Practice Areas

Insurance Coverage Analysis

Insurance Coverage Litigation

Commercial Litigation

Reinsurance

Appellate Practice

Practice Focus

Donald Elder focuses his practice on insurance coverage, reinsurance, and commercial litigation. He also represents motor carriers, logistics companies, owner-operators, and insurers in virtually all aspects of transportation litigation, from property damage and personal injury litigation to employment practice claims to transactional disputes.
Don is skilled at handling matters in state and federal courts, at arbitration, and before administrative tribunals.

In addition to his practice, Don has assisted in drafting Chapter 9 “Exclusion by Risk” of the 2008 Commercial and Professional Liability Insurance handbook. Don also participates a volunteer evaluator for Cook County Mock Trial Competitions, as well as, the “Lawyers in the Classroom” program. The Constitutional Rights Foundation organizes the Lawyers in the Classroom program on behalf of the Chicago Public School system.

Through the program, attorneys lead interactive lessons in elementary classrooms geared toward helping students understand the U.S. Constitution and the U.S. legal system.

Bar Admissions

  • Illinois, 1998

Court Admissions

  • U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Indiana
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Wisconsin
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan

Education

  • J.D., Western Michigan University,
  • The Thomas M. Cooley Law School, cum laude
  • B.A., University of Minnesota