Attorney Profile
Mitch Gilfillan’s path to become an attorney was anything but typical. Following law school, he spent the next six years rising in the Division I men’s basketball coaching ranks. As a former Division I scholar-athlete and NCAA March Madness Tournament participant, Mitch will be the first to admit his competitive attitude correlates perfectly with his legal career. After spending a decade in college athletics, Mitch understands the importance of tailoring his litigation strategy to achieve each client’s unique goals and objectives.
Mitch’s multi-faceted practice focuses on all areas of civil litigation defense, corporate and transactional dealings, partnership dissolution issues and sports agency management. He represents and works with a diverse client base including insurance companies, health care providers, business owners, and individuals seeking both personal and professional guidance. Mitch also works with and represents collegiate coaches and athletic directors across a variety of sports. His clients range from coaches with NCAA Final Four experience to athletic directors in the “Power 5” conferences. Driven to provide exceptional service, results, and value; Mitch’s civil and results-oriented approach to litigation puts clients’ legal and professional goals at the forefront.
Having earned numerous favorable jury trial verdicts and successfully argued at the appellate court level, Mitch embraces the courtroom atmosphere and prepares each case with a flexible and winning mindset. As part of his practice, Mitch has been selected and is listed as panel counsel for multiple national insurance carriers. In addition to his law practice, Mitch is a frequent guest speaker throughout the State of Illinois in a variety of arenas: legal seminars, elementary and high schools, athletic/educational awards banquets and speaks to collegiate/amateur athletic teams.
As an active civic and charitable contributor to the Greater Peoria community, Mitch also devotes significant time to pro bono clients which helped him earn the 2020 John C. McAndrews Pro Bono Service Award from the Illinois State Bar Association. In addition to volunteering with the Peoria County, Illinois State and American Bar Associations, Mitch serves on multiple boards including the Pediatric Resource Center, Children’s Hospital of Illinois, Peoria Friendship House and Peoria County Bar Association. He also assists with the St. Phil’s Men’s Club, IHSA March Madness Volunteer Committee and helps organize the Strides for Justice 5K Race to benefit Prairie State Legal Services.
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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
- Peoria, Illinois and American Bar Association
- Appointed to Standing Committee on Judicial Evaluations – Outside Cook County by the Illinois State Bar Association
- The Abraham Lincoln Court
- 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
- Pediatric Resource Center Board of Directors, President
- Children’s Hospital of Illinois Community Advisory Board
- Peoria Friendship House Board of Directors, President
- Peoria County Bar Association Board of Directors (2017 – 2019)
- Co-chair of H.O.P.E. (Helping Our Patients Every day) – Children’s Hospital of Illinois (2015 – 2018)
- Philomena Men’s Club – Volunteer
- IHSA March Madness Volunteer Committee (2015 – present)
- Strides for Justice 5K Run/Walk Committee to benefit Prairie State Legal Services
- Peoria City/County Citizens Leadership Academy, 2017
Presentations
- 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
- John C. McAndrews Pro Bono Service 2020 Award winner presented by the Illinois State Bar Association
- One of seven attorneys in Illinois named to the inaugural Public Interest Law Initiative Honor Roll for outstanding contributions to pro bono work in 2020
- Selected by Illinois Super Lawyers, “Rising Stars,” 2020-2021
- Named to Illinois’ Emerging Lawyers by the Law Bulletin Publishing Company. Only two percent of Illinois lawyers under the age of 40 or who have been licensed to practice for 10 years or less earn this distinction. 2017-2021
- Named one of Central Illinois’ “40 Leaders Under 40” by Peoria Magazines, 2019
- Peoria County Bar Association Young Lawyer of the Year 2017