LAWRENCE J. AMATO is an associate attorney at GWC, where he works in the firm’s Litigation division.
After graduating from St. Norbert College with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Lawrence attended University of Illinois Chicago School of Law (formerly known as John Marshall Law School) where he earned his Juris Doctorate. Throughout his time in law school, Lawrence worked as a teaching assistant for first-year law students in Torts and Legal Writing classes. He later completed a judicial externship for the Honorable Judge John Callahan of the Circuit Court of Cook County.
Lawrence also competed on several mock trial teams throughout his time at John Marshall. As a first-year law student, his team placed 1st in John Marshall’s annual school-wide mock trial competition. He later participated in national tournaments as a member of John Marshall’s trial team, including an international competition in Puerto Rico where his team placed in the top four overall.
Every year since 2021, Leading Lawyers Magazine has honored Lawrence as an “Emerging Lawyer,” a distinction limited to fewer than 2% of attorneys in each state who have been identified by their peers as being professional, ethical, and experienced at an early point in their careers. The National Trial Lawyers also selected him as one of its “Top 40 Under 40 Civil Plaintiff Trial Lawyers” in Illinois, a directory of attorneys chosen for their superior skills and qualifications.
Education History
- St. Norbert College
- University of Illinois Chicago School of Law (formerly known as John Marshall Law School)
Memberships
- Illinois Trial Lawyers Association
Practice Areas
Some of Lawrence’s verdicts and settlements include:
- $4,990,000.00 for a union elevator mechanic who injured his shoulder and spine in a construction accident (settlement).
- $3,545,546.32 for the family of a concrete laborer who was killed in a construction accident (binding arbitration award).
- More than $2.05 million for a union marble setter who suffered shoulder, elbow, and neck injuries on a commercial building project (settlement).
- $563,711.57 for a telecommunications technician injured in a slip-and-fall accident (jury verdict).
- $527,689.02 for a union laborer injured in an auto accident (jury verdict).
When he is not practicing law, Lawrence enjoys spending time with his family and friends.
