Donald L. Mrozek

Donald Mrozek served as chairman of Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP from 1989 – 2015. Today, as chair of the firm's Consultant/Coach for the Profession^SM Practice, he helps law firm leaders address complex business and management-related challenges and opportunities involved in effectively managing their firms.

Don and the team — which includes members of Hinshaw’s leading Lawyers for the Profession® practice — advise law firms and their leaders on a wide variety of subjects including formation of a firm; partner compensation, governance and practice group structure; strategic planning; "enterprise risk management" for law firms; analysis and improvement of firm profitability; selecting and grooming successor managing partners and other firm leaders; how to ethically withdraw from a firm; exit strategies for retiring firm founders and majority owners of firms; and planning in the event of death or disability. He is also available for coaching of professionals; arbitration and mediation of partner disputes; and acting as an expert witness in disputes involving lawyers.

Don also represents clients in the areas of governance; business litigation; fidelity bond claims and litigation; and internal investigations involving allegations of fraud and related misconduct and related areas.

Under Don's leadership, Hinshaw grew from a small Chicago-area law firm to a national firm with 25 offices, approximately 500 attorneys and more than $225 million in revenues. His accomplishments as Chairman of the firm are chronicled in the July 9, 2015 issue of American Lawyer Daily and in Bloomberg Law's Big Law Business.

• American Bar Association
  • Fidelity and Surety Committee, Former Vice-Chairman
• International Association of Defense Counsel
  • Business Litigation Committee, Former Chairman
  • Fidelity and Surety Committee, Former Vice-Chairman
• Defense Research Institute (DRI)
  • Professional Liability Committee, Past Chairman
• Chicago Inn of Court, Member, 2003 – Present; President, 2006 – 2007
• DePaul University Law School
  • Dean's Advisory Council, 1990 – Present; Chairman, 2011 – 2012

• Selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© for Litigation – Insurance, 2020 – 2025; Litigation – Construction, 2018 – 2021
• Recognized by Best Lawyers® as the Litigation - Insurance "Lawyer of the Year" in Chicago, 2023
• Recognized on the Super Lawyers list by Illinois Super Lawyers magazine, 2005 – 2024
• Honored as one of the Top 100 Leading Business Lawyers in Illinois in Leading Lawyers Magazine Business Edition, 2010
• DePaul University School of Law, Distinguished Alumni Award, 2010; Law Review Sapientia Award, 2009; Certificate of Appreciation Award, 1997
• Named as one of "The Best of the Law Firm Leaders" by Of Counsel, 2002
• Recognized by his peers as a "Leading Lawyer" in the areas of Closely & Privately Held Business Law; Commercial Litigation; and Insurance, Insurance Coverage & Reinsurance Law
• Holds the AV® Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, its highest rating for ethics and legal ability

Don has lectured on numerous legal and management topics to local, regional and national audiences at seminars sponsored by many organizations, including:

Law firm and law firm leader consulting and coaching:

• Co-Chair, Managing Partner Forum (MPF) Fall Symposium, Virtual Event, November 3, 2021
• Panelist, "State of the Legal Profession and Registrant Survey Results," Managing Partner Forum (MPF) Fall Symposium, Virtual Event, November 3, 2021
• Panelist, "A Big Picture Look at Succession Alternatives Assessing the Value of Your Law Firm: What’s it Really Worth?," Managing Partner Forum (MPF) Fall Symposium, Virtual Event, November 3, 2021
• Panelist, “Transitioning to Younger Partners,” Managing Partner Forum (MPF) Fall Symposium, Virtual Event, November 3, 2021
• Panelist, "Lessons Learned: A Panel of Active and Retired Managing Partners Tells It Like It Is," Managing Partner Forum (MPF) Fall Symposium, Virtual Event, November 3, 2021
• "Firm Leadership Succession," The Managing Partner Forum, Atlanta, Georgia, May 2018
• "What’s Keeping Law Firm General Counsel Awake At Night?  Law Firm Succession," The Legal Malpractice & Risk Management Conference, Chicago, Illinois, March 2018
• "Selecting The Next Leader Of The Firm: Law Practice Exit Strategies," The IADC Midyear Meeting, La Quinta, California, February 2018
• "The Risks of Managing a Firm Like a Business," The ABA National Legal Malpractice Conference, Colorado Springs, Colorado, September 2017
• "Leadership in Action," The MPF 2017 Leadership Conference, Atlanta, Georgia, May 2017
• "General Counsel and Their Managing Partners: Developing a Risk Management Partnership," The Legal Malpractice & Risk Management Conference, Chicago, Illinois, March 2017
• "Successful Partnering: Between Inside and Outside Counsel," The Chicago Bar Association, Program Faculty, Chicago, Illinois, 2003
• "Utilizing a National/Regional Program for Litigation," 40th Risk and Insurance Management Society Annual Meeting, April 2002
• "Inside Law Firm M&A's," Illinois Legal Times Roundtable Discussion, March 1998
• "Competitiveness Through Innovative Client Services: Meeting and Exceeding Client Expectations is the Future for Your Firm," Mid-Year Meeting/International Association of Defense Counsel, February 1996
• "Splitting the Pie: Determining Partners' Income," Illinois Legal Times Roundtable, November 1994
• "Building the Client-Driven Law Firm: Creative Ways to Get Lawyers to Listen to Their Clients," Fourth International Conference on Legal Services Marketing, Institute on Law Firm Management, October 1994
• "Client Surveys and Focus Groups," Association of Legal Administrators/Chicago Chapter, February 1994

Business Litigation, Fidelity Law, Corporate Governance and related areas:

• "Common Issues Which Arise in the Investigation of the Fidelity Bond Claim," American Bar Association, Tort Trial Insurance, Fidelity and Surety Law Committee, MidWinter Meeting, January 2013
• "Court Costs and Attorneys' Fees," American Bar Association, Tort Trial & Insurance Section, Fidelity & Surety Law Committee seminar "Financial Institute Bonds: From the Masters," Baltimore, Maryland, November 2008
• "Fraud in the Executive Suite: Internal Investigation, Employment Law Ramifications and Fidelity Coverage," Program Chair, Annual meeting of the American Bar Association/Fidelity and Surety Committee, August 1999
• "The Trial of a Loan Loss Case Against the Fidelity Carrier - A view from the Jury Box," Mid-Winter Meeting, International Association of Defense Counsel, January 1999 (mock trial participant as attorney for the Fidelity carrier)
• "Fraud in the Executive Suite," American Bar Association Annual Meeting, Atlanta, Georgia, 1999

• "Components of Effective Partner Compensation: Long-Term Focus (Perspective)," Bloomberg Law, September 15, 2017
• "Enduring Principles for an Effective Partner Compensation System (Perspective)," Bloomberg Law, May 17, 2017
• "How to Evaluate Law Firm Leaders (Perspective)," Bloomberg Law, March 1, 2017
• "How to Plan a Law Firm Leadership Succession Part II (Perspective)," Bloomberg Law, January 12, 2017
• "How to Plan a Law Firm Leadership Succession Part I (Perspective)," Bloomberg Law, November 23, 2016 
• "How to Respond to Bullying in Big Law (Perspective)," Bloomberg Law, October 25, 2016
• "General Agreement (F) Notice of Legal Proceedings Against Insured – Election to Defend," chapter co-author, "Financial Institution Bonds 537-576," (Duncan L. Clore ed., 3d ed.) 2008
• "Chapter 78 Case Study: ServiceMaster's National Litigation Program," Successful Partnering Between Inside and Outside Counsel, West Group & ACCA, September 2000 (updated 2003)

• St. Rita Board of Directors (2015–Present)
• Constitutional Rights Foundation Chicago, Member, Board of Directors (2004–Present) Vice Chairman (2012–Present)
• DePaul University College of Law, Dean's Council (1990–Present) Chairman (2011–2012)
• El Valor, "Tocar el Futuro": Member, Civic Leadership Team (1996–2008) Member, Board of Directors (2005–2008)
• Hinsdale Hospital Foundation: Board of Trustees (1997–2003)
• Josephinum High School: Board of Directors (1992–1998) Chairman, Development Committee (1993–1995) Chairman, Board of Directors (1995–1998)
• American Cancer Society "Hoops for Life": Sponsor (1989–Present) Certificate of Appreciation Award (1997)
• St. Rita High School, "Valentine's Day Committee" Founding Member (1990–Present) Co-Chairman (1993) Chairman (1994)
• DePaul University Cornerstone Campaign, Law School Division, Vice Chairman (1992)
• Burr Ridge Meadows Improvement Association: Board of Directors, Elected Member, (1984–1986) Board of Directors, President (1985–1986)
• Infant Jesus of Prague Fiscal Board: Elected Member (1981–1983) President (1983)