Steven M. Canty

Partner

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Steven M. Canty is a founding partner of the Chicago law firm Canty Novy Bertkau Gordon, LLC. Steve represents both large and small corporations and individuals, as self-insureds and as insureds on behalf of insurance companies. Steve's practice focuses on the defense of insureds and self-insureds with concentration in tort defense in all areas of construction litigation, transportation litigation, construction injury, construction defect litigation, and insurance defense. His litigation experience extends throughout the State of Illinois.

Steve also serves as an on-call emergency on-site presence for catastrophic injuries and accident investigations, available 24 hours a day through the catastrophic call-out program. His responsibilities include management of files and oversight of associates from initial filing through resolution; establishing and implementing all phases of preparation from initial investigation and strategy for complicated and complex litigation.

In addition, Steve is a member of the Defense Research Institute, Transportation Lawyers Association and the Trucking Industry Defense Association. Steve has written, published and given presentations on numerous topics involving litigation.

Steve was honored to serve as President and member of the Executive Committee of the Transportation Lawyers Association. The TLA is an independent bar association dedicated to the issues of the transportation industry both nationally and internationally. Steve has also served as the editor of The Transportation Lawyer magazine, a legal publication featuring articles submitted by members on the most updated matters related to transportation law. In 2015, Steve was honored with the TLA Distinguished Service Award for advancement of the goals of the TLA. He continues to actively participate on various committees within the organization.

Steve attended the DePaul University College of Law, where he earned his Juris Doctorate with Honors in 1996. He obtained his undergraduate degree at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1993. Throughout his career, Steve has received several honors and awards, including recognition in numerous years by Super Lawyers and Leading Lawyers.

Practice Areas

• Transportation
• Commercial Litigation
• Construction Litigation
• General Negligence

Bar Admissions

• State of Illinois - 1996
• United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois - 1996
• United States District Court of the Southern District of Indiana - 2004
• United States District Court of the Southern District of Illinois - 2009

Education

• DePaul University, J.D. (with Honors), 1996
• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, B.A., 1993

Affiliations and Offices Held

• Certified Arbitrator for the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit
• Claims & Litigation Management Alliance (CLM)
• Defense Research Institute (DRI)
• Trucking Industry Defense Association (TIDA)
• Transportation Lawyers Association (TLA)
• Immediate Past President, 2022-2023
• President, 2021-2022
• First Vice President, 2020-2021
• Second Vice President, 2019-2020
• Secretary/Treasurer, 2018-2019
• Executive Committee, Representative-at-Large, 2014-2016
• TLA Chicago Seminar Co-chair, 2012-2017
• TLA Annual Seminar Co-Chair, 2017
• Canadian Transport Lawyer Association (CTLA)
• Non-Resident Director of the CTLA 2023-2024

Honors and Awards

• Illinois Super Lawyers, numerous years
• Illinois Leading Lawyers, numerous years
• TLA Distinguished Service Award, 2015
• DePaul University Order of the Coif, 1996
• CALl Award, 1995,1996
• American Jurisprudence Award, 1994