Hale & Monico

Bios

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  Andy Hale

  Founder

  Andy M. Hale is a trial attorney with over 30 years of experience in civil rights and commercial litigation matters. He and his cofounder, Brian T. Monico, joined forces in 2019 to create Hale & Monico – America’s Justice Attorney’s – where they also specialize in personal injury, medical malpractice, and wrongful death cases. Andy began his career as a litigator in Orlando, Florida and later worked in the Chicago and Los Angeles office of a large national law firm, focusing his practice on a variety of commercial litigation and entertainment litigation matters. Since moving back to his hometown Chicago over twenty years ago, Andy has focused his trial practice on civil right cases. Mr. Hale has been involved in numerous high-profile cases during his three-decade legal career. He is a member of the Bars of Illinois, California and Florida. Mr. Hale also represents clients who he believes are innocent and are wrongfully incarcerated. Mr. Hale has been able to vacate the convictions of two individuals, one after a 47 year prison term, and another after a 20 year prison term. Mr. Hale prides himself as a trial attorney seeking justice for his clients, whether plaintiff or defendant. Mr. Hale has also been actively engaged in numerous media projects; It was in Chicago where he began his career as a filmmaker and producer, shining a light on the issue of wrongful convictions. His Netflix documentary entitled “A Murder In the Park” lead to the exoneration of Alstory Simon after sixteen years of wrongful incarceration. His documentary “Wrong Cat” follows his client Cleve Heidelberg, Jr.’s struggle to prove his innocence after forty-seven years of wrongful incarceration. Andy has also produced short documentary films regarding social justice issues, including “Bullets Have No Names,” which addresses gun violence in Chicago, as well as “98 Seconds,” which sheds light on the issue of sexual assault. Andy also hosted an Emmy nominated television show in Chicago for several years – “Case Files Chicago” – which highlighted and attempted to solve many of Chicago’s most well known “cold cases.” Finally, Andy was also an executive producer of the documentary “White Boy” that chronicled the case of Rick Wershe, a 17-year old from Detroit who was sentenced to life in prison for a non-violent drug offense.

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  Link: Andy Hale

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  Brian Monico

  Founder

  Brian Monico is a skilled litigator who focuses on wrongful death, professional malpractice, personal injury, and civil rights cases. Brian has successfully obtained over $100 million in verdicts and settlements for his clients in his career. While many cases are resolved through settlement, Brian has tried over 50 jury trials with great success. Throughout his career, Brian has distinguished himself as a leader in the development and use of computer-generated graphics and electronic presentations to juries. Brian has shared his knowledge of trial advocacy and courtroom technology with various lawyer groups and taught a class of that name at Loyola University of Chicago School of Law for many years. Brian’s ability to incorporate current technology into his trial strategy, along with his tenacity and intelligence, has contributed to his many successes. In cases that involve complex or technical issues, Brian is skilled at simplifying and explaining concepts and presenting them in a convincing way to juries and judges. While Brian enjoys taking cases to trial, he works with each of his clients to create the best strategy for maximizing their recovery, whether by settlement or trial. At the age of 34, Brian was recognized by the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin as one of Illinois’ 40 under 40 attorneys to watch. In 2016, Law Bulletin Publishing Company published its inaugural “Emerging Lawyers Magazine”, where Brian was recognized on the cover as the top “Emerging Lawyer” in Illinois. That magazine recognized Brian as the number one lawyer under 40 years of age in Illinois. Brian continues to be recognized, and in 2018 was recognized as a Leading Lawyer and Super Lawyer. Brian received his undergraduate degree from Fairfield University, located in Fairfield, Connecticut. After working in finance in New York, Brian returned to his hometown to attend Loyola University Chicago School of Law. While in law school, Brian was a member of the nationally recognized Corboy Mock Trial Team, participating in numerous trial competitions throughout the country and receiving multiple merit scholarship awards. Additionally, Brian received two scholarships, the Philip H. Corboy Fellowship, a fellowship in trial advocacy and the Thomas F. and Patricia A. Bridgman Scholarship, which is awarded to a baptized Roman Catholic student who has demonstrated achievements in academic and extracurricular activities. During law school, Brian externed for the then-Chief Judge of the Northern District of Illinois, Charles P. Kocoras, and clerked at a prestigious plaintiff’s personal injury law firm. This is where Brian began to appreciate the good a plaintiff’s attorney can bring to someone’s life. After graduating from law school, Brian began his career as a Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney in the Criminal Appeals Division. Brian was then hired away from public service, to private practice, and began his career working with two giants of the Plaintiffs’ trial bar, Lorna Propes and Patti Bobb. Over the next 15 years, Brian’s practice was predominately plaintiff’s personal injury work at one of the best plaintiff’s firms in Illinois. In 2019, Brian formed his own firm with Andy Hale and Hale & Monico was formed. Brian has two boys, 5 and 8 years of age, with whom he spends most of his free time. Brian and his boys love baseball and superheroes. When not at work, Brian can be found with his boys in the park or at a movie theater seeing the latest superhero release or blockbuster film.

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  Link: Brian Monico

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  Shawn Barnett

  Attorney

  Shawn Barnett is an accomplished litigator who brings years of experience to the firm. As a former Assistant Corporation Counsel for the City of Chicago, Shawn was involved in nearly 100 federal civil rights cases defending municipal employees. During this time, not only did he complete numerous trials to jury verdict but he was involved with some of the most complex and high-exposure cases involving law enforcement officers. Since entering private practice, Shawn has concentrated his practice on civil rights and tort litigation in both State and Federal Courts, with a focus on police-involved shooting incidents, reversed/wrongful conviction litigation, and general allegations of police misconduct. Determined to be a strong advocate for his client, he meticulously reviews the facts of each case, analyzes all legal options available, and litigates each case as if it will proceed to a jury trial. This dedication stems from Shawn’s time in the US Air Force, where he was instilled with a fundamental belief of achieving excellence no matter the task. Not only did this principle serve Shawn well in his time and the military and during law school – where he was a member of the Law Review and graduated with honors – but it has continued through his legal career, to the benefit of his clients. In his free time, Shawn enjoys reading, baseball, and skydiving.

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  Link: Shawn Barnett

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  William Bazarek

  Attorney

  Mr. Bazarek concentrates his practice in civil rights litigation, with significant trial experience in both federal and state courts. Prior to entering private practice, Mr. Bazarek had over 27 years of legal experience in the public sector, having worked as a leading trial attorney in hundreds of cases with the City of Chicago Law Department’s Federal Civil Rights Litigation Division, prosecutor for the City of Chicago Law Department, and as First Assistant General Counsel for the Chicago Police Department. Mr. Bazarek’s vast and prior legal experience includes defending Chicago Police Department members and the City of Chicago against civil rights claims, serving as a prosecutor for the Mayor’s License Commission and providing legal advice and counsel to the Chicago Police Department’s command staff and other members in numerous high-profile and noteworthy cases. Mr. Bazarek is adept at handling complex legal challenges and providing crisis management strategies. In his capacity as First Assistant General Counsel, Mr. Bazarek assisted in coordinating and directing legal activities for the Chicago Police Department. He possesses significant experience in handling high exposure/high profile civil rights actions brought against the City of Chicago and members of its police force. Mr. Bazarek offers unique and wide-ranging expertise regarding policies and practices of law enforcement agencies and other governmental entities.

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  Link: William Bazarek

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  Jennifer Bitoy

  Attorney

  Ms. Bitoy concentrates her practice in civil rights litigation, with trial experience in both State and Federal Court. While at the University of Illinois College of Law, she honed her litigation skills, partaking in moot court as well as trial advocacy. Ms. Bitoy’s professional activities highlight her litigation skills, as she served as the co-chair on the Chicago Bar Association, Young lawyers Section, Moot Court Committee, for several years, organizing the national competition which provides law students with the opportunity to sharpen their writing and oral advocacy skills.

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  Link: Jennifer Bitoy