Melvin L. Brooks is a managing partner with The Cochran Firm Chicago representing clients in wrongful death and serious personal injury matters ranging from trucking and vehicular negligence, police misconduct, premises and products liability and medical negligence. Melvin began his legal career on the south side of Chicago at the law office of Benjamin E. Starks. He gained extensive experience as a civil litigator with the Corporation Counsel’s Office handling complex, multi-million-dollar exposure cases in 1986. His list of high-profile cases included having served as lead counsel in the E2 Nightclub litigation. Through Melvin’s efforts, over $20 million was recovered for families of the E2 victims. He also represented the family of Rekia Boyd; a young lady fatally shot by an off-duty, Chicago police officer and successfully obtained an award of $4.5 million. He is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the Federal District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and is a member of the Federal trial bar.

• Named to Leading Lawyers 2018-2020 Personal Injury, Civil Rights
• Named to list of Super Lawyers, 2013-2020
• Named as part of the “Nation’s Top One Percent” by the National Association of Distinguished Counsel, 2015-2020
• Recipient of the Women of Wisdom’s Distinguished Service Award, 2009
• Named as one of the American Trial Lawyers Association “Top 100 Trial Lawyers”
• Recipient of Cook County Bar Association’s Harold Washington Historical Award, 2012
• Recognized by legal publications such as the National Law Journal and the Chicago Law Bulletin

• Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, Member
• Cook County Bar Association, Member
• Habilitative Systems, Inc., Board Chairperson

• J.D., University of Iowa College of Law
• B.A., Iowa State University