Chief Executive Officer (CEO) & Attorney
Dennis VanDerGinst is the President/CEO of VanDerGinst Law, one of the most successful law firms in the country, with offices in Illinois, Iowa and Florida. His primary practice focus is on all areas of personal injury law, including but not limited to, general negligence cases, product liability, medical malpractice, and mass/class actions. During his career, he has personally handled thousands of such cases and has litigated hundreds. He has also supervised his firm’s handling of tens of thousands of injury cases. The firm has maintained a success rate of over 99% on the injury cases they have handled.
Mr. VanDerGinst received his law degree from DePaul University in 1989. He is licensed to practice law in Illinois, Iowa, Washington D.C. and the Federal Courts. During his career, he has represented clients in almost every state in the country.
His dedication to his clients has earned Dennis and his firm the prestigious “Torch Award for Ethics”, presented by the Better Business Bureau, marking the first time this honor was ever bestowed on a lawyer or law firm in the region. He has also earned the “Client’s Choice Award” from AVVO Rating Service and Client Champion recognition from Martindale-Hubbell, the most established attorney rating service in the profession. He was voted as the Best Attorney in Western Illinois in a survey conducted by the Quad City Times every year but one since the survey was established in 2018. In 2019 he was runner-up for that honor.
In addition to the recognition and honors bestowed by clients and community, Dennis has been distinguished by his peers. He has been rated “AV Preeminent” (highest available rating) by Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings, awarded only to those lawyers who have demonstrated the highest ethical standards and professional responsibility, He has been designated as a “Super Lawyer” by Thomson Reuters, a staple in the legal profession. He has been selected as one of the “Top One Percent” of attorneys in the nation by the National Association of Distinguished Counsel. He has been named one of the top trial attorneys in the country by the American Trial Lawyers Association and the American Society of Legal Advocates. He has been presented with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award by Marquis Who’s Who. His tremendous success is also illustrated by his membership in the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, which is limited to those attorneys who have secured multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements, which Dennis has done numerous times.
In addition, Dennis has been recognized by the National Trial Lawyers as a: Top 100 Trial Lawyer, Top 25 Brain Injury Lawyer, Top 10 Asbestos/Mesothelioma Trial Lawyer, Top 25 Medical Malpractice Trial Lawyer, Top 25 Motor Vehicle Accident Trial Lawer, Top 10 Nursing Home Trial Lawyer, Top 25 Product Liability Trial Lawyer, Top 10 Trucking Trial Lawyer.
Chicago Lawyer Magazine has recognized Dennis as one of the “Top Injury Lawyers in Illinois” and the Iowa Association of Justice has featured him in IAJ’s magazine, Iowa Trial Lawyer. He has been profiled in Fortune magazine and numerous news and/or law-related publications. Similarly, he has authored numerous articles in professional journals and magazines and has been an active speaker/lecturer at regional and national conferences, conventions, seminars and webinars. In addition, he has taught Torts and Insurance Law as an adjunct professor.
His expertise has made him a reliable source of law-related information for numerous media outlets. He is often called upon to remark on consumer and legal issues in the news. He has been featured on the National Public Radio program, “America’s Premier Lawyers” as well as on numerous regional and national radio and television programs and podcasts. In fact, he is the host of the popular podcast, Legal Squeaks, which addresses legal and consumer issues which may impact ordinary people in their everyday lives.
He has been very active in several county, state, and national bar associations and trial lawyer associations. He has served on the Board of Managers for the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, as well as the Board of Governors for the Iowa Association for Justice. He has been a State Delegate for the American Association for Justice and has served on the Board of Trustees for the Pound Civil Justice Institute.
Through Mr. VanDerGinst’ s leadership, VanDerGinst Law has donated countless hours and millions of dollars to organizations and causes that fall within the firm’s mission of helping people in and out of the courtroom. He and his beautiful wife, Kim, are very active in the firm’s mission and their own personal mission to help those who need and deserve help.
Bar Admissions
Education
DePaul University – College of Law
Chicago, Illinois
Juris Doctor, Spring, 1989
Northern Illinois University
DeKalb, Illinois
Bachelor of Arts, Fall, 1985
Black Hawk College
Moline, Illinois
Fall, 1980 – Spring, 1982
Honors
Professional, Civic, and Charitable Organizations
Professional
Civic and Charitable
