Trial Attorney | Head of Litigation | Cusack & Gilfillan, LLC
Shaun D. Cusack
A Trial Lawyer Who Is Prepared to Fight
Shaun D. Cusack is an aggressive and accomplished Illinois trial attorney who leads the litigation practice at Cusack & Gilfillan, LLC. With more than 16 years of litigation experience and numerous jury trials successfully taken to verdict as lead counsel, Shaun has built his career on preparation, relentless advocacy, and an unwavering commitment to protecting his clients’ interests.
Shaun is not afraid of the courtroom. He is not intimidated by insurance companies, corporate defendants, or opposing counsel. And he does not believe that his clients should have to accept less than they deserve simply because the other side refuses to do what is right.
Born and raised in Peoria, Illinois, Shaun has represented individuals, families, and businesses in courtrooms throughout Illinois. His litigation experience includes personal injury, wrongful death, medical malpractice, workers’ compensation, insurance disputes, complex civil litigation, and criminal defense.
Since his admission to the Illinois Bar in 2010, Shaun has served as lead counsel in more than 20 civil jury trials, in addition to criminal jury trials, contested evidentiary hearings, and complex litigation proceedings. He has also argued cases before the Illinois Appellate Court.
His extensive courtroom experience provides him with an understanding of what it takes to investigate, develop, present, and win contested legal disputes.
Prepared for Trial. Ready for a Fight.
Shaun believes there is a fundamental difference between an attorney who handles cases and a trial lawyer who is prepared to fight them.
Insurance companies and defendants are not always willing to offer fair compensation voluntarily. When negotiations fail, Shaun is prepared to take the fight to the courtroom.
He approaches litigation with a simple philosophy: protect the client, prepare thoroughly, know the facts, know the law, and never allow an opponent to dictate the outcome merely because they have greater resources.
As Head of Litigation at Cusack & Gilfillan, Shaun directs litigation strategy and handles contested matters from initial investigation through discovery, dispositive motions, trial, and appeal. His practice demands meticulous preparation, aggressive cross-examination, strategic motion practice, and the ability to present complicated legal and factual issues persuasively to judges and juries.
Shaun understands that litigation is often an uneven fight. Insurance companies and large defendants have substantial financial resources and experienced legal teams dedicated to protecting their interests. He believes injured individuals and their families deserve an attorney who is every bit as prepared, determined, and capable of standing up to those interests.
His clients do not hire him simply to process a claim. They hire him to fight for them.
Experience That Makes a Difference
Shaun’s trial experience extends across a wide range of legal disputes and jurisdictions. He has appeared in courts throughout Central Illinois and across the state, including Peoria, Woodford, Tazewell, McLean, Livingston, Rock Island, and Cook Counties.
He has litigated cases involving substantial injuries, disputed liability, complicated medical evidence, insurance coverage, business disagreements, property rights, and difficult questions of statutory and constitutional law.
His experience is not limited to the trial courtroom. Shaun has handled significant legal motions, conducted evidentiary hearings, and successfully presented oral arguments before the Illinois Appellate Court.
This combination of trial and appellate experience allows Shaun to evaluate cases from multiple perspectives, identify legal and factual weaknesses in opposing positions, and develop strategies designed to put his clients in the strongest possible position.
A Family Tradition of Fighting for Injured People
Working alongside his father, attorney Daniel P. Cusack, Shaun continues the longstanding tradition of aggressive representation that has helped establish Cusack & Gilfillan as a respected litigation firm in Illinois.
Together, Dan and Shaun have been instrumental in securing millions of dollars in recoveries for clients and maintaining the firm’s commitment to representing injured individuals and families against insurance companies and defendants who refuse to accept responsibility.
Shaun takes pride in carrying that tradition forward while bringing his own courtroom experience, litigation strategy, and determination to every case he handles.
For Shaun, the firm’s reputation is built not simply on the cases it accepts, but on the work it is willing to do when those cases become difficult.
National Recognition and Professional Honors
In 2026, Shaun was selected to The National Trial Lawyers: Top 100 – Civil Plaintiff, an invitation-only organization recognizing qualified civil plaintiff trial attorneys within their respective states or regions.
The selection recognizes professional qualifications, trial experience, leadership, and reputation in the legal community.
Shaun has also received professional recognition that includes:
- The National Trial Lawyers – Top 100 Civil Plaintiff (2026)
- Illinois Leading Lawyer
- Illinois Emerging Lawyer (previous recognition)
- National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys – Top 10 Under 40 (previous recognition)
These distinctions reflect a career dedicated to courtroom advocacy, professional excellence, and determined representation.
Education and Professional Background
Shaun earned his Associate of Arts degree in Pre-Law from Black Hawk College in 2001, where he received academic honors.
He subsequently attended St. Ambrose University, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Political Science in 2004 and a Master of Business Administration in 2005.
Shaun earned his Juris Doctor from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 2009, where he was an honor roll student and participated in mock trial activities.
He was admitted to the Illinois Bar in May 2010.
Outside the Courtroom
A lifelong Central Illinois resident, Shaun lives in Woodford County with his family.
Outside the practice of law, Shaun is an accomplished guitarist who has played since childhood and continues to perform with the Central Illinois rock band Windows Down. He is also an avid outdoorsman who enjoys fishing, hunting, boating, and golfing, as well as playing and coaching hockey.
Despite the demands of a busy litigation practice, Shaun places tremendous importance on his family and the Central Illinois communities he has called home throughout his life.
When the Other Side Refuses to Be Fair, Be Prepared to Fight.
Shaun believes clients deserve more than promises, excuses, or a quick settlement designed to close a file.
They deserve preparation. They deserve commitment. And when circumstances demand it, they deserve a lawyer who is willing and able to stand before a jury and fight for their rights.
At Cusack & Gilfillan, Shaun D. Cusack is prepared to do exactly that.
