[nap_names id="FIRM-NAME-2"]

​Experienced ILLINOIS Workers’ Compensation Lawyers
& CHICAGO Injury Lawyers

Hayley K. Graham

Practice Areas

  • Workers' Compensation
  • Social Security Disability

Biography

Hayley Graham is a fierce supporter of injury victims’ rights. Hayley has dedicated her entire career to advocating for people – not corporations. She hails from a long line of union tradesmen and knows firsthand the devastating toll an injury can take on a family.

Hayley joined Katz Friedman as a Partner in 2023. Hayley has spent more than a decade representing injured workers and their families in workers’ compensation, personal injury and Social Security Disability claims.

A tenacious attorney, her advocacy has been recognized by her peers. Hayley has been named a Super Lawyer Rising Star, a distinction given to only 2.5% of attorneys in Illinois, and an Illinois Emerging Lawyer, an accolade given to only 2% of attorneys under 40 practicing less than 10 years.

Hayley also advocates on behalf of women at work, defending the rights and advocating for the advancement of women in the workplace. Her mission is to ignite, empower and protect women at work, particularly those in male-dominated industries. In 2023, she was presented the Women's Bar Association of Illinois Service Award for making significant contributions to the legal field and the general welfare of all women by paving the way for a more inclusive and equitable society.

Hayley’s commitment to exposing injustice precedes her legal career. Prior to practicing law, Hayley was a journalist and part of an enterprise-reporting team that garnered the top award in Illinois for investigative reporting. Hayley then attended DePaul University College of Law, where she focused her studies on courtroom advocacy.

Hayley is dedicated to fostering our future leaders and the next generation of women lawyers. She spent years on the board of directors for the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois, and currently sits on the board for the organization's Political Action Committee. Hayley has also served as a mentor to DePaul Law students and been a coach for the mock trial team at a local high school. She attributes her success to mentorship throughout her life, and is committed to paying it forward, giving back to the community.

Education

  • DePaul University College of Law, Chicago, Illinois
    • J.D. - 2012
    • Honors: Chancellor's Award for Volunteer Service
  • Columbia College Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
    • B.A. - 2007
    • Honors: With Honors
    • Honors: 1st Place for In-Depth Reporting, Illinois College Press Association
    • Honors: Newspaper Pacemaker Award, Associated Collegiate Press
    • Major: Journalism

Bar Admissions

  • Illinois, 2012
  • U.S. Supreme Court, 2017

Professional Associations

  • Illinois State Bar Association
  • Illinois Trial Lawyers Association
  • Kane County Bar Association
  • Women’s Bar Association of Illinois, Past Membership Officer and Board Member
  • Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Association

Honors

  • Illinois Super Lawyer Rising Star, 2017-2018, 2020-2024
  • Leading Lawyers Emerging Lawyer, 2019-2023
  • Service Award, Women’s Bar Association of Illinois, 2023
  • William J. Harte Amicus Volunteer Award, IL Trial Lawyers Association, 2016

Classes & Seminars

  • Choice of Vocational Counselor, Workers’ Compensation Seminar, Kane County Bar Association, Presenter, 2024
  • Workers’ Compensation: Practice Basics & Recent Trends, Women’s Bar Association of Illinois & Decalogue Society, Presenter, 2023
  • Work Comp Boot Camp, Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, Presenter, 2020
  • Employer/Employee Relationship, Workers’ Compensation Trial Notebook, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association Education Fund, Author, 2019
  • Amicus Curiae, Illinois Trial Lawyers Association, Bayer v. Panduit Corp., 63 N.E.3d 890 (2016)