Woodridge, IL

Joseph Shannon

A graduate of the University of Notre Dame Law School, Joe has practiced law for over 30 years with dedication and commitment to his clients in courts throughout the country. He is admitted to practice law in the State of Illinois and is a member of the Bar for the United States Court of Federal Claims. Joe has also successfully advanced cases in numerous other states. Joe believes in the adage: “From those to whom much is given, much is expected.” “We have been given much,” Joe says. “It’s our turn to give back. When our clients retain us, they are in one of the most vulnerable situations of their lives. Some can no longer provide for themselves and are dependent on others to live. We try to create a positive relationship with every client. We do everything in our power to come through for each one. Our overwhelming focus is on our client’s needs.” This philosophy has been a constant throughout Joe’s career. “When we take a case, it’s because we believe we will come through for our client. We are dedicated and committed to reaching a successful outcome.” In a landmark case in the transportation industry, Joe’s firm work resulted in a record $23.75 million verdict in Will County, Illinois. “The case addressed an issue in the trucking industry and was precedent-setting,” he says. “We proved that one of the largest logistics brokers in the world was the principal of a driver who plowed into stopped traffic in a suburban Chicago expressway and was, therefore, responsible to the victims of this horrific crash. The logistics company had defended the case by arguing that it was a mere broker and had no involvement in the trucking company’s dealings. It took years of discovery and depositions to develop the case to present to a jury.” The verdict was affirmed on appeal by the Illinois appellate courts. In 2016, Joe published his book, Transportation Law, Rights, and Injuries: Charting Your Course of Legal Action. The book walks through every step in pursuing a car accident case from beginning to end. During his career, Joe has handled numerous cases involving transportation, product liability, medical and professional malpractice, medical device, automotive, employment, construction, insurance coverage, and commercial issues. Joe has been married to his wife for 29 years, has six children, and resides in west suburban Chicago. Both he and his wife are parishioners at St. Joan of Arc Roman Catholic Church. Joe is actively involved at St. Joan of Arc School as well.

Joseph Shannon

A graduate of the University of Notre Dame Law School, Joe has practiced law for over 30 years with dedication and commitment to his clients in courts throughout the country. He is admitted to practice law in the State of Illinois and is a member of the Bar for the United States Court of Federal Claims. Joe has also successfully advanced cases in numerous other states. Joe believes in the adage: “From those to whom much is given, much is expected.” “We have been given much,” Joe says. “It’s our turn to give back. When our clients retain us, they are in one of the most vulnerable situations of their lives. Some can no longer provide for themselves and are dependent on others to live. We try to create a positive relationship with every client. We do everything in our power to come through for each one. Our overwhelming focus is on our client’s needs.” This philosophy has been a constant throughout Joe’s career. “When we take a case, it’s because we believe we will come through for our client. We are dedicated and committed to reaching a successful outcome.” In a landmark case in the transportation industry, Joe’s firm work resulted in a record $23.75 million verdict in Will County, Illinois. “The case addressed an issue in the trucking industry and was precedent-setting,” he says. “We proved that one of the largest logistics brokers in the world was the principal of a driver who plowed into stopped traffic in a suburban Chicago expressway and was, therefore, responsible to the victims of this horrific crash. The logistics company had defended the case by arguing that it was a mere broker and had no involvement in the trucking company’s dealings. It took years of discovery and depositions to develop the case to present to a jury.” The verdict was affirmed on appeal by the Illinois appellate courts. In 2016, Joe published his book, Transportation Law, Rights, and Injuries: Charting Your Course of Legal Action. The book walks through every step in pursuing a car accident case from beginning to end. During his career, Joe has handled numerous cases involving transportation, product liability, medical and professional malpractice, medical device, automotive, employment, construction, insurance coverage, and commercial issues. Joe has been married to his wife for 29 years, has six children, and resides in west suburban Chicago. Both he and his wife are parishioners at St. Joan of Arc Roman Catholic Church. Joe is actively involved at St. Joan of Arc School as well.

Elizabeth Hess

Elizabeth Hess works with Shannon Law Group, P.C., as of counsel, to help our vaccine injury clients get the compensation they deserve from the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) in Washington, D.C. She works on these vaccine injury claims from start to finish. Elizabeth diligently prepares petitions for filing, drafts settlement offers, and does everything she can to push our clients’ cases toward resolution. Elizabeth has both a Juris Doctor and a certificate from an American Bar Association-approved paralegal program at the College of DuPage. With her unique legal background and education, Elizabeth is a fantastic advocate for our clients. She was drawn to SLG because she enjoys helping clients and knowing that her work matters to the success of their claims. She also enjoys working with our team. She says, “They are positive, helpful, and wonderful to work with.” Before joining SLG, Elizabeth was a paralegal at a bankruptcy and tax law firm. She also worked as a supervisor at a local nuts and sweets store for over five years. There, she trained and managed employees in a fast-paced environment. When she’s not in the office, you can find Elizabeth traveling stateside and abroad. She also loves to exercise and spend time with her family and cats.

Elizabeth Hess

Elizabeth Hess works with Shannon Law Group, P.C., as of counsel, to help our vaccine injury clients get the compensation they deserve from the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) in Washington, D.C. She works on these vaccine injury claims from start to finish. Elizabeth diligently prepares petitions for filing, drafts settlement offers, and does everything she can to push our clients’ cases toward resolution. Elizabeth has both a Juris Doctor and a certificate from an American Bar Association-approved paralegal program at the College of DuPage. With her unique legal background and education, Elizabeth is a fantastic advocate for our clients. She was drawn to SLG because she enjoys helping clients and knowing that her work matters to the success of their claims. She also enjoys working with our team. She says, “They are positive, helpful, and wonderful to work with.” Before joining SLG, Elizabeth was a paralegal at a bankruptcy and tax law firm. She also worked as a supervisor at a local nuts and sweets store for over five years. There, she trained and managed employees in a fast-paced environment. When she’s not in the office, you can find Elizabeth traveling stateside and abroad. She also loves to exercise and spend time with her family and cats.

Rhonda Lorenz-Pignato

Using her years of experience as a litigation attorney and her other life experiences, Rhonda Lorenz-Pignato is driven to make a positive impact on people across the United States who suffer adverse reactions as a result of vaccination. Rhonda graduated magna cum laude from DePaul University, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in 1989, majoring in Sociology. She then received her Juris Doctor degree from DePaul University, College of Law, in 1992. From 1993 to 2001, Rhonda worked with insurance defense firms on various personal injury and medical malpractice claims and developed a solid foundation for investigating and litigating claims involving complex injuries. In 2001, Rhonda branched out as a sole practitioner and began assisting law firms as an independent contractor. She continued to work on personal injury claims, which included medical malpractice, nursing home negligence, and automobile accident cases. She represented both plaintiffs and defendants, which helps her assess cases from an objective perspective. As a litigation attorney, Rhonda has represented clients over the years in numerous arbitration hearings and many trials held before judges and juries. She also worked on appeals and argued before the Illinois Appellate Court. In 1996, Rhonda was trained to be an arbitrator in Illinois’ Mandatory Arbitration Program. Soon after she began working as an arbitrator, she was certified as a Lead Arbitrator in that program due to her experience and performance. Since then, Rhonda has run hundreds of arbitrations in several counties in the Chicago area. The majority of the cases she hears involve motor vehicle accidents, personal injury, and contract disputes. It’s important to Rhonda to assist people to reach fair and equitable resolutions to their disputes while treating them with kindness and respect. Rhonda has also taught legal courses in the paralegal program at Northwestern Business College to assist others in gaining the practical knowledge they need to navigate the legal system. Prior to joining Shannon Law Group (SLG), Rhonda developed a strong interest in learning about vaccine injuries and the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP). The VICP is a program created to provide financial compensation to individuals for certain vaccine injuries. Rhonda had a strong desire to work in this field and to help the vaccine injured, so she began working with SLG at the beginning of 2020. Rhonda works exclusively in SLG’s vaccine injury practice to represent those who have been vaccine injured. She also helps SLG expand their practice, educate the public about vaccine injuries, and offer help to even more people who are struggling with these devastating side effects. Over the years, Rhonda has participated in her community by donating time to help people with their spiritual, mental, and physical growth. She has been a guest speaker at churches, hospitals, retreats, business training, health care facilities, and other not-for-profit organizations. She created over 100 presentations/workshops on various topics, such as addiction, health, spiritual development, and communication. She has been a mentor at various addiction treatment facilities over the years, and in 2018 she was certified by the Illinois Certification Board as a Certified Peer Recovery Specialty. Rhonda is also a professional actor, and she has used that creativity to write, direct, and perform in plays that inspire positive change.

Rhonda Lorenz-Pignato

Using her years of experience as a litigation attorney and her other life experiences, Rhonda Lorenz-Pignato is driven to make a positive impact on people across the United States who suffer adverse reactions as a result of vaccination. Rhonda graduated magna cum laude from DePaul University, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in 1989, majoring in Sociology. She then received her Juris Doctor degree from DePaul University, College of Law, in 1992. From 1993 to 2001, Rhonda worked with insurance defense firms on various personal injury and medical malpractice claims and developed a solid foundation for investigating and litigating claims involving complex injuries. In 2001, Rhonda branched out as a sole practitioner and began assisting law firms as an independent contractor. She continued to work on personal injury claims, which included medical malpractice, nursing home negligence, and automobile accident cases. She represented both plaintiffs and defendants, which helps her assess cases from an objective perspective. As a litigation attorney, Rhonda has represented clients over the years in numerous arbitration hearings and many trials held before judges and juries. She also worked on appeals and argued before the Illinois Appellate Court. In 1996, Rhonda was trained to be an arbitrator in Illinois’ Mandatory Arbitration Program. Soon after she began working as an arbitrator, she was certified as a Lead Arbitrator in that program due to her experience and performance. Since then, Rhonda has run hundreds of arbitrations in several counties in the Chicago area. The majority of the cases she hears involve motor vehicle accidents, personal injury, and contract disputes. It’s important to Rhonda to assist people to reach fair and equitable resolutions to their disputes while treating them with kindness and respect. Rhonda has also taught legal courses in the paralegal program at Northwestern Business College to assist others in gaining the practical knowledge they need to navigate the legal system. Prior to joining Shannon Law Group (SLG), Rhonda developed a strong interest in learning about vaccine injuries and the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP). The VICP is a program created to provide financial compensation to individuals for certain vaccine injuries. Rhonda had a strong desire to work in this field and to help the vaccine injured, so she began working with SLG at the beginning of 2020. Rhonda works exclusively in SLG’s vaccine injury practice to represent those who have been vaccine injured. She also helps SLG expand their practice, educate the public about vaccine injuries, and offer help to even more people who are struggling with these devastating side effects. Over the years, Rhonda has participated in her community by donating time to help people with their spiritual, mental, and physical growth. She has been a guest speaker at churches, hospitals, retreats, business training, health care facilities, and other not-for-profit organizations. She created over 100 presentations/workshops on various topics, such as addiction, health, spiritual development, and communication. She has been a mentor at various addiction treatment facilities over the years, and in 2018 she was certified by the Illinois Certification Board as a Certified Peer Recovery Specialty. Rhonda is also a professional actor, and she has used that creativity to write, direct, and perform in plays that inspire positive change.

Elizabeth Simek

In June of 2023, Elizabeth Simek joined our firm as of counsel to help our vaccine injury clients in the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. Since then, she has worked tirelessly for our clients from the start to the resolution of their cases. Elizabeth ensures that, whether talking to clients, writing and filing their petitions, or drafting settlement offers with the court, she is always working in the best interest of our clients to get the resolution they deserve for their cases. Elizabeth has a Juris Doctor from Valparaiso University School of Law, where she was Editor-in-Chief of the Law Review, and has been an attorney since 1996. She has a lot of experience behind her and continually shows her hard work and dedication to our team and the clients we represent. Before joining SLG, Elizabeth worked for several law firms, DePaul University College of Law, and the City of Chicago Department of Law. Since joining SLG, Elizabeth says that one of the best parts of her time here is our team, “I love the collegial nature of the firm. It’s so nice working in an office where everyone enjoys what they’re doing and wants to help others succeed.” When Elizabeth isn’t in the office, she loves to travel, whether on a short road trip or a more extended holiday stateside or abroad. She also loves exercising, volunteering, and spending time with her family and their two English Cream Golden Retrievers.