Larry J. Chilton Partner
Phone: (312) 634-1261Fax: (312) 460-8299
Email: lchilton@cyp-law.com
Assistant Name: Cherie Emling
Assistant Phone: (312) 458-1600
Larry is a founding Partner of the firm. For over 30 years, his trial and appellate litigation practice has focused on the defense of companies in the oil and chemical industries, many of which are Fortune 500 companies, in toxic tort, transportation, environmental and related class action litigation in state and federal courts around the United States.
Larry has extensive first-chair trial experience with numerous published jury verdicts in cases involving wrongful death, cancer, traumatic brain injuries, amputations and other catastrophic injuries. Larry's current practice is concentrated in litigation arising out of the production, transportation, storage and handling of industrial and consumer chemical products. In most of these cases, the common element is that the plaintiffs are alleged to have developed some form of cancer as a result of their exposure to a chemical.
Over Larry's years of experience, he has gained a firm understanding of the science that drives the defense of toxic tort cases. He frequently serves as lead coordinating counsel, jointly retained by multiple defendants, to structure and manage all facets of litigation from the initial pleadings stage through trial. Larry serves as lead discovery coordinator and trial counsel for several oil and chemical companies working with not only the client, but with co-counsel across the country, to coordinate discovery, experts, and trial strategy across a range of jurisdictions.
In addition to his trial experience, Larry has argued cases before the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals and various Illinois Appellate Courts. Larry also is a frequent speaker at seminars and conferences on various areas of toxic tort litigation at the request of clients and other attorneys with whom Larry has worked.
Larry graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 1979 and received his J.D. in 1983 from IIT/Chicago-Kent College of Law. He is a member of Bar of the State of Illinois. Additionally, he is admitted to practice before the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals and numerous US District Courts. He has also been admitted to practice on a pro hac vice basis throughout the country.
Larry has extensive first-chair trial experience with numerous published jury verdicts in cases involving wrongful death, cancer, traumatic brain injuries, amputations and other catastrophic injuries. Larry's current practice is concentrated in litigation arising out of the production, transportation, storage and handling of industrial and consumer chemical products. In most of these cases, the common element is that the plaintiffs are alleged to have developed some form of cancer as a result of their exposure to a chemical.
Over Larry's years of experience, he has gained a firm understanding of the science that drives the defense of toxic tort cases. He frequently serves as lead coordinating counsel, jointly retained by multiple defendants, to structure and manage all facets of litigation from the initial pleadings stage through trial. Larry serves as lead discovery coordinator and trial counsel for several oil and chemical companies working with not only the client, but with co-counsel across the country, to coordinate discovery, experts, and trial strategy across a range of jurisdictions.
In addition to his trial experience, Larry has argued cases before the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals and various Illinois Appellate Courts. Larry also is a frequent speaker at seminars and conferences on various areas of toxic tort litigation at the request of clients and other attorneys with whom Larry has worked.
Larry graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 1979 and received his J.D. in 1983 from IIT/Chicago-Kent College of Law. He is a member of Bar of the State of Illinois. Additionally, he is admitted to practice before the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals and numerous US District Courts. He has also been admitted to practice on a pro hac vice basis throughout the country.
Leading Lawyers Awards
Larry J.
Chilton
Chilton
Peer Selected 2024
Super Lawyers Awards
Larry J. Chilton
Rated by Super Lawyers
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Martindale-Hubbell Awards
Practice Areas
Class Action, Commercial Litigation, Construction Litigation, Environmental Law, General Negligence, Products Liability, Toxic Tort Law, TransportationBar Admissions
- Federal Trial Bar
- State of Illinois (1983)
- Various State and District Court Bars around the country
Education
- J.D., IIT Chicago Kent College of Law, 1983
- B.A., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1979
Professional Affiliations
- Defense Research Institute
- Illinois State Bar Association
Honors & Awards
- Named 2023 Top Rated Litigator by The American Lawyer
- Named Leading Lawyer for more than a decade.
- Named Martindale Hubbell AV Preeminent rated attorney for 25 years
- Selected as an Illinois Super Lawyer
Publications and Speaking Engagements
- Guest speaker at DRI's 2023 Toxic Torts and Environmental Law Seminar Conference on April 27, 2023. Larry presented "Mass Tort Litigation Quick Hits" regarding the decades-long litigations involving benzene. For more information click here.
- Guest speaker at Perrin Conference's Genomics Conference on May 26, 2021. Larry presented on "Genomic Analysis in Tort Cases: Creating Change and Driving New Outcomes - Case Specific Results in Benzene (Blood Cancer) And Mesothelioma Cases." For more information click here.
- Mr. Chilton has lectured and published on a variety of toxic tort litigation topics and has been the Chair of several different National Conferences on Benzene Litigation.
News Articles
- CITY OF COUNTRYSIDE AND CYP PREVAIL IN SEVEN YEAR PENSION SPIKE LITIGATION
After seven years of litigation our client, the City of Countryside, has successfully put an end to an illegal police pension spike, saving Countryside taxpayers many millions of dollars. The Illinois Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal of the trial court and appellate court rulings in Countryside's favor, and yesterday the trial Judge, Neil Cohen, issued an Order officially closing the case. Judge Cohen introduced our partner, Kathryn Thomas, to the entire courtroom and said that she obtained one of only two Summary Judgment rulings he issued in 2018. He said that Kathryn "just did everything right."