Chicago
Case Types We Handle
Personal Injuries
Car Accidents
Truck Accidents
Motorcycle Accidents
Bicycle Accidents
Construction Accidents
Nursing Home Abuse
Wrongful Death
Slip and Fall Accidents
Daycare Injury & Abuse
Edwardsville
Case Types We Handle
Personal Injuries
Car Accidents
Truck Accidents
Motorcycle Accidents
Bicycle Accidents
Nursing Home Abuse
Wrongful Death
Slip and Fall Accidents
Daycare Injury & Abuse
Premises Liability
St. Louis
Case Types We Handle
Personal Injuries
Car Accidents
Truck Accidents
Motorcycle Accidents
Bicycle Accidents
Construction Accidents
Nursing Home Abuse
Wrongful Death
Slip and Fall Accidents
Daycare Injury & Abuse
Dangerous Drugs
Defective Products
Chemical Exposure

Our Team

Jake Plattenberger Partner & Attorney at TorHoerman Law Headshot
Jake Plattenberger Partner & Attorney at TorHoerman Law Headshot

Awards & Accolades

  • Super Lawyers “Rising Stars” (2012 -2018)
  • Super Lawyers (2019 – 2025)
  • MTMP | Excellence in Trial Skills, October 2024

Notable Trial Results

Professional Affiliations

  • Illinois Trial Lawyers Association
  • Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission
  • Super Lawyers
  • American Association for Justice
  • American Bar Association
  • Illinois Supreme Court
  • Illinois State Bar Association
  • Chicago Bar Association

Featured In

Professional Speaking Engagements

  • MTMP | NEC Infant Formula Case Update Panel | October, 2024

Jake Plattenberger

Partner & Attorney
Chicago, IL

Jake Plattenberger is a partner at TorHoerman Law LLC and one of the country’s leading plaintiff’s trial lawyers. His practice is dedicated entirely to trying complex cases in front of juries, with a focus on product liability, toxic exposures, and catastrophic personal injury.

Over the course of his career, Jake has tried more than 40 cases to verdict, including some of the most complex and hard-fought cases in the plaintiffs’ bar. 

Professional Career

Jake has tried cases to juries in multiple states and in both state and federal court. He is frequently called upon by other law firms to try their cases, a reflection of his reputation as one of the best trial lawyers in the nation.

His courtroom work involves high-stakes litigation against Fortune 100 corporations, requiring mastery of complex science, expert testimony, and cutting-edge trial strategy.

A dedicated student of neuroscience, persuasion, and jury psychology, Jake frequently lectures on trial advocacy and integrates advanced technology, including artificial intelligence, into his preparation and presentations. 

YouTube video

Notable Cases & Results

Jake’s verdicts have set precedents and drawn national recognition: 

  • $495 million verdict against Abbott Laboratories, Inc. for preterm infant formula contributing to necrotizing enterocolitis, including $400 million in punitive damages. This was the #1 plaintiff’s verdict in 2024 according to Courtroom View Network and Missouri Lawyers Media.
  • $25 million verdict against a pool manufacturer for the wrongful death of a toddler caused by a defectively designed pool.
  • $4.4 million verdict against food flavoring manufacturer in Ohio., marking the first plaintiff’s verdict in Ohio under the “knowing exposure to a harmful substance” exception to the workers’ compensation bar.
  • $2 million verdict against chemical manufacturer for failure to warn about the dangers of diacetyl.
  • $2.6 million verdict in conservative Orange County, California, for a workplace injury case.

Appointments & Recognitions

His leadership extends beyond the courtroom. Jake has been appointed to leadership positions in both multidistrict litigation (MDL) and state court consolidations, including service on the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee in the In re Incretin Mimetics MDL and as co-chair of the Science Committee in the California In re Juul E-Cigarette JCCP. 

Jake’s work has earned extensive media coverage. He has been featured on NBC’s Nightly News with Lester Holt and quoted in outlets including the New York Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Reuters, and Bloomberg. He has also been interviewed on multiple podcasts to discuss his verdicts, trial strategy, and the future of courtroom advocacy. 

In recognition of his work, Jake received the Excellence in Trial Award from the Mass Torts Made Perfect Conference in 2024 and was named to the Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers in 2025. He has been recognized as a Super Lawyer since 2019. 

Personal Life

A Chicago native, Jake now lives in the suburbs with his family and two dogs. 

“I talk to my client’s families, I talk to their kids. My clients have my cell phone number and I am happy to talk to them at all hours of the day and night. When I go to the negotiating table or the courtroom I am thinking of their families.”