Michelle R. DiSilvestro

Michelle R. DiSilvestro is a Senior Attorney at Romanucci & Blandin, LLC, where she focuses her practice on medical malpractice, mass toxic tort litigation, and other complex catastrophic injury matters, including wrongful death and serious personal injury cases. Michelle has been deeply involved in large-scale toxic tort litigations and has litigated high-stakes matters against major corporate defendants, including Boeing.

Her contributions have led to several large results for clients, including a $4.93 million verdict for the tragic death of a woman killed in a car crash caused by the Chicago Police Department; a $4.25 million settlement for the family of a 24-year-old who was shot by police while trying to climb a fence after he ran from officers conducting a routine drug investigation; a $1 million full policy limit settlement for the death of a pilot; an over $742,500 verdict for the family of a father killed by police while he experienced a mental health crisis; and a settlement against Boeing Corporation for the death of a Chicago-native U.S. Army Captain. She has also successfully resolved serious personal injury and medical malpractice cases on the eve of trial after extensive discovery, motion practice and trial preparation.

Michelle was drawn to the practice of law to advocate for individuals and families harmed by others’ wrongful acts. In her role at Romanucci & Blandin, she is committed to pursuing accountability through thoughtful, strategic litigation and to achieving meaningful change for her clients and the broader community.

Michelle is an active leader in the plaintiffs’ bar. She has served as a Co-Chair of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association Young Lawyers’ Division for the past three years and is a member of the Justinian Society of Lawyers Executive Committee, where she has served a three-year term. Through these roles, she contributes to advancing trial advocacy and developing the next generation of attorneys.

Michelle earned her Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Law, where she also received a Certificate in Trial Advocacy & Dispute Resolution. During law school, she served as Administrative Editor of the UIC John Marshall Law Review and competed in multiple moot court competitions. In 2019, she placed second in the Dean Fred F. Herzog Moot Court Competition, arguing on behalf of the petitioners in Hernandez v. Mesa, a case decided by the United States Supreme Court in February 2020.

While in law school, Michelle clerked at a plaintiff-side personal injury firm handling matters involving construction negligence, premises liability, toxic torts, wrongful death, and motor vehicle collisions. She also worked with the Pro Bono Federal Litigation Clinic at UIC School of Law, assisting underserved clients with clemency petitions and post-conviction relief.

Michelle earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, with a Certificate in Business, from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. She leverages her background in psychology to communicate effectively with juries and develop compelling trial themes grounded in jurors’ perceptions and decision-making. She is a graduate of Loyola Academy High School in Wilmette, Illinois.

Experience

J.D., magna cum laude, University of Illinois at Chicago School of Law

B.S., Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison

• Emerging Lawyer by Leading Lawyers, 2025-Present
• The Best Lawyers in America®: Ones to Watch, 2025-Present
• Rising Stars by Illinois Super Lawyers®, 2024-Present
• CALI Awards – University of Illinois at Chicago School of Law
  • Civil Procedure I, 2019
  • Lawyering Skills III: Appellate Advocacy, 2019

• American Association for Justice (AAJ), Member
• Women’s Bar Association of Illinois (WBAI), Member
• Illinois Trial Lawyers Association (ITLA)
  • Co-Chair, Young Lawyers Division, 2023-2026
  • Member
• Justinian Society of Lawyers
  • Executive Committee, 2025-2026
  • Member
• National Italian American Bar Association (NIABA), Member

• Confidential settlement reached for the family of a victim from the Boeing 737 plane crash in Ethiopia
• $4,930,000 million verdict for the tragic death of a woman killed in a car crash caused by the Chicago Police Department
• $4,250,000 settlement for the family of a 24-year-old who was shot by police while trying to climb a fence after he ran from officers conducting a routine drug investigation
• $1,000,000 policy limits settlement from a Kansas-based aviation company for the death of a pilot in a helicopter crash
• $742,000 verdict to the family of a father killed by police while having a mental health crisis

• Illinois, 2021
• Northern District of Illinois, 2021

Blog Posts

• Panelist, Impact Litigation, University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, Chicago, IL, March 2026
• Presenter, Environmental and Toxic Torts Section Presents: Ethylene Oxide Lunch and Learn, AAJ Lunch and Learn, Chicago, IL, April 2025
• Panelist, Medical Malpractice Lunch & Learn at UIC Law, Chicago, IL, October 2024
• Moderator, Practice Tips for the Young Lawyer Webinar, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, Chicago, IL, April 2024
• Panelist, Careers in Law, University of Illinois Chicago College of Law, Chicago, IL, March 2023
• Panelist, Women in Law, UIC Women's Law Caucus and the Justinian Society of Lawyers, Chicago, IL, February 2023

• Panelist, Advice for Young Female Attorneys, Chicago Bar Association Alliance for Women, Chicago, IL, October 2021