Background
Frank A. Sommario had just completed law school and was about to start his career as a lawyer when he suffered a crushed ankle in an accident. After a brief delay and months of rehabilitation, Frank began his new job as a workers’ compensation lawyer. Today, you’d never know he had an accident that could have left him with a permanent disability. He is not only fully recovered, but was compensated for his injuries, thanks to an attorney he knew only in passing. Antonio Romanucci successfully represented him in a lawsuit.
Frank served as counsel to Antonio’s law firm in workers’ compensation matters before joining the firm full time in 2007. As a petitioner’s workers’ compensation lawyer, he vigorously fights for the rights of his clients, and has obtained several large settlements and favorable trial awards for those who have been injured. He considers it a privilege being able to help injured workers get the benefits they deserve.
For his successes representing injury victims, Frank has proudly been named one of The Best Lawyers in America© for 2017-2021. Impressively, he has also been named as an Illinois Top 100 Super Lawyer by Super Lawyers for 2019, one of Illinois’ Super Lawyers for 2016-2021, and one of Illinois’ Rising Stars by Super Lawyers® for the years 2010-2015. Additionally, he was named a Leading Lawyer by Law Bulletin Publishing Company’s Leading Lawyers Division for 2016-2021. In 2015, he was named an Emerging Lawyer by Law Bulletin Publishing Company. Sommario was also named to Law Bulletin Publishing Company’s “40 Illinois Attorneys Under 40 to Watch for 2012.”
Frank’s commitment to the practice of law and professional associations includes currently serving a two-year term as Executive Vice President of the National Italian Bar Association and service on the Board of Managers for the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, various positions within the Illinois State Bar Association, and Past President of the Justinian Society of Lawyers and Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Association.
Prior to joining Romanucci & Blandin, Frank worked as a law clerk for the Illinois Attorney General’s Office and was an accountant-consultant for the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County while in law school. He is a certified public accountant as well as a registered investment advisor.
Experience
Practice Areas
Education & Certifications
- J.D., DePaul University College of Law, 2000
- B.S., Commerce, Accounting, DePaul University, 1997
- Registered Investment Advisor, 2003
- Illinois Certified Public Accountant, 1998
Awards & Recognition
- Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America©, 2017-2022
- Selected to the Illinois Super Lawyers® list, 2016-2021
- Selected to the Illinois Super Lawyers® ‘Top 100’ list, 2019
- Named a Leading Lawyer by Law Bulletin Publishing Company’s Leading Lawyers Division, 2016-2021
- Named a Top 100 Trial Lawyer as certified by the National Trial Lawyers, 2016-2021
- Selected to the Illinois Rising Stars list by Super Lawyers®, 2010 – 2015
- Named an Emerging Lawyer by Law Bulletin Publishing Company’s Leading Lawyers Division, 2015
- Named to the ‘40 Illinois Attorneys Under Forty to Watch’ by Law Bulletin Publishing Company, 2012
- AVVO Top Rating 10/10
Legal Activities & Leadership
- National Italian American Bar Association (NIABA), Executive Vice President, 2021-Present
- Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans (JCCIA), Legal Counsel, 2021-Present
- JCCIA, Delegate, 2015-Present
- Justinian Society of Lawyers Endowment Fund, Chairman, 2018-Present
- Justinian Society of Lawyers, Comptroller, 2017-Present
- Illinois Trial Lawyers’ Association (ITLA), Board of Managers, 2016-Present
- Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Association (WCLA), Comptroller 2015–Present
- Justinian Society of Lawyers, Executive Committee, 2009-Present
- Illinois Bar Foundation (IBF), Silver Fellow, 2008-Present
- NIABA, Secretary, 2019-2021
- NIABA, Board of Directors, 2017-2019
- Justinian Society of Lawyers Endowment Fund, Treasurer, 2012-2017
- Justinian Society of Lawyers, President, 2016-2017
- Justinian Society of Lawyers, 1stVice President, 2015-2016
- Fenwick High School Bar Association, Board of Directors, 2011-2016
- Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission (IWCC) Rules Committee, Member, 2015
- Justinian Society of Lawyers, 2ndVice President, 2014-2015
- Justinian Society of Lawyers, 3rdVice President, 2013-2014
- Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA), Board of Governors, 2008-2014
- ISBA, Board Liaison, Workers’ Compensation Law Section Council, 2009-2014
- ISBA, Board Liaison, Federal Taxation Section Council, 2008-2014
- ISBA, Board Liaison, Standing Committee on Law Office Management & Economics, 2013-2014
- WCLA, Board of Directors 2008-2014
- WCLA, President 2013
- ISBA, Board Liaison, Standing Committee on Continuing Legal Education, 2012-2013
- Justinian Society of Lawyers, Treasurer, 2012-2013
- Justinian Society of Lawyers, Secretary, 2011-2012
- ISBA, Board Liaison, Intellectual Property Section Council, 2011-2012
- WCLA, Vice President 2012
- WCLA, Treasurer 2010-2011
- ISBA, Board Liaison, Standing Committee on Mentoring, 2010-2011
- ISBA, Board Liaison, Environmental Law Section Council, 2008-2010
- ISBA, Workers’ Compensation Law Section Council, 2007-2009
- ISBA, Co-Board Liaison, Young Lawyers Division Council, 2008-2009
- ISBA, General Assembly, 2006-2008
- American Association for Justice (AAJ), Member
- American Association of Attorney-Certified Public Accountants (AAA-CPA), Member
- American Bar Association (ABA), Member
- American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), Member
- Chicago Bar Association (CBA), Member
- Chicago Council of Lawyers (CCL), Member
- DePaul University Alumnus, Member
- DePaul University College of Law Alumnus, Member
- Fenwick High School Alumnus, Member
- Illinois CPA Society & Foundation (ILCPA), Member
- National Italian-American Foundation (NIAF), Member
- Public Justice, Member
- Sicilian American Cultural Association (SACA), Member, 2017-Present
- Synapse House, Board of Directors, 2016-2019
- Women’s Bar Association of Illinois (WBAI), Member
- Women’s Injury Law & Advocacy Group (WILG), Member
Notable Cases
- Hallin v. Jim’s Arco Service, July 2020, Workers’ Compensation, $2,888,331.14 settlement
- Tapia v. The Delong Company, August 2018, Workers’ Compensation, $2,175,566.70 settlement
- Williams v. Jesse White Tumbling Team, May 2015, Workers’ Compensation, $2,053,000.00 settlement
Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
- Illinois, 2000
- Northern District of Illinois, 2000
- Minnesota, 2001
- District of Columbia, 2001
Newsroom
In the News
Press Releases
Blog Posts
Videos
Events
Speaking Engagements
- “Workers’ Compensation: How the New Act Affects Physicians”, 14th Annual Chicago Trauma Symposium, Presenter, August 2, 2012