Education
B.S. Western Illinois UniversityJ.D. The John Marshall Law School
Relevant Previous Employment:
Partner - Phillips, Healy & Allen, P.C.
Background
Andy Allen comes from a small town on the Mississippi River. He graduated from WIU in 1975 with a major in criminal justice administration and minor in math. Andy paid for most of his undergraduate education by working in construction. By the end of college he was a partner in a concrete construction company. After beginning law school, Andy’s summers were divided between construction work and a pro bono position with WIU Student Legal Services. During the school year, he worked as a waiter and short order cook.
Before coming to Costello, McMahon, Burke & Murphy Ltd., Andy was a partner in an insurance defense firm. Although adversaries in several cases, Jim and Andy shared a mutual respect for each others’ ability and genuine concern for their clients. Jim persuaded Andy to “hop the fence” and join our firm where he would now be representing people.
At Costello, McMahon, Burke & Murphy Ltd., Andy Allen handles a wide variety of cases, including motor vehicle accidents, construction accidents, and defective products. One of Andy’s clients was an employee of a chemical manufacturer who was severely burned by steam which escaped from a new reactor. After sifting through endless pages of computer code with several experts, Andy was able to identify a flaw in the computer program which allowed a co-worker to unknowingly release a torrent of steam in the immediate vicinity of the plaintiff. Andy was able to negotiate a settlement which included significant monthly payments for life. This was fortunate since the chemical manufacturer subsequently closed the facility.
Andy is a member of Broadway United Methodist Church and is serving his second term as president of the trustees. He also volunteers at the Greater Chicago Food Depository, and other charitable projects through the church. Andy currently lives in the Bridgeport neighborhood wtih his wife, son and daughter. He is also active with social and fund raising events for St. Barbara Grade School, St. Barbara Church, and St. Mary of Perpetual Help Church.
