Aphrodite Kokolis

Counsel
Aphrodite (“Dede”) is an experienced litigator with a special practice emphasis on complex and appellate litigation, particularly the defense and settlement of class actions.
Gray fox silhouette on gray background

She has litigated more than 100 class actions in federal and state courts across the country involving a variety of issues, including insurance coverage and claims practices, consumer fraud, environmental class actions, consumer privacy, products liability, Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) issues, securities fraud, and distributor and franchise issues. She also writes and lectures frequently on these topics.

Client Work

  • Successfully defended auto insurers in class actions involving a variety of claims practices and coverage issues, including:
    • Medical Payments (PIP/MedPay) (utilization review, provider fee reviews, PPOs, various states’ “prompt pay” statutes, payment of interest, subrogation, and other claims handling issues, including use of third-party computerized databases in medical bill reviews)
    • Total Loss (valuation of totaled vehicles, including use of third-party computerized databases; payment of sales tax and fees on total loss claims)
    • Diminution in Value (UMPD and collision/comprehensive coverages)
    • Loss of Use, including rental reimbursement coverage
    • Non-OEM Parts
    • Anti-Theft Device Discounts
    • Uninsured/Underinsured Motorists (UM/UIM), including property damage and bodily injury issues
    • Arbitration and Appraisal Clauses
  • Successfully defended homeowners insurers in class actions involving a variety of claims practices and coverages issues, including hurricane claims, general contractor overhead and profit, depreciation, and excess v. primary coverage.
  • Successfully defended companies facing environmental class actions, including class actions relating to Superfund sites.
  • Successfully defended a number of companies in class actions involving products liability, toxic torts, consumer fraud, and consumer privacy, including wiretapping and biometric privacy laws.
  • Was a member of the trial and appellate teams in Michael E. Avery, et al. v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co., in which the Illinois Supreme Court ruled in our client’s favor, overturning a $1.186 billion class action judgment.
  • Represented various municipalities in south suburban Chicago in the successful defense of a major constitutional challenge brought by the National Association of Realtors to various fair housing programs.

Previous Work

Dede served as a law clerk for the Honorable John A. Nordberg, US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (1987 – 1989).

Publications, Presentations & Recognitions

Publications

  • “Chapter 1 –  Historical Perspective,” Class Actions Handbook, 2020 Edition, Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education (Jul. 21, 2020)
  • “Chapter 14 – The Class Action Fairness Act of 2005,” Class Actions Handbook, 2020 Edition, Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education (Jul. 21, 2020)
  • “Chapter 1 –  Historical Perspective,” Class Actions Handbook, 2015 Edition, Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education

Presentations

  • “The Use of Statistical Evidence in Class Actions,” Strafford Publications, Webinar (Apr. 13, 2023).
  • “Releases in Class Action Settlements:  Strategies for Defining, Negotiating, and Drafting Enforceable Relief,” Strafford Publications, Webinar (Jan. 13, 2022)
  • “The Use of Statistical Evidence in Class Actions:  The Defense Perspective,” Strafford Publications, Webinar (Nov. 9, 2021)
  • “Statistics in Class Certification and at Trial: Leveraging and Attacking Statistical Evidence,” Stafford Publications, Webinar (Nov. 13, 2019)
  • “The Battleground for Class Certification: Plaintiff and Defense Burdens, Commonality Requirements, and Ascertainability,”  (conference presenter) American Conference Institute - 30th National Advanced Forum on Consumer Finance Class Action Litigation and Government Enforcement Actions, Chicago, Ill. (Jul. 17, 2018)
  • “Statistical Evidence in Class Actions,” (conference presenter) American Conference Institute—Consumer Finance Class Actions & Litigation Conference, Chicago, Ill. (Jul. 25, 2017)
  • “Recent Developments in Class Action Settlements,” Strafford Communications Webinar on Insurance-Related Class Actions: Pursuing or Defending Actions Over Insurance Products or Claims Handling (Jun. 20, 2017)
  • “‎Class Action Litigation: The Ins and Outs in 2016,” The Knowledge Group webinar (May 6, 2016)
  • “‎CAFA Class Actions: Overview and Defense Strategies,” (conference presenter) American Conference Institute on Class Actions, New York, NY (Apr. 11, 2016)
  • “Recent Developments in Class Action Settlements,” Strafford Communications Webinar on Insurance-Related Class Actions: Pursuing or Defending Actions Over Insurance Products or Claims Handling (Aug. 22, 2015)

Recognitions

  • Illinois Leading Lawyer, Law Bulletin’s Illinois Leading Lawyers Network (2015-2020)
  • Bar & Court Admissions
    • Illinois Bar
    • US Supreme Court
    • US Court of Appeals, 7th Circuit
    • US Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit
    • US District Court, Northern District of Illinois
  • Education
    Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, JD, Order of the Coif, Northwestern University Law Review, Managing Editor, 1987
    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, BA, BA, summa cum laude, 1984

Perspectives