WILLIAM J. SNECKENBERG • wjs@stbtrial.com

B.A., University of Nebraska, Omaha (1969). J.D. cum laude, Creighton University (1972), ranking fifth out of 120; member of Law Review. Practiced with Clausen, Miller, Gorman, Caffrey & Witous (1972-77); concentration in trial and appellate practice. Co-founder and managing partner of Lev & Sneckenberg (1977-82). Founded William J. Sneckenberg & Associates in 1982.

Frequent lecturer and writer on trial and appellate advocacy and insurance-related issues, including the recent seminar, "Insurance and Litigation Implications of the Chicago Flood of 1992" for the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education. Past publisher of nationally distributed Property Insurance Law Newsletter. Past Director of Illinois Appellate Lawyers Association. Named in Who’s Who in American Law and Who’s Who of Emerging Leaders in America.

Licensed to practice law before the state and federal courts of Illinois and Nebraska, as well as before the United States Supreme Court. Certified arbitrator for the Circuit Court of Cook County. Member of American, Federal, Chicago, and Illinois State Bar Associations; Illinois Trial Lawyers Association; and Association of Trial Lawyers of America.

STEVEN M. THOMPSON • smt@stbtrial.com

Steven M. Thompson was born in 1953 in St. Louis, Missouri.  He graduated from the University of Missouri, Columbia in 1976 with a degree in Business Administration.

Following graduation from U of M, Mr. Thompson joined Kemper Insurance in its Mid Central operations in Long Grove, Illinois.  From 1977 to 1981, Mr. Thompson was employed by Kemper as a Boiler and Machinery claims examiner.  In this position, he handled first party claims in a 12 state territory, as well as all litigation and subrogation within the territory.  Mr. Thompson then joined Protection Mutual Insurance Company in 1981 as a home office underwriter.  In this position, he handled all home office referrals and coordinated major account property and boiler and machinery underwriting.  In 1983, he became regional underwriting manager where he was responsible for a large portfolio of Fortune 1000 accounts.

In 1989, Mr. Thompson enrolled at John Marshall Law School and graduated cum laude in 1993.  During that time, he was employed by Coregis Group (formerly Crum and Foster Managers Group) as the Governmental Package Underwriting Manager.  In this position, he was responsible for a nationwide book of municipal and school business.  Policies included coverage for property damage, boiler and machinery, auto physical damage, auto liability, general liability, police professional and crime.

In 1994, Mr. Thompson became associated with the predecessor law firm of William J. Sneckenberg & Associates.  Mr. Thompson was made a partner in 2000.  He concentrates in property, boiler and machinery and general liability defense, as well as subrogation and coverage issues.  He has recently specialized further into first party property and auto coverage with an emphasis on fraud investigation.  Mr. Thompson has tried numerous trials to verdict and has handled the defense of numerous actions directly against insurers.

Mr. Thompson is admitted to practice before all State and Federal Courts in Illinois.  He is a member of the Chicago Bar Association as well as the Illinois State Bar Association.  He is the past president of the Boiler & Machinery Insurance Association of Chicago, a member of the Underwriters and Brokers Association of Chicago, the Marine Multi-Peril Society of Illinois, The National Society of Professional Insurance Investigators and the National Association for Subrogation Professionals.  In addition, Mr. Thompson is active in the Evanston Baseball Association and serves as Commissioner and a coach in the Rookie League.

Mr. Thompson is married to Kathleen Buffington and they have two adopted sons, Dylan (6) and Brian (3).

STUART M. BRODY • smb@stbtrial.com

Stuart M. Brody was born in 1965 in Highland Park, Illinois.  He graduated from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana in 1987 with a double major in Political Science and Economics and a Bachelors Degree in Science.

Following graduation from the University of Illinois, Mr. Brody attended Loyola University of Chicago School of Law and graduated in the top twenty percent in 1990.  From 1988-1990 during law school, he was a law clerk and summer associate for the predecessor firm of William J. Sneckenberg & Associates.  Mr. Brody was also a Teaching Assistant for the Loyola Law School Pretrial Litigation Program.

Upon graduation and receipt of his Juris Doctor in 1990, Mr. Brody became associated with the predecessor firm of William J. Sneckenberg & Associates.  Mr. Brody was made a partner in 1995.  He was then made a named partner in 2004 when the law firm was renamed to Sneckenberg, Thompson & Brody, LLP.

Immediately after graduation, Mr. Brody became one of Loyola Law School’s only graduates at that time to teach at the law school just one or two years after graduation.  He became a Lecturer of Law and Adjunct Professor of the Pretrial Litigation course at Loyola University Chicago School of Law from 1991-1993.

He concentrates in property, general liability defense, commercial liability defense, subrogation and all related coverage issues.  He also concentrates in first party property and auto coverage with an emphasis on fraud investigation.  Mr. Brody has also recently represented numerous plaintiffs in personal injury claims, medical malpractice and employment/labor disputes.  Mr. Brody has tried over thirty bench and jury trials to verdict, and over fifty arbitration hearings, and numerous appeals, and has handled the defense of numerous actions directly against insurers.

Mr. Brody is admitted to practice before all State and Federal Courts in Illinois.  He is also licensed to practice law in the State of Colorado.  He is a member of the Chicago Bar Association, Illinois State Bar Association, Federal Bar Association, and the American Bar Association.  He is also a member of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, the Boiler and Machinery Insurance Association of Chicago, and has served as a Judge of the ABA National Moot Court Competition for the past four years (2002-2005).

Mr. Brody is active as a volunteer at the Anti-Cruelty Society of Chicago.  He is married to Amanda Norcross and he enjoys Golf, Basketball and Hockey.

MATTHEW L. McBRIDE • mlm@stbtrial.com

Matthew L. McBride was born in Evanston, Illinois in 1970.  He earned his undergraduate degree (B.A.) from Indiana University (Bloomington) in 1992.

Following graduation, Mr. McBride attended the Creighton University School of Law, where he earned his Juris Doctor in 1996.  During the summer of 1995, Mr. McBride returned to Chicago and worked as a Supreme Court licensed law clerk for the Cook County State's Attorney's Office, Civil Division.  In 1996 prior to graduation, Mr. McBride was part of a small group which was hired by the Cook County State's Attorney's Office from a pool of over 2000 applicants.

Upon graduation and receipt of his Juris Doctor, Mr. McBride began work as an Assistant State's Attorney for the Cook County State's Attorney's Office, Child Support Enforcement Division, where he was ranked second out of fifty (50) attorneys in the division.

In 1999, Mr. McBride was engaged as the exclusive sports agent for Brian McBride, his brother, and a member of the U.S. National Men's soccer team.  In addition to representing the interests of his brother, Mr. McBride began his own law practice in Omaha, Nebraska. 

In addition to sports law, Mr. McBride concentrated his practice in commercial litigation, including insurance defense, personal injury, and employment related matters.  Mr. McBride has tried hundreds of bench trials, and has first-chaired seven jury cases to verdict. From 2000-2004, Mr. McBride was the lead trial counsel for ADT Security Services, Inc. in Omaha, Nebraska, where he successfully litigated trademark infringement and deceptive trade practices actions.  In 2004, Mr. McBride successfully defended a landlord in the largest sexual harassment case in Nebraska state history.  After a two week trial, the jury unanimously returned a verdict of 3%(three percent) of the damages requested by the plaintiff, and found in favor of the defendant against nine claimants.

Mr. McBride is admitted to practice in all Federal and State courts in Illinois.  He is also licensed to practice in all Federal and State courts in Nebraska.  He is also a member of the Chicago Bar Association and the American Trial Lawyers Association.  Mr. McBride served on the Courts Committee of the Omaha (Nebraska) Bar Association from 2000-2005.

Mr. McBride currently concentrates his practice in general liability defense, commercial liability defense, subrogation and all related coverage matters.  He has also handled numerous personal injury matters, including auto collision cases involving serious bodily injury.

Mr. McBride enjoys all sports, but particularly golf and soccer.  He is married to Melissa McBride.

BENJAMIN E. ALBA • bea@stbtrial.com

B.S. with highest honor, DePaul University (1979); J.D., Loyola University Chicago School of Law (1983). Associated with the firm in 1983, named partner in 1990, of counsel since 2002.

Legal writing professor and co-director of bar passage program, DePaul University College of Law, since 2002. Senior Lecturer of Law, Loyola University Chicago School of Law (1984-93).

Co-authored chapter for "Insurance and Litigation Implications of the Chicago Flood of 1992" seminar for the Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education. Authored fraud investigation guide and developed and conducted seminars on insurance fraud and claim investigation for insurer clients.

Member of federal trial bar for the Northern District of Illinois. Certified arbitrator for the Circuit Court of Cook County. Member of American Bar Association, Filipino-American Bar Association, and Legal Writing Institute.