About the Firm

Ferolie & Perrecone, Ltd., based in Rockford, Illinois, was founded by Lawrence J. Ferolie in 1967. Since 1976, the firm has limited its practice to injury and death cases.

Lawrence J. Ferolie passed away on July 29, 2010, at the age of 90. Following his death, it was reported in the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin that Mr. Ferolie was a “trailblazer” and a “pioneer” among plaintiffs’ personal injury lawyers. Read more about the life and legacy of Lawrence J. Ferolie.

Cases are accepted on a contingency fee basis. This means that there are no attorney fees unless a settlement or judgment is secured for our client.

Highly Rated in Illinois

Frank A. Perrecone has been rated by his peers throughout Illinois to be among the top 5 percent of attorneys practicing in Illinois in the field of personal injury and wrongful death. (Sources: Illinois Super Lawyers and Leading Lawyers.) Attorneys have ranked Mr. Perrecone at the highest level of professional and ethical excellence, earning him the coveted designation of AV Preeminent, Martindale-Hubbell’s highest legal ability and ethical rating designation*.

In addition to providing leadership in numerous professional organizations over the years, Mr. Perrecone has taught law school and mentored other attorneys. Learn more about attorneyFrank A. Perrecone.

Contact us to discuss your injury matter. There is no charge for an initial inquiry. We provide a free phone consultation to injury victims and their families: 815-962-2700.

Frank A. Perrecone

Frank A. Perrecone is a leading trial lawyer who has tried numerous civil jury cases involving serious personal injuries and death in both the state and federal courts. He is widely known for his handling of personal injury cases, representing injured victims throughout northern Illinois. As a trial lawyer, he has represented accident victims before juries in Boone, Cook, Ogle, Stephenson, and Winnebago counties, as well as in the United States District Court. He frequently is brought into cases by other lawyers who seek his assistance and expertise  in the field of personal injury and wrongful death cases. Mr. Perrecone is recognized for his aggressive approach to handling personal injury cases and his thorough preparation of cases for trial.

Mr. Perrecone has maintained the highest rating, AV Preeminent, in the Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings from 1997 to the present. These ratings, which are generated from evaluations by other members of the bar and judiciary, are considered to be an objective indicator of a lawyer's high ethical standards and professional ability.

Mr. Perrecone has also been accredited with distinctions within the state of Illinois. He has been selected for inclusion in the list of "Super Lawyers" for the years 2006, 2007, and 2009 to the present. Super Lawyers are chosen by peers from each practice area and through the independent research of Law & Politics. Only the top 5 percent of attorneys in Illinois receive this designation. He has also been designated a "Leading Lawyer" in personal injury law for the years 2003 to present. This distinction is granted to the top attorneys in Illinois and is determined by peers and the Leading Lawyers Network Advisory Board.

Mr. Perrecone is admitted to the practice of law in all courts of the state of Illinois, the United States District Court for Northern Illinois, the United States Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court.

He began his practice with Lawrence J. Ferolie in 1981 after his graduation from law school. He has impressed his colleagues with his professional manner. He has been involved in major and complex litigation and was the lead trial lawyer in serious personal injury cases in both the state and federal trial courts and before the appellate and reviewing courts.

Mr. Perrecone has served with distinction as Chairman of the Continuing Legal Education Committee of the Illinois State Bar Association, which produces high-quality legal seminars for the association's 32,000 lawyers. He has served as Chairman of the Association's Civil Practice and Procedure Section Council, Chairman of the Tort Law Section Council, Chairman of the Insurance Law Section Council, and as a member of the Legislation Committee and the Judicial Appointments Committee.

He has also served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education and the Board of Managers of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association. He was a frequent lecturer on personal injury and civil trial practice at seminars throughout the state and has written several legal articles.

Mr. Perrecone was the recipient of the prestigious "Board of Governors Award" from the Illinois State Bar Association for his outstanding efforts in establishing and expanding the Law Education Series. These programs provide affordable and high-quality continuing legal education for lawyers. Also, he was elected to the Association's Assembly as a delegate. He was elected to serve as the 100th President of the Winnebago County Bar Association for the 2007-2008 term.

From 1998 to 2008, Mr. Perrecone was an adjunct professor of law at the Northern Illinois University College of Law. He taught trial-related courses and directed students in national trial team competitions. Mr. Perrecone was twice nominated by his students for "Professor of the Year," and in 1998, he was given an award plaque by his students for outstanding contribution and dedication as a trial advocacy professor.

Mr. Perrecone is a graduate of Northern Illinois University and Drake University Law School. He was an amateur boxer and an outstanding baseball player, receiving All-Conference honors both in high school and college and All-State honors in college. A native of Rockford, Mr. Perrecone is married, and he is active in community affairs.

Lawrence J. Ferolie

Lawrence J. Ferolie passed away on July 29, 2012, at age 90. He founded the law firm in 1967. Since 1976, the firm's practice has been limited to injury and death cases.

Lawrence J. Ferolie practiced law for more than 50 years. He began his career as an Assistant State's Attorney for Winnebago County and served as City Attorney for the City of Rockford. For more than 35 years, he handled only serious personal injury, wrongful death, and work injury cases.

Mr. Ferolie had been recognized by the legal profession for his many achievements. He was considered an expert in the civil trial practice area of personal injury law. During his long and distinguished career, Mr. Ferolie had been involved in numerous jury trials, both civil and criminal, throughout northern Illinois. He authored legal articles and co-authored the Illinois Law Enforcement Manual and Tort Trends, an Illinois State Bar newsletter. For a decade, he lectured in his area of expertise at the Illinois Trial Lawyers College of Advocacy. He served on the faculty of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America's Basic Trial Advocacy seminars, an educational program for beginning civil trial lawyers, and its Regional College of Advocacy for experienced civil trial lawyers. He taught at seminars about all aspects of personal injury trials for lawyers around the nation.

Among his many recognitions was his election as secretary and treasurer of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, in which he was an active member for over three decades and served with distinction as a member of its Board of Managers for over a quarter of a century. For four years, he served as planning chairman of the seminars committee. He served two three-year terms as a member of the Board of Governors of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America. He was a former chairman of the Tort Law Section Council and the Civil Practice and Procedure Section Council of the Illinois State Bar Association, for which he served three terms on the Board of Governors.

Mr. Ferolie was admitted to the practice of law in all courts of the state of Illinois, the United States District Court for Northern Illinois, the United States Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court. He was a lifelong resident of Rockford, having graduated from the last Rockford High School class. He was a graduate of the University of Illinois and John Marshall Law School, which awarded him the "Citation of Merit as a Distinguished Alumni."

Mr. Ferolie served during World War II as a second lieutenant in the infantry with the 12th Armored Division in the European Theater of Operations. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal. While in the Army Reserves following World War II, he taught as an assistant professor of military science and tactics at the University of Illinois. He was a member of the Army Reserves until he was transferred to the honorary inactive reserves in 1950 due to a residual injury.

Mr. Ferolie's first glimpse of a courtroom was in a high school play, in which he portrayed a criminal defense lawyer in "Ladies of the Jury." He represented a woman accused of killing her wealthy husband. He won the case. Little did he know that this was only a precursor to many more wins in the courtroom as a plaintiffs' personal injury lawyer.

He played quarterback and linebacker on the last Rockford High School football team in the days when players played both ways, offense and defense, wearing leather helmets without face guards. He was a member of the University of Illinois varsity football team until a career-ending injury sidelined him.