Hinshaw's Dan Purdom Discusses Van Dyke Trial Prosecutors in Front Page Chicago Tribune Story

Dan Purdom—a  Chicago-based partner at Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP with extensive trial and white collar crime law experience—was recently featured in a front page Chicago Tribune story titled "A study in contrasts: Competing lawyers in Van Dyke trial strikingly different in style."

The article profiles the two lead attorneys—Joseph McMahon and Daniel Herbert—in the trial of Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke. Van Dyke is facing charges of first-degree murder and official misconduct after fatally shooting seventeen-year old Laquan McDonald. McMahon, the prosecuting attorney, was formerly a partner at Hinshaw and a colleague of Purdom.

Purdom said that McMahon has a prosecutorial demeanor similar to his style on the golf course. "Golf is a steady-wins-the-race kind of game," said Purdom. "Joe never changes his emotion, even when he hits a less-than-great shot. He just adapts and adjusts and thinks it through." Purdom also recalled that some people close to McMahon had warned him against taking the assignment. "He was told, 'Don't go near it.' But Joe said it was the right thing to do. He didn't shy away from it."

Read "A study in contrasts: Competing lawyers in Van Dyke trial strikingly different in style," on the Chicago Tribune website (subscription may be required)