Joseph N. Rupcich

Joseph N. Rupcich is the administrative partner in the Springfield office and a member of the firm's Executive Committee.  He is the co-chair of the firm's Civil Rights Correctional Healthcare Practice group and the Chair of the Veterinary Medicine Practice Group.

Joseph focuses his practice on defense of medical providers in civil rights and medical malpractice cases. He represents clients’ interests in both Illinois State courts and in the federal courts for the Central and Southern Districts of Illinois, having tried over 50 cases to verdict.  Joseph defends a wide range of clients in professional liability matters including doctors, nurses, mental health providers, and institutional healthcare providers. He has extensive experience defending civil rights cases alleging the unconstitutional provision of medical care jails and prisons, having tried numerous medical civil rights cases. With 15 years’ experience defending medical civil rights case, Joseph is recognized as an expert in area of correctional medicine.  

Joseph regularly defends physicians, dental professionals, and institutions in medical malpractice cases brought in Illinois and Wisconsin.  Representations in the area of medical malpractice include general surgery, emergency medicine, plastic surgery, neurosurgery, urology, otolaryngology, and anesthesiology.

Joseph is the chair of the veterinary medicine practice group, representing veterinary professionals in malpractice cases and before the State of Illinois' licensing board.

Joseph also has experience defending class actions, having successfully represented clients in defense of class actions at the trial level and on appeal and has successfully obtained de-certification on appeal of a district court’s class certification order.  Joseph also does defense of general liability matters in trucking litigation, civil rights cases against municipalities and police departments, automobile accidents, and premises liability cases. Joseph has tried numerous high exposure cases to verdict in state and federal court in Illinois and Wisconsin. 

Joseph presents on topics related to risk management for medical providers and to attorneys on trial advocacy and various aspects of state and federal practice.