Background

Martin D. Gould is a Partner at Romanucci & Blandin, LLC where he works in the firm’s complex litigation and catastrophic injury group, representing individuals and classes of victims in wrongful death, medical and nursing home malpractice, workplace and construction accidents, product defect, motor vehicle, trucking and train accident cases, toxic exposure, as well as sexual abuse and assault cases involving children and adults.    

Martin has played a key role in securing numerous record-breaking multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements on behalf of clients who have been harmed as a result of wrongful conduct, including a $44.7 million verdict against the City of Chicago in a case where an off-duty police officer shot a construction worker in the head leaving him paralyzed (this was the largest verdict in Illinois and one of the largest in the country for a police misconduct case); a $21.337 million verdict on behalf of the family of a mother of five children who was killed in a car accident with a municipal vehicle; a $12.35 million settlement at the beginning of trial in a medical malpractice case involving the delayed diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer resulting in a mother’s premature death (the settlement was the largest recorded in Illinois for a misdiagnosis of breast cancer case); a $8 million settlement in a medical malpractice case involving the delayed diagnosis and treatment of a spinal cord compression (spinal epidural abscess) by Emergency Room physicians which left a union laborer partially paralyzed.  

Martin also leads the firm’s Sexual Abuse Practice Group, where his team has represented and currently represents dozens of survivors of rape and childhood sexual abuse in many of the highest-profile abuse cases in the country. Some of those cases include claims against the Boy Scouts of America, the Boys & Girls Club, University of Michigan (abuse involving Dr. Robert Anderson), professional sports teams, Jeffrey Epstein, private and public schools, elite private boarding schools, orphanages, foster care programs, hospitals, mental health facilities, Fortune 500 companies, and countless religious institutions and related entities (ranging from the Catholic Church, religious orders and the YMCA, to Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormon Church, SBC, and the Royal Rangers Youth Organization). In addition to securing tens of millions of dollars in financial recoveries on behalf of survivors, Martin and his team have aggressively fought for changes in policy, training, or the law to better protect future generations, often shedding light on systemic abuse, cover-ups, and other institutional and preventable failures in the process. Understanding the lasting impact child abuse can have on someone, Martin has also taken on school bullying and hazing cases, including cases many law firms have been reluctant to pursue because of the unjust legal hurdles that protect certain types of bad actors in certain states, securing a $250,000 verdict in a school bullying case involving an autistic boy in Woodford County, Illinois, the largest bullying verdict ever reported in Illinois.

In helping manage and support the firm’s mass tort and class action practice, Martin has been involved in cases representing hundreds of individuals injured by consumption of or exposure to harmful products, including Sterigenics’ ethylene oxide emissions in Willowbrook, Illinois; Roundup herbicide exposure; Johnson & Johnson talc baby powder; hernia mesh implants, and individuals who took prescription and over-the-counter Zantac/ranitidine medication, which was recalled by the FDA due to defects in its design potentially leading to cancer. In 2023, following seven years of litigation, Martin and Founding Partner Antonio M. Romanucci along with co-counsel secured a landmark settlement in a class action lawsuit against the City of Chicago alleging the CPD’s use of widespread, unconstitutional stop and frisk practices, leading to changes in policies, practices, and training, aimed at improving trust and the effectiveness and safety of law enforcement and the public. When the Edenville Dam failed in 2020 flooding and destroying the City of Midland, MI, Martin and Founding Partner Stephan D. Blandin stepped in to co-represent hundreds of families in their fight for justice against the State of Michigan and other responsible parties who ignored warnings for decades.

Martin regularly appears in the media to discuss cases, including appearances on Fox 32 and ABC 7 to discuss the toxic exposure in Chicago’s western suburbs involving Sterigenics, interviews with the Associated Press, Chicago Tribune, and the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin to discuss clergy abuse lawsuits; interviews with the New York Times to discuss lead poisoning litigation; and appearances on the Legal Broadcasting Network to discuss a federal class action lawsuit against the City of Chicago.

Martin graduated toward the top of his class from Chicago-Kent College of Law, cum laude, and was a published member of the Chicago-Kent Law Review.  He was also a Legal Writing Teaching Assistant and a six-time recipient of the CALI Award for receiving the highest grade in the class in Legal Writing I, I & III, Illinois Evidence, Pre-Trial Civil Litigation, and Conflicts of Law. Currently, Martin holds leadership positions within numerous legal organizations, including the American Association for Justice, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, Chicago Bar Association (serving as Chair of the 7,000-member YLS), National Crime Victims Bar Association, and Child USA. Martin earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Northwestern University, where he was also a four-year member of the Northwestern Varsity Wrestling Team. The team placed 4th in the NCAAs in Martin’s sophomore year in 2007.

Practice Areas

Education & Certifications

  • J.D., Chicago-Kent College of Law, cum laude
    • Chicago-Kent Law Review
    • Legal Writing Teaching Assistant
    • CALI Awards for receiving the highest grade in the class for:
      • Legal Writing I, I & III, Illinois Evidence, Pre-Trial Civil Litigation, and Conflicts of Law.
  • B.A., Political Science, Minor in Business Institutions, Northwestern University
    • Northwestern Leadership Certificate Program
    • Recipient of the Northwestern Alumni Association’s Scholastic Achievement Award (2009) for having the highest GPA on the Northwestern Varsity Wrestling Team.

Awards & Recognition

  • Super Lawyer by Illinois Super Lawyers®, 2023
  • Named one of The Best Lawyers in America©, 2023
  • The Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch©, 2021-2024
  • Rising Star by Illinois Super Lawyers®, 2016-2022
  • Emerging Lawyer by Law Bulletin Publishing Company’s Leading Lawyers, 2017-2023
  • Selected to “Top 40 Attorneys under 40” by The National Trial Lawyers, 2020-2021
  • Top 10 Motor Vehicle Accident Verdicts, 2019, Carreon v. City of Chicago
  • Top 10 Verdicts in Illinois, 2017, LaPorta v. City of Chicago

Notable Cases

  • LaPorta v. City of Chicago (Illinois), Construction worker shot in the head causing paralysis, Verdict: $44.7 million*, *Largest verdict in Illinois for a police misconduct case
  • Carreon v. City of Chicago (Illinois), Mother of five children killed in car accident, Verdict: $21.337 million
  • Client v. Chicago-Area Hospital, Radiologists, Breast Surgeon and OBGYN, Breast cancer misdiagnosis spanning two years, Settlement: $12.35 million*, *Largest medical malpractice settlement ever reported in Illinois for misdiagnosis of breast cancer case
  • Client v. Chicago-Area Hospital and ER physicians (Illinois), Medical malpractice settlement involving delayed diagnosis and treatment of spinal cord compression / spinal epidural abscess resulting in partial paralysis, Settlement: $8 million
  • Matysczyk v. Traffic Safety Services, Croell, Inc., et. al. (Wyoming), Trucking accident resulting in spinal injuries and surgery, Settlement: $4.5 million (one of the highest back injury settlements reported in Wyoming)
  • Client v. Chicago-Area Hospital and Neurosurgeon (Illinois), Medical malpractice settlement involving failure to properly treat cauda equina syndrome resulting in partial paralysis, Settlement: $2.875 million
  • Jane Doe v. Archdiocese of Chicago (Illinois), Clergy abuse, Settlement: $2.1 million
  • Jane Doe v. GPT, Two girls abused by school bus driver, Settlement: $2 million
  • Jane Doe v. Carmelites Archdiocese of Chicago (Illinois), Clergy abuse, Settlement: $1.75 million
  • Wdziekonski v. S Saft & Company (Florida), Motor vehicle accident case in Florida, Settlement: $1.75 million
  • John Doe v. Diocese of Joliet (Illinois), Clergy abuse, Settlement: $1.4 million
  • Jane Doe v. Professional Sports Team, Settlement: Confidential
  • John Doe v. University, Sexual abuse by coach of the player, Settlement: $1.2 million
  • John Doe v. Private U.S. Boarding School (East Coast), Sexual abuse by a teacher, Settlement: $1.2 million*, *One of the largest settlements reported involving male victim and female perpetrator
  • Barker v. Restrepo and Ruiz (Illinois), Client fell through plexiglass ceiling on the rooftop, Settlement: $1.175 million
  • Estate of John Brown v. Walworth County, et. al. (Wisconsin), Police shot and killed a teenager locked in his room, Settlement: $1.1 million
  • Estate of Norton v. Roosevelt City, et. al. (Utah), Settlement: Confidential
  • Larios v. Chadron State College (Nebraska), Title IX case involving wrongful death of student who committed suicide on campus where school failed respond to ongoing verbal and physical abuse by boyfriend in the dorms, Settlement: $900,000
  • John Doe A and B v. Archdiocese of Chicago (Illinois), Clergy abuse where two altar boys fondled by a priest, Settlement: $880,000
  • Client v. Bus Company and Abuser (Illinois), 75-year-old client with Alzheimer’s was sexually abused by a bus driver, Settlement: $865,000
  • John Doe v. Archdiocese of Chicago (Mt. Carmel High School) (Illinois), Clergy abuse where client fondled by a priest, Settlement: $330,000
  • Kessler v. Walker (Indiana), Settlement: $300,000 (vehicle full policy limits)
  • Liggett v. El-Paso Gridley Community School District, et. al., Verdict: $250,000*, *Was the largest verdict reported in Illinois for a school bullying case (as of 2019)
  • Mack v. Metra, et. al., Excessive force, battery and false arrest of a homeless man, Settlement: $225,000

Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice

  • Illinois, 2014
  • Northern District of Illinois
  • Central District of Illinois
  • Eastern District of Wisconsin
  • Northern District of Indiana
  • Pro Hac Vice, New York
  • Pro Hac Vice, New Jersey
  • Pro Hac Vice, Florida
  • Pro Hac Vice, Indiana
  • Pro Hac Vice, Michigan
  • Pro Hac Vice, Missouri
  • Pro Hac Vice, Arizona
  • Pro Hac Vice, Ohio
  • Pro Hac Vice, Northern District of New York
  • Pro Hac Vice, Middle District of Florida
  • Pro Hac Vice, Western District of Louisiana
  • Pro Hac Vice, Northern District of New Jersey
  • Pro Hac Vice, District Court of Utah
  • Pro Hac Vice, District Court of Minnesota
  • Pro Hac Vice, Northern District of Indiana
  • Pro Hac Vice, District of Nebraska
  • Pro Hac Vice, District of Wyoming

Newsroom

In the News

Press Releases

Videos

Speaking Engagements

  • ABA Live Webinar, Co-Presenter, Trial Preparation Basics: Jury vs. Bench, June 2023
  • National Crime Victims Bar Association, Speaker, Establishing Liability and Damages in the Child Sexual Abuse Case, St. Louis, MO, October 2022
  • Chicago Bar Association, Speaker, The Basics of Motions to Dismiss, September 2022.
  • Law 360 Damages Seminar: Go Big or Go Home, Speaker, Winning with Experts in Sexual Abuse Cases involving Children, Adults and the Elderly: PTSD, Repressed Memory, and Competency and Credibility Issues, Las Vegas, NV, August 2022.
  • National Crime Victims Bar Association, Panelist, Civil Justice for Victims of Crime in Illinois, July 2022
  • Chicago Bar Association, Moderator, Litigating in the Age of Covid: The Expert Perspective on Medical Malpractice, Work Accident, and Mass Torts Cases, Chicago, IL, March 2021
  • Chicago Bar Association, Moderator, Resolutions to Reform the Chicago Police Department: The Differences Between CPAC and GAPA, Chicago, IL, September 2020
  • Chicago Bar Association, Moderator, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin: The Justice in Policing Act of 2020, Chicago, IL, July 2020
  • Town Hall, Panelist, Mid-Michigan Dam Failure Disaster: Legal Landscape, Midland County, MI, June 2020
  • City of Chicago (25th Ward), Speaker, Know Your Options Small Business Forum: Insurance Claims for Lost Revenue, Government Loans and Grants, and other Legal Options in the Face of Coronavirus, Chicago, IL, May 2020
  • Chambers of Commerce for Evanston, Skokie, Lincolnwood, Morton Grove, and the Greater Wheeling Area (Illinois), Speaker, Know Your Options Small Business Webinar: Business Interruption Insurance Claims, May 2020
  • Chicago Bar Association, Moderator, Litigating the High Stakes Medical Malpractice Case, Chicago, IL, March 2020
  • Illinois State Bar Association, Speaker, Using Digital Evidence at Trial, March 2020
  • Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, Speaker, Working Up the Hospital Apparent Agency Case: A Fight Worth Fighting, February 2020
  • Chicago Bar Association, Speaker, An injured worker comes to your office. What do you do? Key pointers to litigating the Worker’s Comp Third-Party Crossover Case, Chicago, IL, December 2019
  • Chicago Bar Association, Speaker, Chicago’s Top 40 Attorneys Under 40 Practice Tips, Chicago, IL, June 2019
  • American Association for Justice, Speaker, Key Takeaways from High-Speed Police Chase Verdict, June 2019
  • Chicago Bar Association, Moderator, Maximizing and Attacking Damages in Personal Injury Actions,  Chicago, IL, March 2019
  • Chicago Bar Association CLE, Speaker, Medical Malpractice of Non-Employee Doctors: Establishing Agency for Hospital Liability, Chicago, IL, May 2018
  • NPAP - National Lawyers Guild, Speaker, Anatomy of a $44.7 Million Police Misconduct Verdict, January 2018
  • CLE, Illinois State Bar Association, Speaker, Obtaining and Using Social Media Evidence at Trial, November 2017
  •  CLE, Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission, Speaker, Use of Social Media Evidence in Civil and Criminal Cases, May 2017
  • Litigation CLE, Romanucci & Blandin, Speaker, Evaluating Bullying/Hazing and Police Misconduct Cases, Chicago, IL, February 2017
  • CLE, Chicago Bar Association, Speaker, Section 1983: Litigating and Vetting Police Misconduct Cases, Chicago, IL, February 2017
  • Professional Responsibilities CLE Event at the Chicago-Kent College of Law, Speaker, Dr. Martin Luther King Forum: Civil Rights and the Chicago Police Department, Chicago, IL, January 2016
  • Chicago-Kent College of Law, Speaker, Introduction to Personal Injury Law, Chicago, IL, October 2015
  • American Association for Justice 2015 Annual Convention, Co-Presenter, Overcoming Juror Bias in Police Misconduct Cases, Montreal, Quebec, CA, July 2015
  • Chicago Bar Association, Contributor, Legal Aspects of Malaysia Flight 370, Chicago, IL, April 2014

Publications

  • Decalogue Tablets, “Close to Home: Your Unfriendly, Neighborhood Carcinogen” (Sterigenics-Ethylene Oxide Exposure Cases), Summer 2019.
  • Trial Journal, “School Bullying Cases: Holding School Districts and Officials Accountable in Illinois,” Winter 2018.
  • Illinois Bar Journal, Obtaining Social Media Evidence Through Discovery, December 2017.
  • Illinois Bar Journal, Social Media Evidence & Ethical Considerations, September 2017.
  • Decalogue Tablets, “Legality of President Trump ‘Sending in the Feds’ to Chicago,” February 2017.
  • Decalogue Tablets, “Top 10 things Associates Should Know about Preparing for Trial,” February 2017.
  • Illinois Bar Journal, The Admissibility of Social Media Evidence in Illinois, January 2017.
  • Decalogue Tablets, How Technology is Driving Much Needed Police Reforms, 2016 Fall Edition.
  • Chicago-Kent Law Review, The Conflict Between Forum-Selection Clauses and Consumer Protection Laws: Why Illinois Got It Right In Jane Doe v. Match.com, Spring 2015.
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