What Swanson, Martin & Bell, LLP does

Swanson, Martin & Bell, LLP is a privately held defense-side litigation law firm headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, founded in June 1992 by 13 trial attorneys who departed Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon. The firm maintains seven offices across four states (Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, and Kansas), including positions in key mass-tort jurisdictions such as Madison County (Edwardsville, IL). The firm employs nearly 140 attorneys across more than 30 practice areas with 100+ support staff, and its attorneys have tried over 1,000 cases to verdict in more than 40 U.S. states. Practice areas span asbestos litigation, product liability, toxic tort, medical negligence, professional negligence, commercial litigation, class action defense, employment, insurance coverage, intellectual property, environmental, data privacy, entertainment and media law, construction, and transportation, among others.

The firm serves primarily enterprise clients — Fortune 500 companies, major institutions, healthcare providers, and product manufacturers — handling complex commercial, equitable, and casualty disputes that frequently proceed to trial. Its revenue model is a traditional professional services arrangement based on billable hours for legal representation; pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Client acquisition occurs through attorney-driven reputation, professional association participation (American College of Trial Lawyers, Defense Research Institute, ABA), referrals, lateral attorney recruitment, and a Summer Associate Program at the Chicago and St. Louis offices. There is no proprietary technology platform disclosed; the offering is legal expertise and courtroom experience, with value articulated through demonstrated trial outcomes and diversification of defense-side capabilities.

The competitive position is anchored by deep trial expertise, a nationally recognized brand in defense litigation, and long-standing enterprise relationships. Growth has been incremental and practice-led: the firm expanded practice areas to include entertainment, IP, data privacy, and creditors' rights in 2013, added Midwest offices, and was recognized in 2024 on Constellation's Diversity Honor Roll and ranked in the 2026 NLJ 500. As an LLP with no public disclosure of revenue, capital structure, or external investors, the firm operates as a partner-owned professional services organization competing for complex defense mandates within the Midwestern U.S. legal market.

Name

Swanson, Martin & Bell, LLP

Legal name

Swanson, Martin & Bell, LLP

Website

https://smbtrials.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Swanson, Martin & Bell, LLP is a privately held Chicago-based defense-side litigation law firm with nearly 140 attorneys across seven offices in four states, serving Fortune 500 companies, major institutions, and healthcare and manufacturing clients in complex commercial, product liability, toxic tort, and professional negligence matters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trial Litigation and Defense Legal Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110), Legal Services (5411)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) & Securities Law (BPAHAAAI)

Keywords

• Trial litigation services
• Product liability defense
• Medical malpractice defense
• Commercial litigation
• Insurance coverage

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Legal Services - Hourly Billing: Traditional law firm revenue model based on billable hours for legal representation services

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Founded in 1992, Swanson, Martin & Bell, LLP is a trial law firm providing litigation defense and counseling services to Fortune 500 companies, major insurance carriers, governmental entities, and institutions across a broad set of practice areas including product liability, medical negligence, commercial litigation, toxic tort, insurance coverage, and appellate work. The firm's offering is centered on attorney-led representation in state and federal courts rather than technology products or consumer-facing services.

Product overview

Swanson, Martin & Bell, LLP is a nationally recognized trial law firm founded in 1992, offering comprehensive legal services across over 30 practice areas. The firm provides litigation and legal representation services, not software products. The firm's service portfolio includes Admiralty, Maritime & Transportation; Appellate Practice; Asbestos Litigation; Aviation Litigation; Cannabis Law; Civil Rights and Governmental Liability; Class Action Defense; Commercial Litigation and Business Disputes; Construction; Creditors' Rights & Bankruptcy; Data Protection and Information Privacy; Employment Litigation & Counseling; Entertainment and Media Law; Environmental Law; Equipment Leasing; Family Law; Fidelity & Surety Bond Claims; Fire and Explosion Litigation; General Trial Practice; Insurance Coverage; Intellectual Property Litigation & Transactional Services; Lawyers Liability; Mediation Practice; Medical Negligence and Healthcare; Occupational Health and Safety (OSHA); Pharmaceutical and Medical Device; Product Liability; Professional Liability; Professional Licensing; Real Estate Litigation and Transactional Services; Toxic Tort Litigation; and Wills, Trusts and Estates. As a service-based firm, it does not offer technology products or software platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Product Liability Defense Trial and counseling representation for manufacturers, distributors, and retailers facing product liability claims, including mass tort and product recall exposure.
• Medical Negligence and Healthcare Defense Defense representation for healthcare providers, hospitals, and medical professionals in medical malpractice and healthcare liability matters.
• Commercial Litigation and Business Disputes Representation of businesses in commercial disputes, contract claims, and business tort litigation in state and federal courts.
• Toxic Tort and Asbestos Litigation Defense representation in toxic tort and asbestos-related claims for corporate defendants, often involving mass tort and multidistrict litigation.
• Insurance Coverage Counseling and Litigation Coverage opinion work, declaratory judgment actions, and insurance-related litigation for insurance carriers and self-insured entities.
• Employment Litigation and Counseling Defense-side representation in employment-related claims, including discrimination, harassment, wage and hour, and wrongful termination matters.
• Civil Rights and Governmental Liability Defense Defense of governmental entities and officials in civil rights, constitutional, and governmental liability actions, including Section 1983 claims.
• Professional Liability Defense Defense of professionals including lawyers, accountants, architects, and other licensed professionals in malpractice and liability claims.
• Appellate Practice Representation in state and federal appellate proceedings, including brief writing and oral argument across the firm's substantive practice areas.
• Construction and Real Estate Litigation Representation in construction defect, contract, and real estate disputes, including transactional real estate services.
• Aviation, Admiralty, Maritime and Transportation Litigation Defense-side representation in aviation, admiralty, maritime, and transportation liability matters.
• Intellectual Property Litigation and Transactional Services Representation in intellectual property disputes and transactional IP matters, including licensing and portfolio counseling.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,000 cases tried to verdict since founding in 1992
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

27 partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Feeding AmericaminorOthersCommunity partner for charitable giving and food security initiatives. Firm attorneys actively participate in supporting this organization through various programs.
• Lawyers Lend-A-Hand to YouthminorOthersCommunity partner supporting youth development and legal career guidance. Firm attorneys support this initiative as part of community giving programs.
• Pedal the CauseminorOthersAnnual charitable event sponsor supporting cancer research. Firm participates as sponsor and through attorney participation.
• Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest IndianaminorOthersCommunity partner supporting youth education and development. Firm supports this organization through charitable programs.
• Feed My Starving ChildrenminorOthersCommunity partner for charitable giving and hunger relief initiatives. Firm attorneys volunteer and support this organization.
• CTK Corporate Work Study ProgramminorOthersCommunity partner supporting education and workforce development programs. Firm supports this initiative.
• Minority Corporate CounselminorOthersProfessional organization supporting diversity in the legal profession. Firm attorneys are members and support this organization.
• Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational FundminorOthersOrganization supporting legal advocacy for Hispanic communities. Firm supports this organization as part of DEI commitment.
• Cabrini Green Legal AssistanceminorOthersLegal aid organization providing access to justice. Firm attorneys support this organization through pro bono work.
• Black Women Lawyers' AssociationminorOthersProfessional bar association supporting women of color in the legal profession. Firm attorneys are active members.
• Defense Research InstituteminorOthersLeading organization for defense attorneys. Firm attorneys are active members and presenters at DRI conferences.
• Women's Bar Association of IllinoisminorOthersState bar association supporting women attorneys. Firm sponsors events including the 112th Annual Installation Dinner.
• Cook County Bar AssociationminorOthersLocal bar association. Firm attorneys are active members.
• Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under LawminorOthersOrganization advancing civil rights through legal advocacy. Firm attorneys are active members.
• American College of Trial LawyersminorOthersPrestigious organization of trial lawyers. Firm attorneys are members.
• American Board of Trial AdvocatesminorOthersOrganization promoting trial advocacy and jury trial experience. Firm attorneys are members.
• Society of Trial LawyersminorOthersProfessional organization for trial lawyers. Firm attorneys are members.
• American Bar AssociationminorOthersNational bar association. Firm attorneys hold leadership positions including on the ABA Board of Governors and serve as Section Chair of Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section.
• Medical Professional Liability AssociationminorOthersOrganization for medical malpractice defense attorneys. Firm attorneys are members.
• Chicago Bar AssociationminorOthersLocal bar association. Firm attorneys participate in CLE events and serve as speakers.
• Illinois Defense CounselminorOthersState organization for defense attorneys. Firm attorneys are members.
• Federal Bar AssociationminorOthersOrganization for federal practitioners. Firm attorneys are members.
• Missouri Organization of Defense LawyersminorOthersState organization for defense lawyers in Missouri. Firm attorneys are members.
• LAGBAC: Chicago's LGBTQ+ Bar AssociationminorOthersLGBTQ+ bar association. Firm co-sponsors events including the 2026 Pride Parade Judicial Reception.
• Lawyers for the Creative ArtsminorOthersOrganization providing pro bono legal services to artists. Amanda J. Alasauskas serves as volunteer attorney and past President of the LCA Associate Board.
• Women in MusicminorOthersOrganization supporting women in the music industry. Firm attorneys are members and participate in events.
• Black Men Lawyers' AssociationminorOthersProfessional bar association supporting Black men in the legal profession. Firm attorneys are active members.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin: Large national defense firm with significantly broader geographic footprint and similar core practice areas in product liability, toxic tort, and professional liability. Larger incumbent that competes for the same Fortune 500 defense work.
• Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker LLP: National Am Law 200 defense firm with broad product liability, professional negligence, and commercial litigation practice. Larger incumbent competing in many of the same enterprise client engagements as SMB.
• Quintairos, Prieto, Wood & Boyer, P.A. Large national defense firm with strong medical malpractice, professional liability, and general liability defense practices. Larger incumbent with broader geographic reach and similar enterprise client base.
• Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP: One of the largest U.S. defense firms with national coverage across product liability, toxic tort, professional negligence, and commercial litigation. Competes directly with SMB for institutional defense mandates but at materially greater scale.

Direct peers

• Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice LLC: Mid-sized defense firm with offices across the Midwest and Mid-South, practicing in product liability, medical malpractice, and commercial defense. Direct peer in SMB's core defense litigation categories.
• Litchfield Cavo LLP: Chicago-headquartered national defense firm focused on product liability, toxic tort, professional negligence, and commercial litigation. Comparable in size and practice mix to SMB.
• Heyl Royster Voelker & Allen: Mid-sized Midwest defense litigation firm headquartered in Illinois, with comparable headcount (150+ attorneys) and similar focus on medical malpractice, product liability, toxic tort, and commercial defense for institutional clients. Closest direct competitor to SMB.
• Sandberg Phoenix & von Gontard P.C. St. Louis-based defendant-side litigation firm with overlapping practice in product liability, medical malpractice, and commercial defense. Geographic and practice overlap with SMB's St. Louis office.
• Carmody MacDonald P.C. St. Louis-based defense litigation firm with comparable size and similar focus on insurance defense, professional liability, and commercial disputes. Direct competitor in SMB's Missouri market.
• Smith Amundsen LLC: Chicago-based mid-sized firm with a similar mix of business litigation, product liability, medical malpractice defense, and insurance coverage work, with comparable Midwest footprint and Fortune 500 client base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/smbtrials

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Swanson, Martin & Bell, LLP