Shari S. Shelmadine

Shari S. Shelmadine is an Senior Counsel in Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP's Chicago office. She has been practicing law for 34 years, the last 27 of which have been devoted to insurance coverage litigation.  Before joining FMG, she managed the in-house coverage firm for Founders Insurance Company for 17 ½ years.  She got her start in insurance defense litigation, which she practiced for 7 years.  After that, she practiced insurance coverage litigation at Querrey & Harrow, where she drafted coverage opinions for Lloyd’s of London and State Farm and represented them in declaratory judgment actions.  From there, she joined Newman & Pelafas, which became Newman, Raiz & Shelmadine.  It was from there that she joined Founders, where she managed the firm, re-wrote insurance policies and endorsements, reviewed rescissions, oversaw the non-cooperation impasse, etc. 

In my spare time, she enjoys spending time with her fiancé and daughter, as well as their 2 dogs and 2 cats. She also enjoys reading and taking walks.

Illinois

United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

• Founders Insurance Company v. Munoz, Illinois Supreme Court, 237 Ill. 2d 424 (2010)
• Founders Insurance Company v. American Country Ins. Co., 366 Ill. App. 3d 64 (1^st Dist. 2006)
• Founders Insurance Company v. Walker, et al., 2015 Ill. App. (1^st) 141301
• Founders Insurance Company v. White, 367 Ill. App. 3d 883 (1^st Dist. 2006)

• Moot Court Champion
• Best Oralist – Moot Court interschool competition
• Best Brief – Moot Court interschool competition

• Presented seminars to the claims department at Founders on coverage, rescissions, recorded statements, reservation of rights, declaratory judgment actions.