Eric Y. Choi
Neal Gerber & Eisenberg LLP
Commercial litigation; insurance policyholder litigation

Neal Gerber Eisenberg partner Eric Choi has crafted a dynamic business litigation practice.

A common theme resonated through the remarks of Choi’s nominators to Forty Under 40: He considers the overall client experience, knowing it’s the key measure of a successful engagement — not simply the results.

One Forty Under 40 nominator, a client of Choi’s, wrote: “While Eric Choi is a litigator, what we like best about Eric is that he ensures that we do not have to litigate at all. We have great peace of mind when working with Eric Choi.”

Another client who nominated him praised Choi’s ability to simplify their issues so they can be well-managed in court.

“There are attorneys we have used over the last 50 years in business who often fail to grasp the law on our commercial contracts,” the nominating client wrote. “Eric has a unique ability to simplify the issues before the court so that they are understood and relayed properly to the judge and jury.”

One Forty Under 40 nominator who worked with Choi at Neal Gerber Eisenberg said Choi stands out for his ability to personally connect with clients. “Eric is not driven by the size of his client's pocketbook or the billable hours associated with the controversy,” this person wrote. “Instead, he seeks to understand the impact his client is suffering as a result. … Eric functions as a true adviser to his clients; by empathizing in their conflict, he is able to assess the anxiety and stress of the situation and provide peace of mind, balanced with quality legal services. It is this human element that makes Eric a rare find.”

While he has achieved great success for his clients recently, Choi’s efforts on a pro bono case helped to give client Kerry Masterson back her freedom. Ms. Masterson was convicted of murder in 2011 and sentenced to 58 years in prison. Northwestern's Center on Wrongful Convictions was able to secure Ms. Masterson a new trial due to the wrongful exclusion of expert testimony on eyewitness identifications. Eric worked on the new trial on behalf of Ms. Masterson. Once the case went to the jury, Ms. Masterson was exonerated within only 3 hours of deliberations. After 8 years in prison, Ms. Masterson was released, which could not be a better example of Eric's exceptional results in action.

Choi, 36, is a member of the Korean American Bar Association of Chicago, where he serves as treasurer on the executive board. He has also served as chair of The Chicago Bar Association's Insurance Law Subcommittee. As an active member of his firm’s Diversity & Inclusion and Hiring Committees, Eric continues to advocate for embracing an open and equal working environment.