Kathleen Zellner

Kathleen Zellner
Kathleen Zellner October 2009
Born	Kathleen Thomas Midland, Texas
Occupation	Attorney
Employer	Kathleen T. Zellner & Associates
Website
www.kathleentzellner.com

Kathleen Zellner (née Thomas; born in Midland, Texas) is an American lawyer.

Early life

Zellner was born in Midland, Texas. She is the second oldest of eight children. Her father, Owen Daniel Thomas, was an engineer and geologist for Phillips Petroleum in charge of its worldwide production and exploration. He was involved in the Ecofisk oil discovery in the North Sea and discoveries in South America, Asia, Africa and Europe. Her mother, Winifred M. Thomas, worked as a chemist and a registered nurse, retiring at age 82.

Zellner married Robert E. Zellner, Jr., while they were attending the University of Missouri. Robert Zellner earned a Ph.D in economics and the couple moved to Montreal, Quebec. Zellner began her legal education at McGill College of Law in its double degree program in French civil law and English common law. The couple returned to the U.S. residing in Memphis, Tennessee and Chicago, Illinois. Robert Zellner was CEO of Citicorp Futures and Citicorp Commodities Corp. He was also CEO of several other trading companies and served on the Board of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.

Zellner completed her legal education at Northern Illinois University College of Law. She is licensed by the State of Illinois, the United States Supreme Court, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals and several federal district courts. She has represented clients in Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Texas, New York, Louisiana, North Carolina, California and Florida.

Career

Zellner started her law firm in January 1991. The firm represents both civil and criminal clients. She has obtained the exoneration of 10 wrongfully convicted men. Zellner has handled many of these cases pro bono. In one case, she obtained the release of death row inmate Joseph Burrows by persuading the real killer to confess to the murder. The Illinois Supreme Court affirmed the trial court decision releasing Burrows from death row. In November 2009 Zellner began working to obtain Ryan Ferguson's release from prison.

In 1994, Zellner persuaded Larry Eyler to confess to 21 murders prior to his death. All 21 murder cases were closed. On the civil side, Zellner has won millions of dollars in civil jury trials and settlements. Recently, Zellner won $15.5 million dollars for the false arrest and malicious prosecution of Kevin Fox, who was incarcerated for 8 ½ months for the murder of his 3 year old daughter. His wife, Melissa, recovered for her loss of consortium and intentional infliction of emotional distress. From 1999–2000, Zellner won 5 multi-million jury verdicts.

Media coverage

Jessica Biel will play Zellner in the upcoming feature film Privileged Information about the Eyler case. The screenplay is being written by Clayton Frohman, who co-authored the screenplay, Defiance, with Edward Zwick. The film is being produced by Jessica Biel, Michelle Purple, Wendy Rhoads and Jim Lichtenstein.

Zellner has appeared on Dateline, 20/20, A & E, Oprah and numerous local news programs. Her cases have been profiled in the New York Times, LA Times Magazine, Boston Herald, National Law Journal, Chicago Tribune, USA Today, American Bar Journal, Chicago Sun Times and numerous local papers across the U.S.

Awards

• One of America's Top Ten Litigators - National Law Journal August 14, 2000
• Lawdragon Top 500 attorneys in the United States in all areas of law. November, 2009
• Top 50 Women Litigators in the United States - December 17, 2001 National Law Journal
• Top Ten Women Lawyers in Illinois - Illinois Leading Lawyers Magazine December 2009
• Pro bono attorney of the year - November 2001

External links

• Kathleen Zellner's website