PARTNER
Naperville, IL
ejmanzke@collinslaw.com
A gifted personal injury lawyer, Ed excels in understanding the facts and law concerning how a client was injured, and in developing a legal strategy to win just compensation. He is passionate about representing injured people who are at a low point in their lives and need legal help. A lawyer since 1992, Ed has won verdicts and favorable settlements for his clients in the following cases:
Ed has been selected as an Illinois "Super Lawyer" for 2006, 2007, 2009-2021. Considered among the best in their profession, Super Lawyers represent the top 5% of the practicing attorneys in Illinois. In addition, he has been recognized by Best Lawyers® in 2020 and 2021. Best Lawyers lists are compiled based on exhaustive peer-review evaluations and are regarded as the definitive guides to legal excellence. Ed's personal injury cases have been the subject of extensive media coverage and have appeared on multiple news outlets, including CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX and MSNBC. Most recently, Ed appeared on MSNBC's "Caught On Camera" television show to discuss one of his recent personal injury cases. The Chicago Daily Law Bulletin has also recently featured Ed's work in a multi-million dollar DuPage County personal injury case.
In the past fifteen years, Ed has recovered over $125 million dollars for his clients. Here are a few examples of his successes:
In 2020, Ed recovered over $22 million dollars for his clients, including a $1 million dollar settlement for a child injured in a boating accident.
In 2019, Ed secured over $5 million dollars in verdicts and settlements for his clients.
In 2018, Ed recovered $4 million dollars for his clients in personal injury cases. In 2016 and 2017, Ed recovered over $5 million in verdicts and settlements in personal injury and environmental contamination cases.
During 2014 and 2015, Ed secured over $6 million for his clients in cases ranging from wrongful death, and product liability to automobile accidents and premises liability. Ed is believed to be the first plaintiff's attorney in Illinois and one of the first in the country, to successfully prosecute a wrongful death case involving the negligent manufacture of synthetic drugs.
In 2013, Ed recovered over $8 Million on behalf of his personal injury clients and victims of environmental contamination.
In 2012, Ed finalized a settlement of over $2 million on behalf of a high school student injured by a fall during her gym class. In 2011, he resolved an environmental class action lawsuit for over $8 million. In 2010, he recovered $1.35 million dollars on behalf of a client injured in an automobile accident. During 2009, Ed recovered over $17 million dollars on behalf of his personal injury clients and victims of environmental contamination. In 2008, Ed won a jury verdict of $4.74 million on behalf of a firm client who was injured as a result of medical negligence. In 2007, Ed recovered $8.5 million on behalf of a client who was injured in an automobile collision. In 2006, Ed obtained a jury verdict of $1,050,000 for the wrongful death of a college student on behalf of a family whose daughter was killed while a student. This verdict is the largest ever recorded in Knox County, Illinois. Ed's jury verdict of $2.35 million of behalf of one of the Firm's small business clients was featured in Crain's Chicago Business as one of Illinois' largest verdicts during 2004.
In addition to his personal injury work, Edward has over 20 years’ experience litigating environmental class action and toxic tort cases. Together with law partner Shawn Collins, Edward started and developed CLF’s Environmental Litigation practice. In that role, he has dedicated himself to fighting for the innocent victims of groundwater, air and soil contamination. The results of these legal battles have been outstanding and include recovery of over $100 million in damages for victims of environmental pollution and the development of new legal precedent making it easier for innocent families to seek relief as a class of citizens. Edward is most proud of the fact that his environmental work with the Firm has also included providing safe drinking water for over 16,000 people. Edward often serves as the lead investigating lawyer for the firm on its environmental cases, conducting and supervising the detailed review of the typically multi-million document record; he also leads the firm’s work in understanding the toxicity of the chemical at issue, working closely with experts to develop the scientific core of the case. In addition to his environmental practice, Edward has 29 years’ experience handling complex litigation as lead counsel. During his legal career, Edward has acted as lead trial counsel or second chair in over a dozen trials, binding arbitrations and binding mediations. Edward has been invited to speak on environmental class actions by the Chicago Bar Association and he has been retained as an expert witness in environmental litigation.
Ed has represented his clients in the Illinois Supreme Court, the Illinois Appellate Court, Illinois state courts and federal courts throughout the country. He attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he received his B.A. in Economics. As an undergrad, Ed was named a George Huff award winner, recognizing his proficiency in scholarship and athletics. While an undergrad, Ed was a member of the Dean's List and earned a varsity letter in basketball. Ed continued his studies at the University of Illinois where he received his law degree and was a member of the Dean's List.
Ed is a member of the American Association for Justice, the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association and the Illinois, Chicago, and DuPage County Bar Associations. He has been a volunteer advocate for the Illinois Pro Bono Center, helping disabled children maintain their governmental benefits. Ed has taught "Effective Business Communication" at the University of Illinois, and multiple courses at the American Institute for Paralegal Studies. Ed has also lectured on environmental law issues at the Chicago Bar Association.
In addition to his legal career, Ed believes strongly in community involvement. For several years, Ed served on the Board of Directors for Naperville Youth Basketball Association. He is currently on the Board of Directors for the "H Foundation," a local non-profit organization raising money for cancer research. Ed has also served as a director of a Naperville based non-profit organization raising money for victims of depression and anxiety disorders and has served as a member of the Board of Directors for the Community Career Center, a Naperville based non-profit organization dedicated to helping people struggling to get back into the workplace.
Education
Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
Professional & Bar Association Memberships
Honors and Awards
Pro Bono Activities
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