Richard Heytow focuses his practice on first party property coverage issues. His first party property work with the firm is concentrated on the investigation and litigation of matters involving fraud and arson. Dick is well versed in and has access to the informational resources that are required to develop a conspiracy and fraud case. Prior to joining the firm, Dick served as a Tactical Officer for the Evanston Police Department in Illinois, where he gained insight into investigative work. He served for four years as an Assistant State’s Attorney in the Special Prosecutions Division and Narcotics Prosecution Unit in Cook County, Illinois. In his position as Assistant State’s Attorney, Dick was primarily responsible for the investigation and prosecution of cases involving drug crime, including conspiracy cases. He was involved in cases from their investigation and inception to their trial. He tried over 100 cases and conducted dozens of grand jury investigations.
Dick also served as partner of his own private firm, Heytow & Warnick, P.C. in Chicago, where he practiced law for over twenty years. His experience includes working closely with insurance companies in the investigation, evaluation and defense of fraudulent first and third party claims. He has litigated hundreds of fraud cases for major insurance companies in cases involving arson, employee dishonesty and fictitious burglary and theft claims and has, in every case where it was alleged, succeeded in preventing his clients from being penalized for bad faith or unreasonable vexatious conduct. Dick has handled over 45 jury trials and 150 bench trials to verdict.
In addition to his practice, Dick has lectured on various first party property topics to the National Society of Professional Insurance Investigators, the International Association of Special Investigation Units, the Chicago Adjusters Association and many insurance companies. Most notably, he has given a presentation on subrogation at the Property Loss Research Bureau Annual Conference, the largest property and liability claims educational event in the industry.