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C.E. Rick E. Heiligenstein

C.E. Rick E. Heiligenstein
Status: Deceased

(1929 - 2009)

Rick Heiligenstein received his bachelor's degree in 1953 and his juris doctor degree in 1955 from the University of Illinois. He jump-started his career as an associate at Listeman & Bandy in East St. Louis, Illinois, from 1955 to 1961. He then opened a solo practice of personal injury law in 1962. He achieved qualification for admittance into the Inner Circle for his work and success in the infamous Ford Pinto exploding gas tank cases.

Richard Grand said of him: "Rick got million-dollar verdicts when a million-dollar verdict was SOMETHING BIG and hard to do. He tried a lot of cases that lasted only 1 or 2 days that others would have needed 5+ days to try. ... He was a GREAT TRIAL LAWYER and a good friend."

One memory of Rick was from the 1977 Inner Circle meeting in Bend, Oregon, when Rick sponsored David Berglas, a celebrated "memory" expert from London who was a very entertaining magician and who performed at several functions including our gala. Rick had met the expert on one of his many cruises and Berglas "totally wowed" the membership with his performances.

Rick's other lifetime achievements were his election/appointment to serve as President of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, and President of The Beach Club, Palm Beach, Florida. He was also awarded Alumnus of the Month at the University of Illinois, and had a chair named in his honor at the University of Illinois School of Law. Rick was an avid hunter and marksman and loved fishing and baseball. It was said that Rick was never too busy or felt too important to stop and help anyone.
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