Emma Smoler

A trial lawyer, not a settlement mill

Emma Smoler is an accomplished trial lawyer who has taken more than 40 cases to verdict over the course of her career. With extensive jury trial experience in both civil and criminal courtrooms, Emma has built her practice around one fundamental principle: the best way to protect a client is to be prepared and willing to try the case.

Emma began practicing law in 2010 and developed her courtroom skills through years of hands-on trial advocacy. After beginning her career representing injured plaintiffs, she joined the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office, where she served as a felony prosecutor. In that role, Emma prosecuted serious criminal cases and gained substantial experience presenting evidence, examining and cross-examining witnesses, arguing contested motions, selecting juries, and delivering cases to verdict.

That experience shaped Emma into the trial lawyer she is today.

Now representing plaintiffs at TORKLAW, Emma brings the discipline and intensity of a career trial advocate to people who have suffered serious injuries because of the negligence and wrongdoing of others. She approaches cases from the outset with the understanding that they may ultimately be decided by a jury. Her preparation therefore extends well beyond negotiating a settlement: she develops the evidence, witnesses, themes, and trial strategy necessary to present a compelling case in the courtroom.

Emma has tried more than 40 cases to verdict, giving her a depth of courtroom experience that informs every aspect of her representation. She understands that effective trial advocacy requires more than knowledge of the law. It requires command of the evidence, credibility with the court, the ability to communicate complicated facts clearly, and, above all, the ability to connect with jurors.

Her trial record includes both criminal prosecutions and civil cases. Most recently, Emma served as lead trial counsel in a personal injury case in which the defendant's insurer had made no settlement offer for more than two years following the collision. Shortly before trial, the insurer offered $10,000 to resolve the case. Emma proceeded to trial, and the jury returned a verdict of $415,875.68 for her client.

For Emma, trial is not simply a litigation tactic. It is a central part of her professional identity. She believes that lawyers representing injured people must be prepared to stand in a courtroom, select a jury, confront adverse witnesses, present the evidence, and ask jurors to hold defendants accountable when a fair resolution cannot otherwise be achieved.

Emma is admitted to practice in Illinois and before the United States District Courts for the Northern and Central Districts of Illinois, the District of Colorado, and the Southern District of Michigan. Emma earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law and her undergraduate degree from Loyola University Chicago.

Emma is a member of the Chicago Bar Association, Lake County Bar Association, and Women’s Bar Association of Illinois. She has also demonstrated a longstanding commitment to mentorship and public service, including serving as a mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Chicago.

Fluent in English and Spanish, Emma represents clients from diverse backgrounds and communities. Whether negotiating a case, taking a deposition, examining a witness, or addressing a jury, she brings the same preparation, conviction, and determination to the task: be ready to try the case and be ready to win it.