Biography
Anna Gonis O’Connor is a partner with Sinars Slowikowski Tomaska who has litigated more than 50 jury trials over the course of her career. Anna focuses her practice on general litigation, product liability, personal injury, subrogation, federal civil rights, reverse conviction, medical malpractice, municipal law, nursing home, and toxic tort matters. She has extensive experience in all phases of litigation involving disputes in state, federal and multi-district proceedings.
In addition to Anna’s significant trial experience, she is an accredited Cook County arbitrator. This work provides a valuable perspective to her legal practice. In all of her representations, she works to obtain favorable solutions that meet her clients’ business and legal objectives.
In her prior practice as an Assistant State’s Attorney in the Complex Litigation Section of the Civil Actions Bureau, Anna handled a diverse caseload including federal civil rights litigation, reverse conviction cases, medical malpractice and tort cases. In February 2016, she successfully tried a federal class action jury trial with a finding of “not guilty” in favor of her client. Leonicio Elizarri v. The Sheriff of Cook County, 07 C 2427, (N.D. Ill., Gottschall).
In 2017, she drafted and argued a motion to dismiss the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, two prosecutors and one guardian ad litem, arguing prosecutorial immunity from a case pending in the Northern District of Illinois. Plaintiffs alleged constitutional violations under 42 U.S.C. §§ 1983 and 1985 state tort claims. On March 16, 2018, Judge Kokoras granted her motion in its entirety. Nicole Dickman, et al. v. Office of the State’s Attorney of Cook County, et al., 16 C 9448, (N.D. Ill., Kokoras).
Anna also previously served as a senior member of the national coordinating counsel for a Fortune 500 company product manufacturer. In this role, she managed local counsel in the defense of her client in several jurisdictions nationwide. She determined the best defense strategy for asbestos and other product liability claims and regularly coordinated with expert witnesses, took and defended depositions across the country, and negotiated favorable settlements.
In her previous employment in private practice, she succeeded on a motion for summary judgment on behalf of a premises client in a dram shop matter in Cook County, Illinois. The trial court’s ruling on the motion for summary judgment was appealed and ultimately decided in her client’s favor, confirming the trial court’s order. Brown v. Nitro Nightclub, Inc., 2014 IL. App (1st) 131245-U (June 30, 2014).
Anna is a passionate advocate to those in need. She was previously accredited by the Department of Veterans Affairs to assist indigent veterans with a variety of cases. She also volunteers with Chicago Volunteer Legal Services as a Guardian ad Litem, defending the best interest of minors.
She has held many distinguished leadership roles. During her tenure as president of The John Marshall Law School Student Bar Association, the American Bar Association named Anna as finalist for Best Student Bar Association President and named The John Marshall Law School Student Bar Association as a first runner-up for Best Student Bar Association.
Anna currently serves on the Board of Directors for The John Marshall Law School Alumni Association and the Alumni Board at Lake Forest College. She is also a member of the Hellenic Bar Association, Women’s Bar Association of Illinois and Chicago Bar Association. Outside the office, Anna is an active member of the Women’s Network for Make-A-Wish Illinois. She is also a certified managing real estate broker.
In addition to Anna’s significant trial experience, she is an accredited Cook County arbitrator. This work provides a valuable perspective to her legal practice. In all of her representations, she works to obtain favorable solutions that meet her clients’ business and legal objectives.
In her prior practice as an Assistant State’s Attorney in the Complex Litigation Section of the Civil Actions Bureau, Anna handled a diverse caseload including federal civil rights litigation, reverse conviction cases, medical malpractice and tort cases. In February 2016, she successfully tried a federal class action jury trial with a finding of “not guilty” in favor of her client. Leonicio Elizarri v. The Sheriff of Cook County, 07 C 2427, (N.D. Ill., Gottschall).
In 2017, she drafted and argued a motion to dismiss the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, two prosecutors and one guardian ad litem, arguing prosecutorial immunity from a case pending in the Northern District of Illinois. Plaintiffs alleged constitutional violations under 42 U.S.C. §§ 1983 and 1985 state tort claims. On March 16, 2018, Judge Kokoras granted her motion in its entirety. Nicole Dickman, et al. v. Office of the State’s Attorney of Cook County, et al., 16 C 9448, (N.D. Ill., Kokoras).
Anna also previously served as a senior member of the national coordinating counsel for a Fortune 500 company product manufacturer. In this role, she managed local counsel in the defense of her client in several jurisdictions nationwide. She determined the best defense strategy for asbestos and other product liability claims and regularly coordinated with expert witnesses, took and defended depositions across the country, and negotiated favorable settlements.
In her previous employment in private practice, she succeeded on a motion for summary judgment on behalf of a premises client in a dram shop matter in Cook County, Illinois. The trial court’s ruling on the motion for summary judgment was appealed and ultimately decided in her client’s favor, confirming the trial court’s order. Brown v. Nitro Nightclub, Inc., 2014 IL. App (1st) 131245-U (June 30, 2014).
Anna is a passionate advocate to those in need. She was previously accredited by the Department of Veterans Affairs to assist indigent veterans with a variety of cases. She also volunteers with Chicago Volunteer Legal Services as a Guardian ad Litem, defending the best interest of minors.
She has held many distinguished leadership roles. During her tenure as president of The John Marshall Law School Student Bar Association, the American Bar Association named Anna as finalist for Best Student Bar Association President and named The John Marshall Law School Student Bar Association as a first runner-up for Best Student Bar Association.
Anna currently serves on the Board of Directors for The John Marshall Law School Alumni Association and the Alumni Board at Lake Forest College. She is also a member of the Hellenic Bar Association, Women’s Bar Association of Illinois and Chicago Bar Association. Outside the office, Anna is an active member of the Women’s Network for Make-A-Wish Illinois. She is also a certified managing real estate broker.
Notable Cases and Trial
- Leonicio Elizarri v. The Sheriff of Cook County, 07 C 2427, (N.D. Ill., Gottschall)
- Brown v. Nitro Nightclub, Inc., 2014 IL. App (1st) 131245-U (June 30, 2014)
- Nicole Dickman, et al. v. Office of the State’s Attorney of Cook County, et al., 16 C 9448, (N.D. Ill., Kokoras)
