Tara R. Devine is a Partner at Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard and the Managing Partner of the firm’s Lake County office. A highly respected trial attorney, Ms. Devine has built her career representing individuals and families whose lives have been forever changed by catastrophic injuries, medical negligence, nursing home abuse, and wrongful death. Known for her thoughtful advocacy and unwavering commitment, she has recovered more than $325 million in verdicts and settlements on behalf of her clients.
During law school, Ms. Devine worked as a law clerk under Founder Patrick Salvi Sr. Upon graduating and passing the bar in 2004, she joined the firm as an attorney. She became the firm’s first female Partner in 2011 and now leads its Lake County office, where she oversees complex litigation and serves as a mentor to Lake County attorneys, staff, and law clerks.
Over the course of her career, Ms. Devine has played an integral role in some of the firm’s most significant cases. In 2017, she was part of a trial team that obtained a record-setting $148 million jury verdict on behalf of a young woman who was paralyzed when a pedestrian shelter collapsed onto her at O’Hare International Airport. The verdict is the highest compensatory verdict awarded to an individual plaintiff in Illinois history.
While her results have earned recognition throughout the state and legal community, she understands that behind every case is a family facing uncertainty, and she works to ensure her clients feel informed, supported, and confident throughout every stage of the legal process. Her ability to meld compassionate client service with tenacious courtroom advocacy allows her to effectively guide clients through some of the most difficult moments of their lives.
Beyond her work on behalf of clients, Ms. Devine is a recognized leader within the Illinois legal community. She is a Past President of the Lake County Bar Association (2022-2023) and has served in numerous leadership roles with the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association. In 2023, she was appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court to serve on the Committee on Jury Instructions in Civil Cases, helping shape jury instructions used in courtrooms throughout the state. She is also a frequent speaker at various legal seminars on trial advocacy and civil litigation.
Ms. Devine’s accomplishments have earned her consistent recognition among the legal profession’s most respected organizations. She has been selected to The Best Lawyers in America® for Personal Injury Litigation and Medical Malpractice Law and has repeatedly been named to the Illinois Super Lawyers and Super Lawyers “Top 100” list. She has also been recognized by Leading Lawyers, a division of Law Bulletin Media.
For Ms. Devine, every case is about more than obtaining a favorable result—it is about helping clients find answers, accountability, and the resources needed to move forward after a life-changing event.
Click through the tabs above to learn more about Ms. Devine’s noteworthy results, awards and honors and educational background.
“Our team believes that truly understanding the day-to-day physical and emotional challenges our clients face is essential to successfully presenting their case.”
— Tara Devine, Lake County Managing Partner
