Mr. Kinnally concentrates his practice in general and commercial litigation, probate, immigration, administrative, environmental and local government law. He has been recognized by his peers as among the top five percent of all Illinois lawyers in commercial litigation and general litigation and has received the highest peer rating for skill and integrity. He is a respected, skilled and tenacious advocate sought after by lawyers, businesses and individuals alike.
He was admitted to the practice of law in Illinois and Indiana in 1980. He is admitted to the United States Supreme Court, the Federal Trial Bar of the United States District Court for the Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana and the United States District Court for the Northern, Central and Southern Districts of Illinois. Mr. Kinnally is a certified mediator in Kane and Cook County, Illinois.
He graduated from Marmion Military Academy in 1968. He received his undergraduate degree from Loyola University Cum Laude in 1972 and a law degree from John Marshall Law School in 1980.
Including his 2021 selection, Mr. Kinnally has been named a "Super Lawyer" 15 times by survey of his peers, signifying that he is among the top 5 percent of all Illinois lawyers in the field of General Litigation. He has also been named a "Leading Lawyer" in Commercial Litigation and Appellate Advocacy by survey of his peers, a distinction likewise limited to the top 5 percent of all lawyers who practice in Illinois. He was selected by Law & Lawyers Magazine as one of the top two lawyers in all practice fields and one of the top two lawyers in Business Litigation from Kane, Kendall and DeKalb counties in Illinois. Kinnally Flaherty Krentz Loran Hodge & Masur, P.C. is the only law firm with two members named among the top five lawyers in the tri-county area. He has received from his peers the highest rating for skill and integrity with an AV Preeminent designation by Martindale-Hubbell.
In 2014, Mr. Kinnally was appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court to its Committee on Civil Jury Instructions, and he was reappointed to the Committee in 2017. The Committee, which is composed of approximately 20 judges or attorneys selected from throughout the state of Illinois, creates or modifies the jury instructions used in state court proceedings for all civil jury trials. The collective work of the Committee comprises the Illinois Pattern Civil Jury Instructions, which is published annually.
Mr. Kinnally was a recipient of the Tradition of Excellence award in general practice by the Illinois State Bar Association in 2003, an award given once a year to a single lawyer in the state who demonstrates professional excellence in the general practice of law. He received the Pro Bono Award in 2004 and the Community Service Award in 2000, both presented by the Kane County Bar Association in recognition of a lawyer who demonstrates unfailing commitment to pro bono work and community service work, respectively. Currently, he is the attorney for the Kane County Public Guardian advocating for the rights of senior citizens.
He received the Citizen of the Year Award from El Centro Pan Americano in 1988 and the Public Service Award from the League of United Latin American Citizens in 2004, both in recognition of distinguished service to the Hispanic community in Aurora, Illinois. He received the Pro Bono Award in 2006 from CASA Kane County for volunteer work on behalf of court-appointed special advocates. He received the John C. McAndrews Award for Pro Bono Service by the Illinois State Bar Association in 2011; again, awarded to a single lawyer in Illinois for dedication to pro bono work. In 1994, on behalf of Tyeast Boatwright, his litigation created the Illinois Education Act for Homeless Children (Leading Lawyers Network, Bailey) (2010).
Mr. Kinnally was appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court in 2006 to the Minimum Continuing Legal Education Board, and he is currently its Chairperson. He was also appointed to the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism and served from 2005 - 2011. He served as a law clerk to Justice James Heiple at the Illinois Third District Appellate Court from 1980 - 1982. He served as a hearing judge in the siting of pollution control facilities in Kane and Kendall Counties.
He was elected President of the Kane County Bar Association for 2010-2011 and previously served on the Board of Directors of the KCBA for seven years. He was appointed to the Board of Directors of CASA in Kane County in 2011. CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) is an organization representing children who are victims of abuse and neglect. Also, he was an original member and continues to serve on the Kane County Bar Association Diversity Committee. The committee seeks to expand participation of minority lawyers on the bench and in the Bar on the belief that race, gender and class matter in a representative democracy.
In 2017, Mr. Kinnally was honored as a top immigration attorney in Aurora by Three Best Rated.
He has been an adjunct professor of law at Northern Illinois University Law School since 1999, teaching Civil Procedure, Immigration and Nationality Law Trial Skills and Legal Skills course called “The Practicing Lawyer”. He has been a frequent lecturer at continuing legal education programs sponsored by the Illinois State Bar Association, the Kane County Bar Association and the DuPage County Bar Association.
He has written over 75 articles covering a wide array of legal topics for various bar associations.
He is a member of the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA), the Kane County Bar Association (KCBA), the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association (ITLA), the American Immigration Lawyers Association, the National Lawyers Guild (NLG), the DeKalb and Kendall County Bar Associations, and was appointed Chair of the International Immigration Law Section Council for the ISBA 2016 - 2017 term.
Spanish
Mr. Kinnally was born in Aurora, Illinois. He is a lifelong resident of the Fox Valley. He has been married to his wife, Sally, for more than 40 years, and they have four adult children, Moira, Rorry, Cara and Calan, all of whom are teachers or lawyers. Before entering private practice, Mr. Kinnally was an examiner, attorney and instructor for the Immigration and Naturalization Service. He is an avid upland bird hunter, gardener, and enjoys writing poetry.
As outlined in Honors above, Mr. Kinnally's community involvement is extensive. During his career he has devoted time to such organizations as El Centro Pan Americano, the Holy Angels Food Pantry, Hesed House, Trinity Episcopal Church, CASA, Kane and Kendall counties and as a coach in youth sport’s teams. Additionally, he serves as a special assistant state’s attorney for the Chairman of the Kane County Board and has served as special assistant state’s attorney to the Kendall County Board. Mr. Kinnally has been the attorney for the Kane County Forest Preserve District for the past twenty-five years.
"Reverend Allan Boesak said...
We will go before God to be judged,
and God will ask us,
'where are your wounds',
and we will say
'we have no wounds'
And God will ask
'Was nothing worth fighting for?'
A good portion of my career has been devoted to people who need someone to fight for them. Sometimes you win, other times, you lose. This created a few wounds. Always, I have subscribed to the belief that a good fight is better than no fight, when you know the reason why the fight is worth waging."
- Pat Kinnally