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Trial attorney with over 25 years experience in the representation of corporate and individual clients in tort and commercial litigation throughout the United States, concentrating in the preparation and trial of catastrophic loss cases. Legal experience includes, but is not limited to: products liability, professional liability, toxic tort, aviation, class action and commercial litigation.
National Trial and Coordinating Counsel for several national and international product manufacturers and sellers.
Attorney Rating and Recent Honors:
Illinois Super Lawyers 2007-2010
Rated “AV” (highest rating) through the peer rating system of Martindale-Hubbell
Illinois Leading Lawyer 2005-2008 (peer elected)
Who’s Who Legal: Illinois 2007, 2008 (peer nominated)
Fellow-American Academy of Trial Counsel
Education:
University of Illinois School of Law, Champaign, Illinois, Juris Doctorate, May 1981
Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois. Double major in Psychology and Political Science. Graduated with highest honors, May 1978
Admissions:
Illinois State Bar, 1981
United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, 1981
United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, 2005
United States Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit, 1982
Admissions Pro Hac Vice:
State/Federal jurisdictions in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia and Wyoming.
Professional Associations:
International Association of Defense Counsel
- IADC Board of Directors (2010-2013)
- Chair, IADC Trial Academy Task Force 2010-2011
- Chair, IADC Northern Illinois Membership Committee, 2009-present
- Director, IADC Trial Academy, Stanford University School of Law, July 25-31, 2009
- Chair, General Convention Committee, 2005-2006
- Chair, Class Action & Multi-party Litigation Committee, 2004-2005
- Vice Chair, Drug & Medical Devices Committee, 2003-2005
- Vice Chair, Product Liability Committee, 1998-99
- Trial Academy Faculty, 2000-01
- Director-Elect, Trial Academy 2007-2008
- Masters of Advocacy, 2001-2003
- Member of Product Liability, Professional Liability, Trial Innovations and Drug and Medical Device Committees
- Chair, Regional Membership for the Midwest Region
- Director, IADC Regional Satellite Trial Academy, September 19-20, 2008, Loyola University School of Law
- Member, IADC Headquarters Task Force 2008
Defense Research Institute
- Steering Committee of the DRI 2001 Annual Meeting
- Steering Committee of the Drug and Medical Devices Committee
- Member, Trial Tactics and Techniques, Product Liability and Professional Liability Committees
- Member, DRI Corporate Counsel Roundtable
Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel
- Board of Directors 2001-present
- Fall Conference Committee 1998-2003
DuPage County Bar Association
- Judicial Candidate Evaluator 1999-2001
Publications and Presentations:
A Step Backward: Illinois' Continued March Away From Equitable Apportionment DuPage Bar Brief (Bar Journal 7/93)
Motions to Remove: Defense Counsel Training Manual 1995, International Association of Defense Counsel
"Removal to Federal Court: Old Concerns and New Pitfalls", DuPage Bar Brief (Bar Journal 3/95)
"Controlling Punitive Damages in Personal Injury Cases", DRI Damages Seminar, Las Vegas, Nevada, March 16, 1995
"The Runaway Verdict-Identifying its Causes and Preventing its Occurrence", DRI Damages Seminar, Las Vegas, Nevada, March 17, 1995
"Closing Arguments - Demonstration", DRI Trial Techniques Seminar, Chicago, Illinois, November 9, 1995
"Effect of Criminal Pleas and Convictions on Related Civil Litigation", DuPage Bar Association Seminar, February 15, 1996
"Federal Preemption Monograph", IDC Quarterly, August 1996
"Confidentiality Laws and their Legal Ramifications", St. Joseph Hospital, Springfield, Illinois, July 12, 1996
"Advanced Direct and Cross-Examination of the Expert Witness", Visiting Trial Advocacy Instructor, University of Illinois College of Law, Champaign, Illinois, November 1, 1996
"Health Care in the New Millennium", Case Managers Association, Memphis, Tennessee, May 1, 1997
"Total Case Management", Midwestern Claims Symposium, Itasca, Illinois, May 15, 1997
“Duty to Warn under the Restatement (Third) of Torts- Product Liability”, IADC Annual Meeting, Hamilton, Bermuda, July 12, 1997
"Counseling the Practitioner: Confidentiality Laws", IADC Annual Meeting, Hamilton, Bermuda, July 11, 1997
"Outside Counsel Options", NAII Roundtable, Memphis, Tennessee, September 10, 1997
Communicating Complex Medical Issues to a Jury, DRI Annual Meeting, Baltimore, Maryland, November 8, 1997
"An Insurer's Right of Reimbursement for Non-Covered Claims", IADC Annual Meeting, La Jolla, California, July 6, 1998
"Telemedicine: New Cause for Concern", IDC Fall Seminar, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, September 10, 1998
"The IDC Monograph: Defending Product Liability Cases in Illinois After the Best Decision", IDC Quarterly, Fourth Quarter, 1998
“Advocacy and Geographic Discrimination”, DRI Annual Meeting, New York, New York, October 9, 1999
“Crisis Management”, IDC Fall Seminar, Oakbrook, Illinois, September 15, 2000
“Reimportation and its Risks”, For The Defense, Defense Research Institute, June 2001
“Expert Witness Testimony: Can We Stop the Charlatans?”, IDC Mold Seminar, Chicago, IL., May 16, 2002
“Spoliation in E-Discovery: Counseling the Practitioner”, DRI E-Discovery
Conference, Chicago, IL., June 13-14, 2002
“Economic Loss Testimony”, IDC Fall Conference, Champaign, IL, September 27-28, 2002
“Sexual Torts Seminar”, Moderator, Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel, Chicago, Illinois, November 2004
“Apology Without The Liability,” ProAssurance Education Seminar, Oakbrook, Illinois, September 2005
“Skillful Mediation,” Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, December 2006, December 2007
“From the Exam Room to the Courtroom,” ProAssurance Education Seminar, Deerfield, Illinois.
"CHEAPER DRUGS? Reimportation and its Risks" - Click to read »
"SPOLIATION AND E-DISCOVERY: EDUCATING THE PRACTITIONER" - Click to read »
"A New Case From The Illinois First Appellate District Addressing the Issue of Interstate Forum Non Conveniens May Serve to Discourage Plaintiffs' Attorneys from Forum Shopping and Filing Cases in Cook County When They Arise Out of Incidents Occurring in Other Illinois Counties." - Click to read »
Representative Litigation Experience:
Bostick, et al v. Buffalo Forge Co.
Toxic Tort/ Product Liability
Lead counsel in defense of HVAC fabricator in 125 plaintiff litigation
Result: Summary Judgment entered in favor of our client on critical issues
Favorable settlement on remaining issues.
Medlin v. Syed Khadri
Wrongful Death (Medication Mismanagement)
Verdict: Not Guilty
In the Matter of Gulf King 15
Admiralty/Wrongful Deaths/Product Liability
Multiple seamen death in Gulf of Mexico
Unseaworthiness claim including lack of marine lifesaving equipment
Result: Favorable Settlement at Trial
Hasan v. James C. Falcone, M.D.
Medical Negligence (Birth Injury)
Verdict: Not Guilty
Noetzel v. Central DuPage
Wrongful Death (General Surgery)
Verdict: Not Guilty
Estate of Deborah LoCoco v. XL Disposal Corp.
Wrongful Death (Transportation)
Verdict: Not Guilty
Packer Engineering v. Buchanan & Bos
Commercial-Contract Litigation
Verdict: Not Guilty
Daniel Jacquez, a minor v. W.S. Darley Co.
Product Liability (Brain Damage)
Verdict: Not Guilty
Quimby v. Sears, Roebuck and Co.
Product Liability (Quadriplegia)
Verdict: Not Guilty
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