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5 Best Civil Litigation Lawyers in Chicago (2026)

Independently ranked by our review of ratings, reviews and reputation · How we chose

Lorian Hartfield
By Lorian Hartfield, Real Estate and Financial Expert · ✓ Data verified August 2026 · 8 min read

Civil litigation in Chicago covers everything from a workplace dispute to a multi-year commercial lawsuit, and the size gap between the firms on this page reflects that. Ankin Law has logged 1,364 reviews, more than seventeen times the 79 behind the smallest firm here, yet every single business on this list still holds a rating of 4.8 or higher. The real question for a civil litigation lawyer in Chicago isn't who's rated best, it's who's actually tried a case like yours.

Short answer: Ankin Law leads on scale with a 4.8 rating across 1,364 reviews and a broad personal injury and civil litigation practice. For business and commercial disputes specifically, CTM Legal Group (4.9, 385 reviews) and Marcus & Boxerman (5.0, 108 reviews) both draw strong, repeat praise for contract and transactional litigation.
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The Civil Litigation Shortlist for Chicago

# Business Rating Reviews Best for
1 Ankin Law 4.8 1,364 Personal injury and workers' comp litigation View ›
2 CTM Legal Group 4.9 385 Employment and general civil disputes View ›
3 The Thiel Law Group, P.C. 4.9 138 Criminal-adjacent civil defense View ›
4 Marcus & Boxerman 5.0 108 Business and contract litigation View ›
5 Criminal Defense Lawyer of Chicago 4.9 79 Criminal defense with civil litigation overlap View ›
5 Best Civil Litigation Lawyers in Chicago (2026)

Our top picks, reviewed

Ankin Law logo
#1 Overall🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

Ankin Law

4.81,364 Google reviews

Ankin Law is a downtown Loop firm built primarily around personal injury and workers' compensation litigation, with the deepest review history of any firm on this page by a wide margin. Its site lists multi-million dollar recoveries in medical negligence, workplace injury, and negligence cases, and reviewers describe a team-based approach where a lead attorney and a legal assistant both stay involved through the life of a case.

What people praise

  • By far the largest review base here, 1,364 reviews with 91% five-star
  • Reviewers repeatedly name specific attorneys (Maria, John Powers, Telly Liapis) for staying communicative through long cases
  • One reviewer describes the firm taking over a five-year-old stalled case and resolving it within a month
  • Advertises no upfront fees for personal injury matters
Reputation scorecardrank in Chicago
Rating4.8 / 5
Review volume1,364 · 98th
Confidencevery high
Recency3 weeks ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown91% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: If your civil dispute involves an injury or workplace harm, this is the safest default given the sheer volume of consistently positive feedback.

10 N Dearborn St #500, Chicago, IL 60602

The Thiel Law Group, P.C. logo
#3🕑 Open 5 days/wk

The Thiel Law Group, P.C.

4.9138 Google reviews

The Thiel Law Group is a Loop firm led by attorney Keith Thiel, and the reviews on this page describe both criminal defense matters and civil litigation, including a defamation defense case involving a client's son. Reviewers consistently describe direct, personal access to Thiel himself rather than being routed through junior staff.

What people praise

  • 4.9 rating across 138 reviews
  • Multiple reviewers describe next-day availability, including meeting a client the morning after an evening call
  • One reviewer's felony-adjacent civil matter was fully dismissed after Thiel's defense strategy
Reputation scorecardrank in Chicago
Rating4.9 / 5
Review volume138 · 88th
Confidencemoderate
Recency7 weeks ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown94% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: Worth calling if your civil case has a defense angle, like defamation or a dispute that could escalate, and you want direct access to the lead attorney.

211 S Clark St #1975, Chicago, IL 60690

Marcus & Boxerman logo
#4🕑 Open 5 days/wk

Marcus & Boxerman

5.0108 Google reviews

Marcus & Boxerman is a Loop firm concentrated on business, franchise, and contract litigation, with reviewers overwhelmingly naming attorney Michael Boxerman as their point of contact for asset purchase disputes, lease assignments, and contract negotiations that turned contentious.

What people praise

  • Perfect 5.0 rating across 108 reviews, with 99% at 5 stars
  • Reviewers describe fast, detail-oriented handling of complex acquisition and franchise disputes
  • Consistently praised for protecting client interests through difficult negotiations
Reputation scorecardrank in Chicago
Rating5 / 5
Review volume108 · 83th
Confidencemoderate
Recency5 weeks ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown99% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The most business-litigation-focused option here, best suited to contract or acquisition disputes rather than personal injury or criminal matters.

20 N Clark St Suite 3300, Chicago, IL 60602

Criminal Defense Lawyer of Chicago logo
#5🕑 Open 7 days

Criminal Defense Lawyer of Chicago

4.979 Google reviews

Criminal Defense Lawyer of Chicago is a Loop practice led by attorney Aaron Rosenblatt, focused primarily on criminal defense but handling civil disputes that intersect with criminal exposure. Reviewers describe Rosenblatt taking urgent, same-day calls, including meeting clients at court on short notice before a hearing.

What people praise

  • 4.9 rating across 79 reviews, with 97% five-star
  • Reviewers describe rapid response even to late-night or last-minute calls
  • One reviewer used the firm three separate times and described consistently favorable outcomes

Worth knowing

  • Smallest review base on this page, so there's less volume to gauge consistency across a large number of cases
Reputation scorecardrank in Chicago
Rating4.9 / 5
Review volume79 · 78th
Confidenceearly
Recency6 weeks ago
Info completenesssite · phone · hours
Rating breakdown97% 5-star
✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: A solid option if your civil matter has a criminal-law dimension, though the review history here is thinner than the other names on this list.

53 W Jackson Blvd #1442, Chicago, IL 60604

6

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How we score this list

Rating is the live Google average. Review volume ranks how many clients have left feedback against the others on this page. Confidence weighs the rating against that volume, since a 5.0 from 79 reviews and a 4.8 from 1,364 reviews aren’t equally certain. Recency checks how recently people are still reviewing. No firm can pay to change these numbers.

What does civil litigation cost in Chicago? (2026)

Civil litigation fees depend heavily on the type of case, whether it’s billed hourly, on contingency, or flat-fee, and how far a matter goes before resolving. Personal injury firms like Ankin Law typically work on a no-fee-unless-you-win basis, while business litigation is more often billed hourly. None of the firms on this page publish a verified general fee schedule, so we’re not listing dollar figures here. Ask for a written fee structure specific to your case before signing an engagement letter.

Serving all of Chicago

Every firm on this page operates out of the Loop, within walking distance of the Cook County courthouses on Dearborn and Clark. If you’re searching for a civil litigation lawyer near me in Chicago, proximity to court matters less than whether the firm has actually tried a case like yours, since most offer phone consultations regardless of where you’re located in the metro area.

What to ask before you hire a civil litigation lawyer

  • Have you tried a case similar to mine, or does your firm typically settle before trial?
  • Do you bill hourly, flat-fee, or contingency for this type of dispute?
  • Who will actually handle my case day to day, and who’s the lead attorney of record?
  • What’s a realistic timeline from filing to resolution for a case like mine?
  • What are the risks and costs if this goes to trial instead of settling?
  • Can I get a written engagement letter before any work begins?

Frequently asked questions

Are these rankings paid?

No. Rankings come from public Google data. A business can pay to be a Featured Partner (badge and top placement), but that never changes another business’s score or position.

How did you choose these Chicago civil litigation lawyers?

We pulled real Google ratings, review counts, and review text for civil litigation attorneys operating in Chicago, then ranked them by a mix of rating, review volume, and how recently people are still leaving feedback.

How often is this list updated?

This page was last verified against live Google data in August 2026, and we recheck it periodically as ratings and review counts change.

What counts as civil litigation?

Civil litigation covers non-criminal disputes between parties, including personal injury, business and contract disputes, employment claims, and defamation, all of which are represented among the firms on this page.

Is it better to hire a specialist or a general civil litigation firm?

It depends on your case. A firm like Marcus & Boxerman that focuses narrowly on business and contract disputes may bring deeper expertise to that specific type of case, while a broader practice like CTM Legal Group can be a good starting point if you’re not yet sure what kind of claim you have.

The bottom line

Ankin Law is the safe default given its size and consistency, especially for personal injury or workplace-related civil claims. For a business or contract dispute specifically, Marcus & Boxerman’s perfect rating and focused practice make it worth a direct call.

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