Park Ridge, IL

Peter C. Wachowski

Peter C. Wachowski is a highly experienced and respected personal injury lawyer and partner at Bellas & Wachowski. He has over 30 years of experience, is known for his dedication to clients, strong litigation skills, and commitment to the community. He has achieved numerous multi-million dollar settlements and has been recognized as one of 'Forty Chicago Lawyers Under Forty to Watch'. He is fluent in Polish and English.

Peter C. Wachowski

Peter Wachowski, a principal in the Park Ridge Law firm Bellas & Wachowski Attorneys at Law, distinguishes himself as one of Chicago's most powerful lawyers in his ability to wield influence in his professional community and express generous sensitivity to clients' needs. Recognized by the Chicago Daily Bulletin in 2000 as one of 40 Lawyers under 40 to watch, Peter has established himself as a superb litigator and a zealous advocate of his clients who concentrates in the areas of Personal Injury, Worker's Compensation and Civil Litigation. Dedicated to his legal vocation, he successfully counsels and eagerly fights for survivors and families affected by serious personal injuries arising from motor vehicle collisions, products liability, medical malpractice, premises liability, and construction accidents. Peter takes pride in helping a wide array of clients and believes that being an excellent lawyer means more than winning a big verdict. Despite his impressive and proven track record of securing major settlements and verdicts for his clients, Peter's main hope is that his versatile, top-notch legal expertise and impeccable professional integrity contribute to the prestige of the legal profession and make his community a better place to live.

George S. Bellas

Throughout his legal career, Geo has counseled and assisted small business owners in the development of their business. Geo consistently advances the best interests of his clients and promotes the use of technology in the practice, in litigation and in business. Geo has been recognized by his peers as one of the top litigators in the country as evidenced by his tenacious advocacy of his clients' best interests and has used technology in his litigation experiences. Geo has tackled problems from the rollover of SUVs to exposing the dark money used to secretly fund the election of an Illinois Supreme Court Justice to the failure of not-for-profit hospitals to aid the less fortunate. Recently George has served as the Chair of the Illinois State Bar Association Artificial Intelligence Committee which issued a Report on the Impact of Artificial Intelligence in the practice of law and has been appointed to the newly created Illinois Judicial Conference Artificial Intelligence Task Force.

Patrick Quinn

Patrick Quinn is an experienced personal injury attorney and founder of Quinn Law Group, LLC, with over 15 years of legal experience, including more than a decade as a trial lawyer. He has an extensive background in insurance defense, which provides him with a unique perspective on personal injury cases, enabling him to effectively negotiate with insurance companies and litigate on behalf of his clients. He is known for his aggressive advocacy, compassionate support, and commitment to helping clients achieve maximum compensation for their injuries and damages in cases involving car accidents, medical malpractice, premises liability, and defective products.

James E. Coogan

Jim Coogan is the managing partner at Coogan Gallagher, where he’s spent over 14 years representing clients across Illinois in serious injury and wrongful death cases. His practice includes medical malpractice, product liability, transportation injuries, construction accidents, and complex premises claims. Known for his clear communication and deep client focus, Jim brings a calm, strategic presence to emotionally and financially high-stakes cases. He’s committed to restoring stability for clients while pursuing full accountability for the harm they’ve suffered. Jim earned his law degree from DePaul University College of Law after graduating from Boston College, where he received the Bapst Philosophy Award. He’s admitted to practice in Illinois and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. In addition to leading his firm, Jim serves on the Judicial Evaluation Committee of The Chicago Bar Association and sits on the Park Ridge Planning & Zoning Commission. He also volunteers with the Greater Chicago Food Depository and contributes legal insights on The Ben Joravsky Show.

Frank R. DiFranco

Frank R. DiFranco began his career as a Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney, where he rose to become a Felony Trial Attorney. In 1994, he founded DiFranco & Associates, P.C., establishing himself as a top attorney in criminal and personal injury law in Northern Cook County. He has earned a lifetime position in the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum due to significant verdicts, including an $11.2 million jury verdict in Prado v. City of Evanston, a $5.2 million jury verdict in Abruzzo v. City of Park Ridge, a $1.5 million jury verdict in Bojalad v. Parliament Enterprise, and a $1.17 million jury verdict in Meadors v. Borg Warner, Protective Services, Corp. His extensive experience in felony, misdemeanor, and personal injury trials provides the skills needed for criminal defense and personal injury cases.

Caroleann Gallagher

Caroleann Gallagher is a seasoned personal injury attorney and proud partner at Coogan Gallagher. Originally from Ireland, she brings a global legal perspective and over two decades of experience to her work-fighting for individuals and families harmed by negligence. Her practice focuses on medical malpractice, nursing home abuse, trucking and construction accidents, and serious workplace injuries. Known for her meticulous preparation and compassionate client care, Caroleann is a fierce advocate both in and out of the courtroom. Caroleann earned her law degree from the National University of Ireland - Galway and was admitted to The Law Society of Ireland in 2004. After moving to Chicago in 2008, she passed the Illinois Bar in 2011 and has been practicing in the state ever since. Deeply rooted in the Irish-American community, Caroleann lives on Chicago’s Northwest Side with her husband Patrick and their two daughters. She currently serves as Vice President of the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois.