Kristine Mack, Partner, Donovan Rose Nester, P.C., Belleville

Kristine Mack, Partner, Donovan Rose Nester, P.C., Belleville

By KATE GENO
    Kristine Mack has had the opportunity to witness women’s rise in the legal field since she began her career 23 years ago.
    “When I first started my career, I was often the only woman in the room,” says Mack. “So many women have entered the law profession now that it makes me proud. Female attorneys and judges make the courtroom more balanced.”
    From a young age, Mack seemed destined to become a lawyer. She loved to debate while trying to gain the upper hand over her six siblings. She excelled in speech and debating classes at school in her hometown of Springfield, Ill. After she attended Southern Illinois University Carbondale for her undergraduate studies, she entered its law school and earned her juris doctorate.
    Her first job was at the defense and litigation firm, Brown & James, where she worked for four years. Mack had the opportunity to try a case in Madison County during her first year practicing law. She discovered that she enjoyed litigation, especially jury trials.
    “The best part of my job is going to trial. My performance skills come to the forefront. Everything I’ve researched and worked on is put to the test during trial. It makes all the hard work worthwhile,” says Mack. “After trials have ended, I like to talk to the jurors about what they thought was significant. Often, they focused on an issue that I did not anticipate. The learning process is what makes law challenging and exciting.”
    Mack’s next step was to join the defense litigation team at Donovan Rose Nester, P.C., where she has been ever since. Her cases range from auto accidents to major product liability. Her emphasis lies in professional defense with a wide variety of clients on a national scale including lawyers, doctors, and trucking companies.
    Donovan Rose Nester, P.C., has been based in Belleville for many years. The attorneys have extensive experience in civil litigation, including medical malpractice, legal malpractice, health law, insurance litigation, products liability, labor and employment law, workers’ compensation, municipal law, trucking litigation and commercial litigation.
    “We are a close-knit group,” says Mack. “The attorneys at this firm are community-driven and believe that establishing a local presence is very important.”
    Mack lives in Freeburg, Ill., with her husband who is also a lawyer and her two sons, ages 16 and 14 years old.