About The Firm
Firm History and Heritage
Cassidy & Mueller P.C. is fast approaching its 100th anniversary. The defense heritage of Cassidy & Mueller P.C. began in Europe in 1918 when a young law school graduate named John E. Cassidy was assigned to the Hartford Brigade during World War I. There he met and befriended members of the insurance and insurance claims industry. After the war Cassidy opened the first down state claims office for Aetna Casualty & Surety Company in 1921. At the same time he commenced a civil trial practice representing Aetna insureds. As his reputation grew, he soon represented other liability insurers and corporate clients, including Hartford Insurance Company, CNA, Illinois-American Water Company and the Toledo, Peoria & Western Railroad Company (BN/Santa Fe). They remain firm clients today together with:
- AAA/Chicago Motor Club
- Addison Insurance Company
- Archer Daniels Midland Co.
- Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad Company
- Caterpillar, Inc.
- Chicago Motor Club
- Chrysler Corporation
- Dow Corning, Inc.
- E.I. DuPont DeNemours & Co.
- Gallagher Bassett Services
- Grain Dealers Mutual Ins. Co.
- Grinnell Mutual Group
- Illinois-American Water Co.
- Indiana Insurance Co.
- JLG Industries, Inc.
- Liberty Mutual Insurance Co.
- Massachusetts Mutual Ins. Co.
- McDonald’s Corp.
- MedMarc Casualty Insurance Co.
- Merrell-Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
- MetLife Auto & Home
- Metropolitan Property & Casualty
- Mt. Hawley/RLI Insurance Co.
- Nationwide Insurance Co.
- Occidental Petroleum Co.
- Parke-Davis & Co.
- Pekin Energy Company
- Safeco Property & Casualty Ins. Co.
- Scottsdale Insurance Co.
- Selective Insurance Co.
- Squibb & Sons, Inc.
- St. Paul Fire & Marine Ins. Co.
- Standard Mutual Insurance Co.
- TCO Insurance Services
- The Upjohn Company
- Travelers Insurance Co.
- Twin City Fire & Casualty Insurance Co.
- United Educators
- United Fire Group
- University of Illinois
- Warner-Lambert Company/Pfizer
- Zurich North America
Under John E. Cassidy, Sr. the firm was among the first to be identified as PREEMINENT LAWYERS by Martindale-Hubbell, a continuing recognition of which the attorneys of Cassidy & Mueller P.C. are rightfully proud. Under the Henry Horner administration John E. Cassidy, Sr. served as Attorney General of the State of Illinois. For the balance of his career, ending in 1984, he was affectionally known as “The General”. As Attorney General, he represented the State before the United States Supreme Court and on numerous occasions before the Illinois State Supreme Court. Recognized as both an able and aggressive spokesman for his clients, “The General” was viewed as an able advocate, a gentleman and a trusted friend by his defense colleagues, adversaries, and those before whom he appeared.
Following proudly in the path of professional and public commitment, the lawyers of Cassidy & Mueller P.C. have dedicated their energies to both the law and the Central Illinois communities in which they live. John E. (“Jack”) Cassidy, Jr. spent a decade in the Illinois General Assembly, where in his first term he was recognized as “Outstanding Freshman Legislator”. As a State Representative for Peoria, Jack was responsible for numerous statutes affecting civil law, including the ILLINOIS TORT IMMUNITY ACT. He was a member of the Illinois Crime Commission, a candidate for the Illinois Supreme Court from the Third District, and a member of the Peoria Park District. Jack’s son, Tim Cassidy, followed his father on the Park District and has served as its President since 1992. Tim also won the Tom Conner Award for Volunteer Community Service in 2009.
Tim has joined David Mueller as President of the Peoria County Bar Association and winner of its “Distinguished Service Award” for his service to the community. David was selected by the Chief Judge of the Central District of Illinois to “chair” the District’s Civil Justice Reform Act Committee. In that capacity he worked with a group of attorneys, judges and professionals in authoring a 120 page report regarding the movement of civil cases within the District. Chosen by the Illinois Supreme Court, David has served as the downstate chairman of its DISCOVERY RULES COMMITTEE, as a participant on the Drafting Committee which revised the discovery rules in 1995, as well as serving on the Supreme Court Committee on Pattern Civil Jury Instructions. As his biography reflects, David has also been the author of a number of published articles on various substantive and procedural aspects of the areas of law in which Cassidy & Mueller P.C. concentrates its practice.