Catherine Basque Weiler

Catherine Basque Weiler is the chair of Hinshaw’s appellate practice. She provides legal counsel and representation to clients throughout all stages of the trial and appellate process. She has a long history of handling over 150 appeals in state and federal courts throughout the country but primarily in Illinois, and is also credited with more than 70 opinions at the appellate and trial court levels. Catherine presents arguments to courts of appeal, including the Illinois Supreme Court, the Seventh Circuit, and the Illinois appellate court. Notable opinions include Ivey v. Transunion Rental Screening Solutions, Inc., 2022 IL 127903, Yarbrough v. Northwestern Memorial Hospital, 2017 IL 121367, and United Fire & Cas. Co. v. Prate Roofing & Installations, LLC, 7 F.4th 573 (7th Cir. 2021).

In addition to her appellate practice, Catherine also acts as a strategist and trial court consultant in complex cases, particularly those involving significant or novel legal issues, in a wide variety of practice areas, including medical and legal malpractice, commercial litigation, products liability, construction litigation, insurance coverage disputes, and premises liability claims.

Prior to joining Hinshaw, Catherine chaired the appellate and critical motions practice at a Chicago-based boutique litigation firm for more than a decade. She started her career serving in the Civil Appeals Division of the Office of the Illinois Attorney General, representing the People of Illinois and various state agencies in matters before the Illinois Appellate Court and the Seventh Circuit.

• American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, Fellow
• Chicago Inn of Court
• Chicago Bar Association
  • Special Projects Coordinator, 2004 – 2007
• Illinois Appellate Lawyers Association
  • President, 2024 – 2025
  • Vice President, 2023 – 2024
  • Secretary, 2022 – 2023
  • Treasurer, 2021 – 2022
  • Board of Directors, 2013 – 2015
• Illinois Women's Bar Foundation
  • Board Member, 2008 – 2018
  • Vice President, 2010 – 2013
• Seventh Circuit Bar Association

• Selected by her peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© for Appellate Practice, 2023 – 2025; Commercial Litigation, 2024 – 2025; Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants, 2025
• Recognized on the Super Lawyers list by Illinois Super Lawyers magazine, 2022 – 2024
• Recognized as a "Notable Women in Law" honoree by Crain's Chicago Business, 2022
• Named to the "Top 50 Women in Law" list by Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, 2021
• Recognized as a "Notable Gen X Leader in Law," by Crain's Chicago Business, 2019
• Recognized by her peers as a "Leading Lawyer" in the category of Civil Appellate Law

• Moderator, "United States Supreme Court Year In Review," Appellate Lawyers Association (ALA), Virtual Seminar, September 26, 2024

• "’American Pie’ by Don McLean: Hinshaw’s Annual Supreme Court BBQ," Hinshaw University, CLE Webinar, July 11, 2024

• "Preserving the Trial Record for Appeal in Illinois Civil Cases," Pincus Professional Education, Virtual Event, July 2023
• "Prejudgment Interest is Here to Stay – Maybe. Probably. But.," Chicagoland Healthcare Risk Management Society, Virtual Event,
  November 2021

• University of Notre Dame Alumni Association