Miller Shakman & Beem is a litigation firm with experience in all aspects of commercial and constitutional litigation. The depth and breadth of our experience within this spectrum allow us to provide our clients with knowledgeable, sensible and reliable legal advice. Personalized and Effective Representation Our firm’s structure makes communication with clients practical and efficient. We have rejected the "pyramid" organizational model adopted by many law firms. Instead, most of our attorneys are partners with significant litigation experience, who in turn are supported by a small pool of talented associates. This insures that the day-to-day work on our clients’ cases is performed by seasoned counsel and that clients routinely interact with the partner handling their case. Additionally, instead of a rigid organization of practice groups, we work in an interdisciplinary and collegial environment. Our organizational structure enables us to staff each matter simply and appropriately. Our attorneys have vast experience with the court system and the litigation process, and advance each client’s case with skill and tenacity. We also are familiar with an array of alternatives to the courts for resolving disputes, including various forms of mediation and arbitration, and understand that many successful representations end in settlement rather than at trial. Our goal is to provide the solution best suited to each particular case and client, considering all available options and taking into account the differences in cost, risk and length of time to reach a final resolution. Frequently, we suggest alternatives our clients have not previously considered. We believe that this open-minded approach to litigation is both realistic and effective. Lawyers’ Lawyers The firm’s ability to deliver results to clients has long been recognized by our peers. For years, many of the biggest law firms in Chicago and around the country have trusted the firm with their most precious assets-their clients-by referring complex litigation to the firm when conflicts have prevented them from handling the matters themselves. They have also trusted the firm with other matters of paramount importance to them: their own legal interests. Large and small firms, as well as individual attorneys, have chosen the firm to defend them in legal malpractice claims, to advise them on sensitive ethical questions, to represent them before the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission and to represent them concerning internal partnership disputes. Intellectually Gifted and Professionally Talented The attorneys at Miller Shakman & Beem are a unique breed. Chosen from the very best law schools, most of our attorneys spent time serving as law clerks to federal judges, experience that provided them with a unique insight into the judicial decision-making process. In addition to this intellectual preparation, our lawyers have years of experience litigating cases. The result is lawyers who are both intellectually gifted and professionally talented. This background and training offers clients a level of legal service found in the most sophisticated of law practices. The excellence of our firm is reflected in the fact that a number of partners have been selected to serve as federal judges. Former Miller Shakman & Beem partners have served as judges at all five levels of the federal court system. Four were chosen by the President to serve as federal judges, one on the U.S. Supreme Court, one on the Court of Appeals, and two on the District Court. Three were chosen by other judges to serve as Federal Bankruptcy and Magistrate Judges. To our knowledge, this record is unique among all law firms in the country. Years of Experience Since 1946, Miller Shakman & Beem has been offering our clients thoughtful counsel, seasoned expertise and vigorous representation. These attributes, along with the flexibility afforded by our size and informal structure, make us what the American Lawyer once termed one of the nation's “Thirteen Great Small Law Firms.”