Fra Noi Embrace Your Inner Italian
Chicago attorney Frank Sommario was the guest of honor at the Justinian Society of Lawyers’ Award of Excellence, Judges and Scholarship Night. The following profile was provided by the organization:
Frank Sommario
Frank Sommario began his membership with the Justinian Society of Lawyers in 1997 as a first-year law student at DePaul University College of Law. His academic achievements in law school earned him several Justinian scholarships – cementing his desire to give back to this important organization that had provided so many opportunities for him.
Frank began serving on the Justinian Society Executive Committee in 2009, was elected Secretary in 2011 and rose up the ranks to President in 2016-2017. He continues to serve the Executive Committee as Comptroller. In addition, Frank holds the position of Chairman of the Justinian Society Endowment Fund since 2018, where he previously served as Treasurer from 2012-2017.
“The Award of Excellence is given to an individual who has proven leadership and has improved the condition and image of Italian Americans,” noted Justinian Society President, Dion U. Davi. “It should come as no surprise that Frank was chosen for this honor as his dedication to the Justinian Society, countless other professional Italian organizations, and to the pursuit of justice is commendable.”
Frank’s commitment to the practice of law and professional associations extends well beyond his service to the Justinian Society. He is a Partner at Romanucci & Blandin, LLC, in Chicago, where he practices as a petitioner’s workers’ compensation lawyer. Frank is known for vigorously fighting for the rights of his clients, and has obtained several large settlements and favorable trial awards for those who have been injured. He considers it a privilege being able to help injured workers get the benefits they deserve.
For his successes representing injury victims, Frank was proudly named an Illinois Top 100 Super Lawyer in 2019, an Illinois’ Super Lawyer for the years 2016-2021, and an Illinois’ Rising Star for the years 2010-2015 by Super Lawyers ®. He was also named one of The Best Lawyers in America © for the years 2017-2021, and has been recognized as a Leading Lawyer for the years 2016-2021 and an Emerging Lawyer for 2015 by Law Bulletin Publishing Company. In 2012, Frank was named one of 40 Illinois Attorneys Under Forty to Watch by Law Bulletin Publishing Company.
In addition to practicing law and proudly serving his clients, Frank is active in several professional organizations. He has served two, three-year terms on the Board of Governors of the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA), where he acted as the Board Liaison to the Workers’ Compensation Law Section Council, the Federal Taxation Section Council, and the Standing Committee on Law Office Management & Economics. He is a Silver Fellow of the Illinois Bar Foundation, the charitable arm of the ISBA.
Frank’s additional leadership roles have included serving as President of the Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Association (WCLA) in 2013, where he currently acts as the Comptroller since 2015. He is also a member of the American Association for Justice (AAJ) and the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association (ITLA), where he is a Member of the Board of Managers since 2016. Frank has made it a priority to give back to his academic institutions, serving as a member of the alumni associations of DePaul University, DePaul University College of Law, and Fenwick High School.
Of all his leadership roles, Frank has felt the most pride in being able to assist the greater Italian community well. In addition to his service with the Justinian Society, he has done so through participation with various organizations including the National Italian American Bar Association (NIABA) where he currently is serving a two-year term as Executive Vice President. He has also held the role of Secretary for the years 2019-2021, and has been a member of the Board of Directors since 2017. In addition, he has served as the Justinian Delegate to the Joint Civic Community of Italian Americans (JCCIA) since 2015, where he is now Legal Counsel.
“As Italian Americans, it is imperative that we support our Justinians and other professional organizations,” Sommario says. “I am continuously proud to support the Justinian Society and its future successes and am honored to have been chosen for this award.”
Born in Melrose Park, Illinois, Frank was raised by his parents, Frank and Mary Jo (nee Abruzzini), with his two younger sisters, Deanna and Lisa. Frank currently resides in Elmhurst, Illinois, with his wife, Gina, and children, Angelina, Isabella, Sophia and Frank, Jr.
