Hugh Mainard grew up in a working-class family and was the first in his family to graduate from college. After completing law school, his professional career allowed him to become focused on injured workers’ rights, as the one area of the law that most directly affects the lives of people working the hardest to make a living for themselves and their families. For more than 25 years, Hugh has fought to ensure his clients receive the full extent of their benefits under the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act, representing thousands of people throughout the state.
Hugh has also periodically defended employers, which has provided him with insight into the tactics and tools used by employers and their insurance companies in workers’ compensation cases. Hugh serves as an arbitrator at the Cook County Mandatory Arbitration Center, hearing and deciding cases covering a variety of legal issues. Hugh has also been serving as an election official every election day for the past five years.
Hugh is most proud of his long history of having clients return to him repeatedly for representation, and providing his clients with a level of satisfaction that motivates them to recommend their own friends and family members to seek his services.
Outside of his professional life, Hugh has pursued many forms of endurance sports, having competed in a variety of different events including marathons, ultramarathons, stair climbs, and adventure races. Hugh’s favorite challenge was hiking the Barr Trail up Pike’s Peak and back down on the same day, even with an unexpected lightning storm along the way.
