Jim Freeman and Brendan Kevenides bring years of experience protecting Illinois cyclists
We are thrilled to announce that the Freeman Kevenides Law Firm has joined the Bike Law Network!
An icon in Chicago’s vibrant cycling community, James Freeman is known by many simply as “Lawyer Jim.” For many years, he has volunteered and worked with local bicycle advocacy organizations educating people about their rights and responsibilities. He gives regular “legal cycling” presentations to bike clubs throughout Illinois in an effort to educate cyclists about safety issues and how to handle collisions, assaults and accidents. Jim has over a decade of experience working for and against insurance companies. This experience gives him a tactical advantage over both the insurance companies and their defense attorneys.
Uniquely, he also has many years of experience as a bicycle mechanic. True to his passion, Jim still enjoys “turning a wrench” in the shop occasionally. He teaches wheel building classes at West Town Bikes in Chicago where he is also on the Board of Directors. He is a member of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, the Chicago Bar Association, the Illinois State Bar Association and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, a prestigious group of trial lawyers who have won multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements for their clients.
Brendan Kevenides has been a personal injury attorney for 18 years. He is also an everyday Chicago bicyclist whose focus is representing others that ride. Whether on his rack outfitted Surly Long Haul Trucker, his self-built fixie or his carbon racer, the 45 year old spends a lot of time in the saddle. Turning the focus of his practice to bicycle law happened serendipitously. Several years ago he was asked to represent the family of an 80 year old man who was killed while riding his bike. For years the octogenarian chose to get around his small downstate Illinois town on his bike. On a sunny afternoon, while riding his bright orange bike, he was killed by a minivan driver who claimed she did not see him at an intersection crossing. Thanks to Brendan’s advocacy the case resolved successfully, but not easily. The defense hired an accident reconstruction expert to cook up a theory that suggested the cyclist was at fault. However, diligent investigative work uncovered a witness who would testify against the minivan driver. The defense was forced to settle the case, the family being spared a difficult and emotional trial.
That case motivated Brendan, a life-long cyclist himself, to represent other bicyclists often treated unfairly on both the road and in the courtroom. He started writing about bicycling and the law and created The Chicago Bicycle Advocate, a blog that has garnered a large readership in Chicago and around the United States. In 2013, he joined Jim Freeman to form the Freeman Kevenides Law Firm. Strongly connected to Chicago’s vibrant cycling community, Brendan consistently offers time and resources to local bicycle clubs and organizations. He is a certified bicycle instructor by the League of American Bicyclists (LCI #3732), a member of the Chicago Cycling Club’s steering committee and a member of the Active Transportation Alliance’s advisory committee. He is a regular rider during Critical Mass, The Chicago Ride of Silence and other popular cycling events.
If you have been injured in an Illinois bike accident, by a defective bicycle product, or because of an unsafe road condition and would like to discuss your case with an Illinois bicycle accident attorney who gets cycling, Jim and Brendan welcome your call for a free consultation. They can be reached at [email protected], [email protected] and 312-629-1901.
