Workers Compensation Office
Resume:
NICHOLAS T. WILLIAMS
Licensed Illinois Attorney
************@*****.***
February 9, 2010
To Whom It May Concern:
I am submitting this Letter of Application along with my Resume in
response to your job posting on Monster.com. In this letter I would like
to introduce myself, as well provide your office with an account of my
legal work experience.
Since September 2008, I have practiced exclusively workers
compensation and personal injury law at Shay and Associates, headquartered
in Decatur, Illinois. Shay and Associates maintains two offices located in
both Decatur and Springfield, Illinois. I split my time evenly between
both offices.
As shown in my resume, I gained an enormous amount of litigation
experience with that practice. As of December 20, 2009, I exclusively
handled approximately fifty of my own personal injury and workers
compensation files, as well as provided support work to the owner, Tim Shay
on large cases.
As to workers compensation, I have personally conducted seven
arbitrations, which included conduction of depositions, as well as witness
and exhibit preparation. Additionally, I settled approximately twenty
workers compensation cases. I have also conducted a large amount of
appellate work before the Illinois Workers Compensation Commission, writing
three Statement of Exceptions, as well successfully conducting their
respective oral arguments. These Statement of Exceptions are available for
your office's inspection upon request.
As to personal injury, I have participated in all stages of
litigation. I co-chaired two jury trials, one in Vermillion County,
Illinois, and one in Sangamon County, Illinois. In both of these cases the
jury returned a verdict in favor of my client well above the last
Defendant's offer. In these cases I handled cross-examination of Defense
witnesses, a closing argument, and read physician evidence depositions to
the jury in lieu of live physician testimony. In December of 2009 I solely
conducted a bench trial before the Honorable Judge Webber IV in Macon
County, Illinois. I prepared all relevant pleadings prior to the trial,
gave an opening statement, conducted my case-in-chief, and gave closing
argument. This bench's decision is currently under advisement. Again, I
settled approximately twenty personal injury cases. Lastly, I have
conducted numerous discovery and evidence depositions of physicians and
laypersons.
I have also been extremely successful in my academic career. I
received the Award for Excellence in Workers Compensation from SIU Law.
This award is given to the student who posts the highest grade in SIU's
Workers Compensation class for the entire academic year. I also received
the same award for Contract law, again posting the highest grade in that
class for the entire academic year. Additionally, I took Insurance Law at
SIU, and scored in the top percentage of the class. Lastly, I was involved
in SIU Law's select Moot Court Program, finishing second in the state at
its annual Moot Court Competition and arguing before Illinois' Supreme
Court in the final round. Again, I can produce records of these scores at
your request.
Given my high level of success in litigation of Illinois workers
compensation and personal injury cases, as well as my affinity for the city
of Chicago, I believe I would be a strong addition to your already
outstanding practice.
NICHOLAS T. WILLIAMS
************@*****.***
__________________________________________________________________
LEGAL WORK EXPERIENCE
Shay and Associates, Decatur, IL and Springfield, IL
Associate (September 2008 - December 2009)
. Conducted numerous Arbitrations before Arbitrators Tobin, White,
Neal, and Holland at the Springfield, Decatur, and Clinton Calls.
. Wrote approximately fifteen Proposed Decisions, for both cases I
Arbitrated and cases Arbitrated by the owner of Shay and Associates,
Tim Shay.
. Wrote four Statement of Exceptions submitted to the Commission.
. Argued and won four appeals before the Commission in Springfield,
Illinois.
. Co-chaired two jury trials, in both cases winning favorable
verdicts.
. First chaired a bench trial before the Honorable Judge Webber IV in
Macon County, Illinois.
. Prepared trial notebooks an exhibits for both trials and
Arbitrations.
. Conducted discovery and evidence depositions of doctors and lay
witnesses.
Reed, Armstrong, Gorman, Mudge & Morrissey, P.C., Edwardsville, IL
Summer Law Clerk (2006 - 2007)
. Assisted in civil rights jury trial before U.S. District Judge David
R. Herndon.
. Prepared federal jury instructions.
. Conducted legal research.
EDUCATION
Juris Doctorate (May 2008)
Southern Illinois University School of Law, Carbondale, IL
. Member, Moot Court (2006 - 2008)
. Award, Highest Class Score in Workers Compensation
. Finalist, Illinois Appellate Lawyers Assoc. Moot Court Competition
(2007)
. 3rd Place, Illinois Appellate Lawyers Assoc. Best Brief Competition
(2007)
. Award, Highest Class Score in Contract Law
Bachelor of Arts in Historical Studies (August 2005)
Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, IL
SEMINARS ATTENDED
Issues in Advanced Workers Compensation, Springfield, IL, October
2009
Workers Compensation Practice, Springfield, IL, November 2009
REFERENCES
Tim Shay, Shay and Associates, Senior Partner 217-***-****
Michael J. Bedesky, Senior Partner, Reed Armstrong. 618-***-****
Michael C. Hobin, Attorney, Reed Armstrong. 618-***-****
Contact this candidate