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Libertyville attorney Michael Schostok dead at 51
LIBERTYVILLE — Funeral services were scheduled today, July 20, for well-known personal injury attorney Michael Schostok.
Schostok, husband of Illinois Appellate Justice Mary Seminara Schostok for 25 years, died July 15 at his Libertyville home after a year-long battle with brain cancer. He was 51.
Until his illness, Schostok practiced personal injury law, specializing in medical malpractice and catastrophic injury matters. He was formerly a principal in the firm of Salvi, Schostok, and Pritchard of Chicago and Waukegan.
He had numerous eight-figure jury verdicts and settlements, and over his career he achieved more than $142 million in settlements on behalf of his clients.
“Michael was a wonderful husband, father and a fabulous lawyer who fought hard for those who could not fight for themselves,” said Justice Schostok.
His former partner, Patrick Salvi, said: “He was the best trial partner you could ask for. When we tried cases together, and we were together on a lot of them, he had the strong mettle of a great lawyer to try the case despite adversity and doubt.”
Schostok was passionate about defending the rights of injured people and he was recently lauded by the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, which awarded him the Leonard M. Ring Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to his field. Schostok served as the 50th president of ITLA.
Schostok also was elected to serve on the Board of Governors of the Illinois State Bar Association. The Law Bulletin Publishing Company’s Leading Lawyer Network named him as among the “Top 5% of all Lawyers in Illinois.” He was named one of “The Best Lawyers in America” by Woodward/White, Inc.
Before entering private practice, he served in the 1980s as an assistant state’s attorney for then-Lake County State’s Attorney Fred Foreman, now chief judge of the 19th Judicial Circuit.
Schostok, who grew up in Riverwoods, graduated law school in 1986 from Capital University Law School in Columbus, Ohio. He earned his undergraduate degree from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio in 1983. He graduated from Loyola Academy in Wilmette in 1979.
Besides his widow, survivors include three children; two brothers and a sister; mother and stepmother. He was preceded in death by his father, Steven, who was partner in the law firm of Laser, Schostok, Kolman & Frank, Chicago.
Contributions may be made to The Musella Foundation, 1100 Peninsula Blvd., Hewlett, NY 11557, c/o Team Grizzly; or Carmel Catholic High School, One Carmel Parkway, Mundelein, IL 60060.
