Best Under 40: Josh Feagans 'very bright,' 'has a lot of energy'

What started as a career in teaching turned into a prominent career as a lawyer for Geneva resident Josh Feagans.

Now a partner at Griffin Williams LLP, Feagans specializes in litigation, personal injury, counsel and real estate. And he recently chaired a trial and obtained one of the highest jury awards for an injury in Kane County.

For his work and community involvement, he is a winner of the Kane County Chronicle’s Best Under 40 award.

Feagans attended college at Western Illinois University, where he earned a BA in history with every intention of becoming a teacher. After speaking with several of his professors, he began reevaluating his career path and opted to continue his education at The John Marshall Law School in Chicago.

Following school, Feagans started clerking for a business law attorney but realized that the 12-hour work days and seven-day work weeks weren’t really for him.

“It really weighed on me a little bit too much,” Feagans said. “I was not really getting the experience I wanted because I wanted to be in the courtroom and trials.”

Feagans then started working for an insurance defense firm, where he was hired by insurance companies to work on malpractice and other defense claims, before he grabbed the attention of Griffin Williams.

“I was always interested in being part of my own small business, instead of working for someone else,” Feagans said. “At the time, I was 32 and already had a good selection of clients I could take with me and forge out on my own, so to speak.”

The timing was perfect, because a former partner at Griffin Williams, Robin Villa, had just left to become a judge. It wasn’t a hard decision for partner Rick Williams to add Feagans to the mix at his firm.

“It’s easy to see when you meet him that he’s very bright, very personable, has a lot of energy and has what it takes to be a good lawyer,” Williams said. He’s one of those guys that means what he says and can back it up. When you meet him, you have a high level of confidence with him right off the bat.”

Feagans came with recommendations from multiple colleagues of Williams, and he was added as a partner in 2013.

“I think it’s very rare that you come across a lawyer and young professional with the ability, drive, determination and passion that you see with Josh,” Williams said.

When Feagans came to Griffin Williams, he was offered a name on the marquee as the third partner, but Williams said he turned it down.

“What you find with a lot of the firms is that everyone wants their names on them, and it kind of detracts from the firm,” Williams said. “Josh realized that and said he didn’t want to change it and that we should keep the name as it is.”

His selfless acts carry over to his personal life, as well, as he spends time coaching his son’s baseball team and volunteering as a court-appointed special advocate.

“We’re very focused on the Fox Valley region, not just in business organizations but philanthropic, too,” Feagans said. “We’re involved in Kiwanis, youth baseball, football and other different aspects because we live and work in the St. Charles area.

“We have thrown ourselves into it as much as possible and are really just trying to be the fabric of the community.”

About the award

Through Tuesday, the Kane County Chronicle is recognizing 12 area professionals younger than age 40 who have made significant contributions to their profession, company and community. To read the Best Under 40 profiles online, visit www.kcchronicle.com/bestunder402015.