What Pretzel & Stouffer Chartered does

Pretzel & Stouffer, Chartered is a Chicago-based litigation law firm founded in 1946, organized as an Illinois professional corporation and privately held by its shareholder-attorneys. The firm provides trial and appellate litigation services across 18 practice areas, with the most prominent being Medical Negligence & Healthcare (where it claims more jury verdicts than any comparable Illinois firm), Insurance Coverage, Appellate Litigation, Commercial Litigation, and Class Action/MDL defense. Additional practices span Construction, Employment, Long-Term Care Liability, Maritime/Admiralty (Great Lakes), Municipal Defense, Premises Liability, Product Liability, Professional Liability Defense, School & Education Law, Sports/Entertainment/Amusement Liability, Toxic Tort, Corporate & Business Law, and Legal Malpractice Defense. The firm represents institutional clients including insurers, healthcare providers and hospitals, Fortune 500 companies, and municipalities/public entities.

The firm's service delivery model is a team-based integrated approach in which experienced trial attorneys staff matters from inception with a "trial lawyer's mindset" to drive favorable verdicts, settlements, or dismissals. It employs ~32 attorneys (per its website) plus paralegal and administrative staff, operates from a single headquarters at 200 South Wacker Drive in Chicago, and maintains a primarily Illinois state-court practice with selective federal-court engagement.

Revenue is generated through traditional professional services hourly billing, with fees determined by matter complexity and attorney time; pricing is not publicly disclosed. The firm markets itself through its website, LinkedIn presence, attorney publications in legal journals, professional seminars, and client referrals from institutional relationships. It has no proprietary technology, software product, or AI/ML capability disclosed in its materials.

Name

Pretzel & Stouffer Chartered

Legal name

Pretzel & Stouffer, Chartered

Website

https://pretzel-stouffer.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Pretzel & Stouffer, Chartered is a Chicago-based litigation law firm founded in 1946, serving insurers, healthcare providers, municipalities, and Fortune 500 companies across 18 practice areas with a primary focus on trial defense and appellate advocacy in Illinois.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Litigation Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Litigation & Dispute Resolution (BPAHAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty Lines Treaty Reinsurance (e.g., marine, aviation, cyber, energy, surety) (FSAOAEAF), Corporate & Commercial Law (BPAHAAAA), Gaming Regulatory Consulting & Advisory (MPAEAOAA)

Keywords

• Litigation legal services
• Medical malpractice defense
• Insurance coverage litigation
• Appellate litigation services
• Commercial litigation defense

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Legal Services - Professional Fees: Traditional law firm billing model based on hourly rates for legal services including trial preparation, courtroom advocacy, appellate representation, and consulting. Revenue generated through professional legal services to institutional clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Pretzel & Stouffer, Chartered is a Chicago-based litigation law firm defending institutional clients in complex, high-stakes civil litigation and appellate matters. The firm operates 18 practice areas including medical malpractice defense, insurance coverage, commercial litigation, class action and MDL defense, appellate litigation, municipal defense, product liability, and professional liability defense. Engagement is direct, retainer-based, with professional fees billed for trial preparation, courtroom advocacy, appellate representation, and counseling.

Product overview

Pretzel & Stouffer, Chartered is a Chicago-based litigation law firm founded in 1946 offering 18 distinct legal practice areas. The firm operates as a unified legal services practice rather than a platform-based product model. Core practice areas include Medical Negligence & Healthcare (their most prominent, handling more jury verdicts than any comparable Illinois firm), Appellate Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Insurance Coverage, and Legal Malpractice Defense. Additional specialized services cover Construction Litigation, Employment Law, Class Action & MDL Litigation, Long-Term Care Liability, Maritime/Transportation, Municipal Defense, Premises & General Liability, Product Liability, Professional Liability Defense, Corporate & Business Law, School & Education Law, Sports/Entertainment Liability, and Toxic Tort. The firm's integrated team-based approach combines trial attorneys, appellate advocates, and corporate counselors working seamlessly across practice areas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Appellate Litigation Defends successful trial results on appeal and challenges decisions that conflict with clients' interests; handles both state and federal appellate courts. For institutional clients facing appellate exposure.
• Commercial Litigation Defends clients in complex commercial disputes including Fortune 500 companies, multidistrict litigation, class actions, and business disputes. For businesses, corporations, and commercial entities.
• Class Action & Multidistrict Litigation Defends companies against class action suits and MDL claims including data breaches, FACTA, FCRA, FDCPA, HIPAA, BIPA, and TCPA matters. For companies facing class action or MDL exposure.
• Construction Litigation Handles high-profile cases involving catastrophic personal injury, property damage, structural failures, and construction defects. For construction industry clients and parties to construction disputes.
• Corporate & Business Law Full-service corporate counsel from incorporation through wind-up, including M&A, contracts, employment matters, and succession planning. For businesses and business owners requiring transactional and ongoing corporate counsel.
• Employment Law Represents employers in discrimination, retaliation, civil rights claims, ADA, FMLA, wage/hour matters, and non-compete agreements. For employers and corporate HR/legal teams.
• Insurance Coverage Counsel on insurance coverage issues representing insurers, excess insurers, and reinsurers on various policy types including CGL, E&O, and cyber. For insurance carriers and reinsurers facing coverage disputes and opinions.
• Legal Malpractice Defense Defends lawyers and law firms accused of malpractice, including representation before the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission. For attorneys, law firms, and their insurers.
• Long-Term Care Liability Defends long-term care and rehabilitation providers in claims under the Illinois Nursing Home Care Act. For long-term care and rehabilitation facilities and their insurers.
• Maritime, Admiralty & Transportation Handles maritime, admiralty and transportation litigation including collisions, personal injury, and the Limitation Act in Great Lakes operations. For maritime and transportation industry clients.
• Medical Negligence & Healthcare Defends medical professionals and institutions, handling more cases to jury verdict than any other Illinois firm of comparable size. For hospitals, physicians, medical groups, and healthcare providers facing malpractice claims.
• Municipal Defense Defends municipalities and public entities in commercial litigation, personal injury, employment disputes, and insurance coverage claims. For municipalities, public entities, and government bodies.
• Premises & General Liability Represents clients in premises liability matters including slip and falls, snow/ice removal, construction activities, and Dram Shop cases. For property owners, businesses, and their insurers.
• Product Liability Defends manufacturers and businesses against product liability claims and defective product lawsuits. For manufacturers, distributors, and businesses facing product liability claims.
• Professional Liability Defense Comprehensive defense of professionals against negligence claims and malpractice lawsuits. For licensed professionals and their insurers facing professional negligence claims.
• School & Education Law Provides legal services for educational institutions and school districts. For schools, school districts, and educational institutions.
• Sports, Entertainment & Amusement Liability Handles liability matters for sports, entertainment, and amusement industry clients. For sports, entertainment, and amusement industry operators and their insurers.
• Toxic Tort Defends clients in toxic exposure and environmental tort claims. For manufacturers, premises owners, and employers facing toxic exposure or environmental tort claims.

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• UIC Medical CenterminorOthersBrian Henry lectured to animation and medical illustrators at the UIC Medical Center regarding demonstrative trial exhibits, demonstrating firm's expertise in medical litigation visuals

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Burke Wise Morrissey Kovsky LLP: Boston-based defense firm of similar scale with overlapping medical malpractice, professional liability, and insurance defense practices for institutional clients.
• Much Shelist P.C. Mid-sized Chicago firm with comparable commercial litigation, employment, and corporate transactional practices serving similar enterprise clients in the Midwest.
• SmithAmundsen LLC: Chicago-based litigation firm with a comparable size (75+ attorneys) and overlapping practice areas in insurance defense, medical malpractice, commercial litigation, and employment law, serving similar institutional clients in the Midwest.
• Hanley Flight & Zimmerman: Smaller Chicago-based insurance defense boutique (prior to 2024 merger) serving healthcare providers and insurers with overlapping medical malpractice, premises liability, and coverage practices.
• Cassiday Schade LLP: Chicago litigation firm with parallel insurance defense, medical negligence, and commercial litigation practices serving institutional defendants in Illinois and the Midwest.
• Heyl Royster Voelker & Allen: Illinois-based litigation firm of similar scale focused on trial defense for healthcare, insurance, and corporate clients, with directly overlapping medical malpractice defense, professional liability, and appellate practices.
• Ancel Glink Diamond Bush DiCianni & Krafthefer: Chicago-area firm with comparable municipal defense, employment law, and school/education law practices serving overlapping public-entity clients in Illinois.

Broad incumbents

• Goldberg Segalla: National litigation firm with directly comparable insurance coverage, professional liability, and commercial litigation practices, competing for institutional panel counsel work across multiple verticals.
• Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker: Large national defense firm with extensive insurance coverage, medical malpractice, professional liability, and commercial litigation offerings, serving the same Fortune 500 and insurance carrier clients with broader geographic reach.
• Marshall Dennehey: National insurance defense firm with significantly broader geographic footprint but directly overlapping practice areas including medical malpractice, insurance coverage, premises liability, and class action defense for institutional clients.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pretzel-&-stouffer-chartered
• Xx.com/donaldpateckler

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Pretzel & Stouffer Chartered