Attorney Profile
Mitch Gilfillan is a passionate trial litigator with proven success. With significant trial experience across Illinois, Gilfillan advocates for clients in all forms of personal injury, medical malpractice defense, family-related matters, business litigation and sports management. As a Quinn Johnston partner and former Division I basketball player competing in the NCAA March Madness Tournament, Gilfillan embraces competition and approaches each case with a winning mindset.
As part of his practice, Gilfillan has been selected and listed as panel counsel for multiple national insurance carriers. With a track record of favorable jury verdicts throughout Illinois and successful arguments before multiple appellate courts, Gilfillan approaches each case with an adaptable and trial-ready mindset. He takes pride in delivering results for his clients, including record-setting outcomes in personal injury and family law matters. His courtroom experience also includes defending medical professionals in high-stakes cases, earning numerous not guilty verdicts where millions of dollars were at issue.
As part of his law practice, Gilfillan is regularly invited to speak across the country on topics at the intersection of sports and law. Whether presenting at world-class Universities or speaking at the NCAA Final Four, Gilfillan enjoys educating and advising individuals seeking both personal and professional guidance. He has been featured and quoted by outlets such as ESPN, CBS, Sports Illustrated, and the New York Post. Recognized as a trusted voice in college basketball circles, he has also served in a consulting role for the NBA Players Association, reflecting the respect he’s earned in both legal and professional athletic communities.
As a nationally recognized lawyer, Gilfillan also spearheads numerous charitable causes across Illinois. As an active civic and charitable contributor, Gilfillan has performed hundreds of hours of pro bono service earning him statewide recognition by the Illinois State Bar Association. Locally, the Peoria County Bar Association and Chief Judge Katherine Gorman presented Gilfillan with the 2025 Distinguished Community Service Award. Gilfillan is also President of the Children’s Hospital of Illinois Community Advisory Council, serves on the Kevin Brown Memorial Tournament of Champions board to fight glioblastoma, leads the Heart of Illinois United Way legal campaign division, and serves on the Public Interest Law Initiative board to serve poverty-stricken litigants out of Chicago.
Gilfillan is deeply committed to his community, having served as a Peoria County Election Judge for over a decade. He finds his greatest fulfillment in coaching his daughters’ sports teams and volunteering his time to help others.
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Practice Areas
Education
- J.D., Valparaiso University School of Law, Valparaiso, Indiana, 2009
- Executive Board for the Trial Advocacy Team
- Moot Court Honor Society
- Highest Course Honors: Trial Practice II
- Finance Chair for the Steering Committee
- B.A., Political Science, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, 2006
- One of four students in the Class of 2006 (1,029 total students) to receive The Undergraduate Merit Award
- Received Outstanding Service Award given to the top graduating student-athlete at Lehigh University
- Recipient of the Coach’s Award for attitude, effort & special leadership presented by the Lehigh basketball coaching staff
- Recipient of the Southside Boosters Award presented by Southside Booster Association, Inc. for outstanding citizenship
- Four-year member of Lehigh’s C.O.A.C.H. program (Community Outreach by Athletes who Care about Helping)
- Earned full Division I basketball scholarship, four-year letter winner & voted team captain 2005-2006 season
Admissions/Associations
- State Courts of Illinois
- U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Illinois
- Appointed to Standing Committee on Judicial Evaluations – Outside Cook County by the Illinois State Bar Association (2019 -2020)
- 10th Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Committee
- Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel
- Public Interest Law Initiative – Help Desk Pro Bono Volunteer in Tazewell and Peoria County
Community Activities
- OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois – Community Advisory Council, President
- Public Interest Law Initiative – Board of Directors (2023 – present)
- Kevin Brown Memorial Tournament of Champions – Board of Directors (2020 – present)
- Pediatric Resource Center – Board of Directors, Past President (2017 – 2022)
- Peoria Friendship House of Christian Service – Board of Directors, Past President (2016 -2022)
- Heart of Illinois United Way – Campaign Cabinet (2019 – present)
- Peoria Notre Dame Youth Softball League – Board of Directors (2019 – present)
- Peoria County Bar Association – Board of Directors
- Co-chair of H.O.P.E. (Helping Our Patients Every day) – Children’s Hospital of Illinois (2015 – 2018)
- Peoria County Election Judge (2015 – present)
- Philomena Men’s Club – Volunteer
- IHSA March Madness Volunteer Committee (2015 – 2020)
Presentations
- Innovation and NIL, NCAA Final Four, San Antonio, Spring 2025
- Global NIL Conference, Silver Waves Media, Las Vegas, Fall 2024
- Flood of Creatures, musical to benefit Peoria County Animal Shelter, Fall 2024
- The Do’s and Don’ts to Avoid a Malpractice Claim, Peoria District Dental Society Seminar, Spring 2024
- Playbook Mondays: NIL Rules and Regulations, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Summer 2023
- Inherit the Wind, Reader’s Theater to benefit Prairie State Legal Services, Fall 2022
- Footpath Falls, Animal Brawls and Sports Calls: A Personal Injury Assortment to Respond to your Neighbor, CLE Civil Practice Seminar, PCBA, Spring 2020
- Maintenance: A 2020 Update in Law and Reality, CLE Family Law Seminar, PCBA, Spring 2020
- When an Employer is Asked to “Show Me the Money:” Complying with Income Withholding Orders and Qualified Domestic Relations Orders– Quinn Johnston Labor & Employer Seminar, Spring 2019
- Business Law in 2018: Marketing, Technology and Social Media at the Forefront– Quinn Johnston Business & Tax Seminar, Fall 2018
- Cybercrime, Digital Evidence and the Impact on an Intellectual Property Practice– Quinn Johnston Business & Tax Seminar, Fall 2017
- “New Job Offer, May I Accept?”: Changing Face of Noncompete Agreements in Illinois, Quinn Johnston Labor and Employment Seminar, Summer 2017
- Spoliation Spoiler: To Save or Not to Save, Greater Peoria Claims Association Seminar, Spring 2017
- ‘Tis the Season: Update on Snow and Ice Removal, CLE Civil Ligation Seminar, PCBA Spring 2017
- Social Media Maelstrom: Changes in Business Policy, Recent Rulings and the Legal Impact on a Business – Quinn Johnston Business & Tax Seminar, Fall 2016
- Medical Marijuana and Concealed Carry in the Workplace:Recent Developments in Illinois Law and What the Future Holds for Employers and Employees – Quinn Johnston Labor and Employment Seminar, Summer 2016
- Farm Liability Policy, Farm Employee Medical Payments, & Worker’s Compensation Coverage– Farm Business and Farm Management Association, Spring 2016
- Minor Settlements: Obtaining Court Approval and Keeping them Confidential, CLE Civil Litigation Seminar, PCBA, Spring 2015
- Nursing Malpractice – How to Avoid It?, Central Illinois Health Information Management Association’s Seminar, Spring 2015
Professional Publications
- United We Stand, Without Diversity We Fall, Peoria Magazines InterBusiness Issues, June 2020
- Legendary Work for the Public Good, Peoria Magazines InterBusiness Issues, July 2019
- The Brave New World of E-Filing, Peoria Magazines InterBusiness Issues, July 2018
- Healthcare Payment Issues Involving Provider Agreements and Patient Insurance, IDC Quarterly Survey of 2017 Tort Law
- The Fiduciary Quagmire: A New Standard for Advisers and Investors is Quickly Approaching, Peoria Magazines InterBusiness Issues July 2016
- So Fresh, So Clean: The Clean Power Plan and its Current State of Legal Limbo, Peoria Magazines InterBusiness Issues, October 2016
Ratings/Recognitions
- Distinguished Community Service Award, Peoria County Bar Association, 2025
- Illinois Super Lawyers List 2022-2025
- Martindale-Hubbell rating of AV® Preeminent, 2024
- Named one of the 70 Most Influential People in America in NIL Space by Silver Waves Media (Los Angeles, CA), 2024
- Featured article in Illinois Super Lawyers Magazine, “From the Barn to the Bar,” 2023
- Illinois Leading Lawyer in Medical Malpractice 2022-present
- Won the largest Family Law termination of maintenance case in Central Illinois history, (IRMO Churchill II, 2022 IL App (3d) 210026)
- Named Illinois Jaycees Outstanding Young Person of Illinois, 2022
- Peoria Notre Dame High School – Pillar of the Year Award, 2021
- Selected by Illinois Super Lawyers, “Rising Stars,” 2019-2022
- Named to Illinois’ Emerging Lawyers by the Law Bulletin Publishing Company, 2017-2022
- John C. McAndrews Pro Bono Service Award winner presented by the Illinois State Bar Association, 2020
- Named to inaugural Public Interest Law Initiative Honor Roll for outstanding contributions to pro bono work, 2020
- Selected Central Illinois’ “40 Leaders Under 40” by Peoria Magazines, 2019
- Peoria County Bar Association Pro Bono Plan Young Lawyer of the Year, 2017