Trial lawyer Mirza remembered for wins, books

Tuesday, October 16, 2007 1:21 PM CDT

By Bob Holliday
bholliday@pantagraph.com

BLOOMINGTON -- Jerome Mirza was in a class by himself, said Twin City lawyers who marked Mirza’s passing Friday with memories and admiration.

Mirza, 69, was a role model for other lawyers both because of his tremendous success in the courtroom and because of his contributions to legal education, the lawyers said.

Mirza had numerous multi-million dollar verdicts and authored a variety of books, including “Illinois Tort Law and Practice” and “Winning Litigation the Mirza Way.” He founded the Jerome Mirza College of Advocacy at Illinois Wesleyan University and the University of Illinois.

“He was a role model for other lawyers,” said lawyer Merrick Hayes. He added Mirza helped lawyers become better lawyers.

Bloomington lawyer David Dorris is one of the lawyers who benefited.

Dorris, now with his own firm, worked for about 30 years with the Mirza firm, with offices in Bloomington and Chicago.

“The guy was a true genius. He was one of the finest trial lawyers in the U.S.,” Dorris said.

The lawyers said Mirza’s influence stretched beyond Bloomington-Normal and Illinois, with cases referred to him by other lawyers.

A perfectionist driven to succeed, Mirza was a member of the Inner Circle of Advocates (the top 100 personal injury lawyers in the nation), Dorris said.

He was a past president of the Illinois State Bar Association and past president of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association.

“He was in a class by himself. The standard for plaintiff’s lawyers,” said lawyer Guy Fraker.