Fra Noi Embrace Your Inner Italian
Great law firms go to great lengths for their clients. They fight hard in court to get settlements that plaintiffs deserve and expect. Without question, Fichera & Miller, P.C. has delivered that stellar performance ever since Dominic R. Fichera and Howard S. Miller joined forces in 1993.
The former DePaul University College of Law classmates have a refreshing take on client advocacy. “Some attorneys think that the case is their case and not the client’s case. As a result, decisions are made that reflect what’s good for the firm — and not what’s good for the client,” says Fichera, who served as president of the Italian American Political Coalition for two years, and was a co-founder of the Sicilian American Cultural Association.
Fichera, whose parents hailed from Bagheria in Sicily, decided long ago to do things differently. “When you’re negotiating these cases, the client should always be right,” he says firmly. “It’s their life. Let’s say they’ve been hurt and they haven’t worked for a while. If they say to us, ‘I want $100,000 now,’ we have to listen. We’ll tell them when we know we can get $200,000 in two years. But in the end, it’s their case, not ours.”
That may explain why Fichera & Miller does so much business based on referrals and word-of-mouth. Some clients have histories with the firm that span multiple generations of the same family. On the personal injury side, the practice runs the gamut from wrongful death and medical malpractice cases to birth injuries, workplace injuries, and motor vehicle and pedestrian accidents. In addition to their main office downtown, the firm serves their west suburban clients from their office in Elgin.
And with success has come growth. Over the years, the staff has expanded to include partner Matthew A. Lasusa and associates Joseph P. Lupinacci and Jack Marshall. Like both Fichera and Miller, Marshall concentrates in personal injury and workers comp cases, and the other two attorneys bring skills to the firm that expand both its reach and expertise.
“Matt started trying personal cases with me many years ago, and he’s become a very respected litigator, whether that’s in personal injury or commercial and corporate matters,” Fichera says. LaSusa also represents individuals with personal estate, financial planning, and commercial matters. Like the principals, he’s a DePaul College of Law grad, as is his dad, legendary Chicago lawyer Samuel A. Lasusa.
Lupinacci has an M.B.A. as well as a law degree (the latter from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law). He works on commercial litigation cases for the firm. He has a history of handling complex breach of contract and warranty actions, securities litigation, insurance coverage disputes, and civil appeals, to name a few areas of practice.
Together, these litigators round out a team led by two men who are fantastic listeners with a reputation for learning the histories of their clients, responding to their needs and respecting their wishes. Dominic Fichera and Howard Miller have enjoyed extraordinarily positive feedback from clients throughout their many years in practice together, as well as an impressive record of success, and they aren’t about to tinker with that winning formula now.
“Clients judge us on how they are treated by us,” Miller says. “They don’t always know how much we’ll get in verdicts and settlements. But they do know how we’ve treated them.”
Fichera & Miller, P.C.
415 N. La Salle St., Suite 301
Chicago, IL
312-673-2222
ficheramiller.com
