Storrs has been representing businesses and insurance carriers for over 30 years in all forms of litigation ranging from construction to employment matters in Illinois and Indiana. He has successfully tried various jury trials to verdict and in excess of 100 administrative hearings. Storrs is an active speaker before national, regional and state organizations on a wide variety of litigation topics.

Storrs is AV Preeminent Rated by Martindale-Hubbell, has been named Leading Lawyer from 2012-2022.

• Education:

  • J.D., Drake University, High Honors, Des Moines, Iowa, 1982
  • B.A., Ripon College, High Honors, Phi Beta Kappa, Ripon, Wisconsin, 1979

• Professional Memberships & Associations:

  • Chicago Bar Association
  • Claims and Litigation Management – EPL Committee
  • Defense Research Institute
  • Defense Trial Counsel of Indiana
  • Illinois Bar Employment Law Division
  • Illinois State Bar Association
  • Indiana State Bar Association
  • Professional Liability Defense Federation
  • Risk & Insurance Management Society, Inc.

• Seminars & Presentations:

  LABOR & EMPLOYMENT
  

  • “The New Fault Lines for Labor and Employment Claims in the Post-Trump Era,” CLM Focus: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Management Liability, Medical Malpractice, Product Liability, Professional Liability, Transportation, Claims & Litigation Management Conference, October 2021
  • “Responding to Internal Employee Complaints: Conducting Workplace Investigations,“ Downey & Lenkov Clients, June 2021
  • “Top 10 Employer Mistakes,” Downey & Lenkov Clients, October 2020
  • “Reopening Your Business Amid COVID-19,” Downey & Lenkov Clients, July 2020
  • “Discipline and Discharge – Necessary Documentation,” NBI’s Mini Law School for HR Professionals Seminar, May 2020
  • “Workplace Behavior and Privacy – Current Developments,“ NBI’s Mini Law School for HR Professionals Seminar, May 2020
  • “COVID-19 – What Employers Need to Know,” Downey & Lenkov Clients, April 2020
  • “10 Common Employer Mistakes,” Downey & Lenkov clients
  • “10 Tricky Employment Termination Questions Answered,” Downey & Lenkov clients
  • “ADA – From Accommodation to Discrimination,” NBI’s Indiana Employment Law Seminar
  • “Approaching LGBT Issues In Today’s Workplace,” American Conference Institutes’s 25 National Forum on Employment Practices Liability Insurance
  • “Avoiding Claims of Race, Religion or National Origin Discrimination in the Current Political Climate,” American Conference Institute’s 26th National Conference on Employment Practices Liability Insurance
  • “COVID-19 – What Employers Need to Know,” Downey & Lenkov clients
  • “Discipline and Discharge – Necessary Documentation,” NBI’s Human Resource Law From Start to Finish Seminar
  • “Employee Handbooks,” NBI’s Human Resource Law: What You Need to Know Now Seminar
  • “Employee Handbooks and Policies in the 21st Century,” NBI’s Mini Law School for Hr Professionals Seminar
  • “Employment Landmines in Workers’ Compensation,” Claims & Litigation Management Alliance
  • “Ethics in Employment Law,” NBI’s Indiana Employment Law Seminar
  • “Hiring/Recruiting,” NBI’s Human Resource Law: What You Need to Know Now Seminar
  • “Hiring Do’s and Don’ts (With Video Examples),” Downey & Lenkov clients
  • “Identifying, Investigating & Reducing Sexual Harassment In The Workplace,” Illinois Manufacturers’ Association
  • “Labor and Employment: Sex, Drugs, Religion and the Impact of POTUS,” Encore Unlimited
  • “Marijuana In The Workplace,” Boiler & Tank Contractors Of Illinois
  • “Overview of Equal Employment Law,” NBI’s Indiana Employment Law Seminar
  • “Recent Developments in Employment Law,” NBI’s Human Resource Law: What You Need to Know Now Seminar
  • “Recent Developments With DOL & NLRB & New Laws,” Illinois Manufacturers’ Association’s February Breakfast Briefing
  • “Religious & Disability Discrimination & Accommodations In Today’s Ever-Evolving Workplace,” National Association of Security Companies’ Contract Security Industry Leaders’ Roundtable
  • “Risky Business: Drugs, Sexual Orientation And Guns In The Illinois Workplace,” Downey & Lenkov clients
  • “The Ever Expanding Scope Of The ADA,” Employment Practices Liability Insurance ExecuSummit 2016
  • “Workplace Behavior and Privacy – Current Developments,“ NBI’s Human Resource Law From Start to Finish Seminar

  
  GENERAL LIABILITY

  • “Assessing Liability in Evans v. Walmart & Other COVID-19 Wrongful Death Suits,” April 2020
  • “Discretionary Immunity Under Indiana Tort Claims Act and Illinois Tort Immunity Act,” PMA Insurance Group
  • “Employer Third Party Liability & the Kotecki Doctine,” Downey & Lenkov Clients
  • “Illinois Coverage,” Frankenmuth Insurance
  • “Spills, Thrills and Bills: The True Story Behind Illinois and Indiana Premises Liability Law,” Downey & Lenkov Clients
  • “The Future of Crop Evaluations: Potential & Pitfalls Of Using Drone Technology In Crop Loss Claims,” Berkley Agribusiness Risk Specialists

  WORKERS’ COMPENSATION/SUBROGATION

  • “Ethics,” National Business Institute, June 2021
  • “When to Sue in Conjunction With Workers’ Compensation,” National Business Institute, June 2021
  • “Comparison of Key Issues: Illinois vs. Indiana,” Workers’ Compensation Seminar
  • “Comprehensive Workers’ Compensation Subrogation in Illinois and Indiana,” Church Mutual Insurance Company
  • “Comprehensive Workers’ Compensation Subrogation in Illinois & Indiana,” National Indemnity Company
  • “Comprehensive Workers’ Compensation Subrogation in Illinois and Indiana,” PMA Insurance Company
  • “Illinois Workers’ Compensation Overview,” Berkshire Hathaway
  • “Indiana: Using an Employee’s Actions as a Defense, Terminating TTD Benefits and Evaluation of PPI,” Berkshire Hathaway
  • “Indiana WC Forms, PPI and Assorted Topics,” Broadspire Services
  • “Indiana Workers’ Compensation 101,” Applied Risk
  • “Indiana Workers Compensation 101 and Indiana Workers’ Compensation Forms,” Berkshire Hathaway
  • “Indiana Worker’s Compensation Forms,” Dallas National Insurance
  • “Indiana Workers’ Compensation Overview,” York Risk Services/Avizent
  • “Investigating Subrogation Claims,” Berkley Specialty
  • “Non Workers’ Compensation Issues That Every Workers’ Compensation Practitioner Needs To Know,” 2014 Claims & Litigation Management Annual Conference
  • “Overview of Illinois and Indiana Workers’ Compensation Act and Practice,” Berkley Agribusiness Risk Specialists and Continental Western Group
  • “Solving Common Settlement Problems,” Berkley Specialty
  • “Subrogation Basics for Workers’ Compensation Professionals,” Downey & Lenkov Clients
  • “Turning the Tables: Defense Strategies,” Dallas National Insurance
  • “Workers’ Compensation 4 Ways: Strategies For Defending Claims In 4 States,” Downey & Lenkov Clients

• Articles & Publications:

  • “Back To Basics In The Workplace: A Refresher on Conducting Investigations,” CLM Magazine, July 2021
  • “Comprehensive Overview of Illinois and Indiana Premises Liability Law,” April 2021
  • “You’re Canceled! Tips for Employers to Help Falling Victim to Cancel Culture in the Current Climate,” Professional Liability Defense Quarterly, Winter 2020
  • “SCOTUS: Title VII Protects LGBTQ Employees,” Downey & Lenkov Client Alert, July 2020
  • “Mandatory COVID-19 Posting Requirements,” Downey & Lenkov Client Alert, June 2020
  • “Reopening Business: 5 Potential Employer Pitfalls,“ Downey & Lenkov Client Alert, June 2020
  • “First COVID-19 Wrongful Death Suit Filed In Cook County,” Downey & Lenkov Client Alert, April 2020
  • “Important Updates to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act,” Downey & Lenkov Client Alert, March 2020
  • “COVID-19 Illinois & Indiana Stay-at-Home Orders,” Downey & Lenkov Client Alert, March 2020
  • “DOL Final Rule on Joint Employer Status Under FLSA,” Downey & Lenkov Client Alert, January 2020
  • “Addressing the Ever-Expanding Issue of Biometrics and Privacy in the Workplace,” Lawyer Monthly magazine, August 2019
  • “Increased Misclassification Litigation Stresses Importance Of Proper Worker Classification,” Professional Liability Defense Quarterly, Summer 2016
  • “Religious Accommodations In The Workplace,” In-House Defense Quarterly Magazine, Summer 2016     
  • “Call Me Claimant? Understanding Transgender Employee Discrimination Claims and Legal Development,” Claims Management Magazine, October 2015
  • “Comprehensive Overview of Illinois & Indiana Premises Liability Law,” 2009

• News & Insights:

  • WGN Radio’s Legal Face-Off, “Illinois Representative Buckner on NIL Legislation, Lenkner on Alexa Class Action and Downey on the Latest Employment News, and much more,” June 2021
  • WGN Radio’s Legal Face-Off, “Smith on Florida Felons’ Eligibility to Vote, Ayers and Hopkins on Chicago’s Puppy Mill Ordinance, Downey on COVID-19 Employment Issues,” July 2020

  • WGN Radio with Ji Suk Yi, “Will the $2 Trillion Stimulus Package Passed By the Senate Be Enough to Save the Economy? Plus Tech News You Can Use & Your Coronavirus Federal and State Unemployment Questions Answered,” March 2020

  • WGN Radio with Ji Suk Yi, “All Eyes on the Stock Market & Unemployment Benefits in IL During the Coronavirus Outbreak: How to Apply and Who is Eligible,” March 2020

  • Lawyer Monthly, “Addressing the Ever-Expanding Issue of Biometrics and Privacy in the Workplace,” August 2019