Glen E. Amundsen, Class of 1980

Expert trial lawyer and founder of SmithAmundsen

Glen Amundsen is the Chairman and CEO of SmithAmundsen, and is frequently the lead trial counsel for the firm’s most complex and highest profile matters. He is an experienced trial lawyer, having tried over 100 cases to verdict. His practice is concentrated on litigating commercial contract and tort related disputes. Amundsen is also an experienced mediator and is accredited by the United States Arbitration & Mediation Association. He was named to the Illinois Super Lawyers list for 2005-2013, a peer review publication of Thomas Reuters. He was also selected for The Best Lawyers in America 2013 for his work in Commercial Litigation. Amundsen was also named a Leading Lawyer in alternative dispute resolution law by the Law Bulletin Publishing Company. He frequently speaks and presents on healthcare and corporate related issues and has authored numerous publications. He is also the past president for the Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel and is a member of numerous other legal organizations.

Describe your career path. What steps did you take to get to where you are currently?

I always wanted to represent clients as their trial counsel. I focused as much time as possible on meeting with the most accomplished trial lawyers I could find and learning from their experience.

What was the greatest challenge you have faced in your career? How did you overcome it?

Learning the art and science of developing my own client following. I learned by trial and error to be my own self & to authentically earn the trust and confidence of many on their important matters.

What were you like as a law student?

I was incredibly naïve and took myself too seriously, but was very focused on the law and learning the profession.

What would people find most surprising about you?

That my favorite hobby is touring on my motorcycles.

What does your future hold?

Helping to build a better law firm, trying some more interesting cases to verdict, possibly teaching trial advocacy in a practical setting to young attorneys.

What advice would you give to young attorneys just starting out today?

Don’t allow yourself to be scared away from lifelong learning about the law, and always be focused on how you can be more valuable to your clients.