacature" in the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education. Mr. Zapf serves on the board of directors of the Chicago Bar Foundation, the charitable wing of the Chicago Bar Association. Mr. Zapf served as a Vice-Chair of the inaugural CBF "Investing in Justice" campaign, and serves on the CBF's Grant's Committee. Mr. Zapf had previously served on the Board of Directors of the Illinois Association of Court Appointed Special Advocates, an organization that facilitates the training and administration of volunteers to represent children's interests during court proceedings involving abuse and neglect. In addition, Mr. Zapf is also an adjunct professor at Northwestern University School of Law, where he teaches trial advocacy. While attending the University of Notre Dame, Mr. Zapf was a Rhodes Scholar candidate. At Northwestern University, where he received his law degree, he was Note & Comment editor of the Northwestern University Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology.
Professional Activities
Member, Trial Bar for the Northern District of Illinois
Member, Chicago Bar Association
Education
Northwestern University, J.D., 1987
University of Notre Dame, B.A., magna cum laude, 1984
Bar Admissions
Illinois
United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois
United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.
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