Gerald Jonathan Bekkerman
About Gerald
Biography
Gerald J. Bekkerman is a respected trial lawyer with a history of success representing plaintiffs in personal injury cases nationwide. Prior to becoming a joining member of the firm, Gerald ran his own practice, which in just six years he grew to six attorneys. During that time Gerald has obtained numerous multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements for his clients.
Gerald has obtained significant and news worthy jury verdicts for his clients, including a record setting jury verdict in Tennessee for a family injured in a truck accident, a headline making $2.27 million dollar jury verdict against the City of Chicago for an injured postal worker, and a $2.5 million dollar jury verdict on a zero offer disputed liability highway crash. He has also obtained significant settlements, including a $4.8 million dollar settlement in a disputed liability automobile crash, a $4.5 million dollar result in a truck accident case in Ohio, a $3 million dollar medical malpractice settlement in Chicago, a $2.25 million dollar settlement for an injured bicyclist in Chicago, a $2 million dollar settlement for a fatality at a construction project, and a $1.5 million dollar settlement for the family of a special needs adult who passed away from neglect in her group home.
Through hard work, attention to detail, knowledge of the law, and a keen sense of compassion and understanding for his clients’ needs, Gerald has been able to help hundreds of clients injured through the negligence of others receive fair and reasonable compensation to help them rebuild their lives.
Gerald has been honored for his accomplishment in the Legal Community. In 2018 he was awarded the prestigious 40 Under 40 Award by the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin. This exclusive peer reviewed nomination recognizes the best young lawyers in the state, with only a handful of lawyers in each area of practice. Over 1500 nominations were received in 2018 and only 40 were selected. In addition, the National Trial Lawyers has recognized Gerald as a Top 40 Under 40 trial attorney nationwide. Gerald has been recognized as an Illinois Super Lawyers Rising Star for seven consecutive years, an honor given to only 2.5% of all attorneys practicing in Illinois, has been recognized by his peers as an Emerging Lawyer, also an exclusive designation open to only the top 2% of attorneys in the State of Illinois under 40 years of age, and is a lifetime member of the Million and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum for his trial successes.
Gerald has been asked to speak at numerous engagements and legal seminars, including the 2017 Illinois Trial Lawyers Damages Seminar, and the 2018 Illinois Trial Lawyers Ethics Seminar. He has also lectured at area law schools on topics ranging from starting and opening a law firm, to jury selection.
Gerald is an active member of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, being elected by his peers to the prestigious Board of Managers, and is also active with the Chicago Bar Association, the Illinois State Bar Association, and the American Association of Justice. Gerald is licensed to practice in Illinois and Wisconsin state and several federal jurisdictions. Gerald is also fluent in Russian and proficient in Spanish. He is involved with many charities and advocacy groups, including sitting on the Advisory Board of the Active Transportation Alliance, a non-profit advocacy group focused on improving safety for pedestrians and bicyclists in Chicago and Illinois.
Practice Areas
3
Practice Areas
19 years | 500 cases
19 years | 500 cases
Fees and Rates
Cost
33%-33%
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Chat withLicenses
Licensed in Wisconsin for 16 years
State: Wisconsin
Acquired: 2009
No misconduct found
Licensed in Illinois for 18 years
State: Illinois
Acquired: 2007
No misconduct found
Location
Taxman, Pollock, Murray & Bekkerman, LLC
225 West Wacker Dr, Suite 1650, Chicago, IL, 60606
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Gerald Jonathan Bekkerman's Reviews
Showing 1 - 5 of 5 client reviews from Avvo
Posted by anonymous | January 18, 2019 | Hired Attorney
Nursing home negligence
You never think it's going to happen to you or someone you love. And then it does. My mother's case was catastrophic. A friend referred us to Gerald Bekkerman and from the beginning to the end of the long process, Jerry worked diligently on her case with the assistance of Katherine. Jerry explained e...
Posted by Landon | April 2, 2014
One of those people you'd love to be friends with.
I was referred to Jerry by two other attorneys when I slipped on ice, in the parking lot at Wrigley Field, and broke my leg. As soon as we began the process of filing a suit, Jerry told me exactly what the process would entail. Everything went the way he said it would. I never doubted his expertise, ...
Posted by Jenna | March 28, 2014
Personal Injury Review
At the end of 2009 my fiance and I were in a bad car accident and Jerry was immensely helpful as we navigated through the process. He kept us very informed of all the legal proceedings and gave us the information we needed to come to the best possible outcome. Without Jerry's help and expertise it wo...
Posted by Jake | March 27, 2014
Escalade T-Bone
I had the very unfortunate experience of being blind-sided by an Escalade who ran a red light and T-boned my vintage and beautifully restored Porsche, turning it into a fireball and complete loss. I was lucky to walk away from the accident, but I was severely injured and unable to work, on top of lo...
Posted by Corthenia | March 27, 2014
Corthenia Review
Your service is phenomenal. The fact that you would help not only me with my case but other members of my family without the push for monetary compensation before the cases were win is incredible. I would highly recommend Gerald Bekkerman to everyone I know and wouldn't hesitate to call him again.
Gerald Jonathan Bekkerman's Lawyer Endorsements
"If Jerry is representing you, you are in excellent hands. I had the pleasure of going to law school with him and I can say that not only is he a great lawyer but he is also a great person."
"Jerry does a great job for his clients, taking the time to get to know each client on an extremely personal level which allows him to determine how he can best help. Jerry's personal attention to each matter allows him to continuously obtain fantastic results for his clients time and time again."
"Jerry's as good as it gets when it comes to representing plaintiffs. He has an exceptional familiarity with the law, and is always a willing resource for other attorneys."
"I endorse this lawyer. Jerry is an extremely thorough and caring lawyer. I do not hesitate to refer personal injury matters to him. The clients are always well attended to and get the highest level of attention. Jerry is a great asset to my practice."
"Gerald Bekkerman is a name we have seen, and will continue to see, attached to large verdicts and settlements. In a short time, he has separated himself from a large community of skilled practitioners, not only with his results, but with his reputation amongst clients and attorneys."
"Jerry is extremely hard-working, smart, and professional. He is honest and straight-forward with his clients and an exceptionally skillful advocate. I have and will continue to recommend his services to colleagues, friends, and clients."
"I endorse this lawyer. Jerry's name seems to get mentioned quite a bit as one of the up and coming plaintiffs attorneys in the city, and its easy to see why. Working with him on various matters, I've seen him go the extra mile for clients. His work ethic, intelligence and assertiveness really sets him apart from others in the field. Highly recommended."
"I endorse this lawyer. Mr. Bekkerman is known throughout his community as one of the brightest and most aggressive personal injury attorneys. His dedication to his clients is unparalleled. You will not find a more diligent and loyal advocate for your cause."
"Jerry has a unique skill set and tenacious nature that has translated into substantial verdicts and settlements for clients we have worked for together. When taking on Personal Injury matters, I count on Jerry's experience and know how to ensure the case reaches a favorable result for the client."
"I endorse this lawyer. Jerry does a great job for his clients; takes the time to get to know them and has received fantastic results for clients time and again."
"Gerald obtains great results for his clients because he cares about his clients. For Gerald it is not just about collecting a fee, it is about improving the quality of life of the individuals he represents. When you realize his motivation in representing each client it is easy to understand why he is a rising star in the field of personal injury."
"Jerry is an excellent attorney who has the reputation for doing anything for his client's. He is highly recommended."
"Jerry is one of the most promising and talented lawyers in Chicago. His results are outstanding. He is a gifted and ethical attorney whose clients can be very proud of having on their side."
Litigation lawyer
Guardianship lawyer
Criminal defense lawyer
Personal injury lawyer
Real estate lawyer
Real estate lawyer
Personal injury lawyer
Experience
Honors
2014
Rising Star, Illinois Super Lawyers
2014
Top 40 Under 40, National Trial Lawyers
2013
Rising Star, Illinois Super Lawyers
2012
Rising Star, Illinois Super Lawyers
Work Experience
2010 - Present
Managing Partner, Bekkerman Law Offices, LLC
2009 - 2010
Associate Attorney, Coplan & Crane, Ltd.
2007 - 2009
Associate Attorney, Whiting Law Group, LLC
2004 - 2007
Law clerks, Anesi, Ozmon, Rodin, Novak & Kohen, Ltd.
Associations
2012 - Present
American Association for JusticeAttorney Member
2008 - Present
Illinois Trial Lawyers AssociationAttorney Member
2008 - Present
Chicago Bar AssociationAttorney Member
2007 - Present
Illinois State Bar AssociationAttorney Member
Sample of Legal Cases
Unanimous jury verdict of $2.27 million
Unanimous jury verdict of $350,000.00
$900,000.00 settlement
$525,000.00 settlement
Education
2007
JD - Juris Doctor
2004
BA - Bachelor of Arts
Speaking Engagements
2011
What to do after a bike accident
Publications
2025
Languages
Russian
Spanish