Biography

John Lynch’s practice is concentrated in the defense of Transportation, Construction, Product Liability, and Commercial matters in our federal and state court systems. His extensive trial experience includes the defense of construction companies, design professionals, trucking firms, manufacturers, and property owners and managers in catastrophic injury, wrongful death, construction defect and toxic tort suits, including asbestos-related matters. He also has broad experience in counseling businesses and in the handling of business and commercial disputes through trial, arbitration, and appeal, including the representation of businesses in dissolution, non-compete, unfair trade practice, and class action litigation.

A graduate of St. Norbert College (B.B.A., 1985) and DePaul University College of Law (J.D., 1988), John was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1988 and practices before the U.S. District Courts in the Northern, Central and Southern Districts of Illinois; the Eastern District of Wisconsin; the Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana; and the Western District of Michigan. He is a member of the Federal Trial Bar, the Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel (IDC), the Defense Research Institute, and the Claims & Litigation Management Alliance (CLM).

John served on the Board of Directors of the IDC from 2005 to 2012, and for many years wrote the “Recent Decisions” column for the IDC Quarterly. His writings have also been published in the Tort & Insurance Law Journal and the Products, General Liability, and Consumer Law Newsletter of TIPS (the Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section of the ABA).

In 2002, John was selected by the Law Bulletin Publishing Company as one of the “40 Illinois Attorneys Under Forty to Watch.” Since 2008, he has been identified as a “Super Lawyer” by Law & Politics magazine in the areas of Civil Defense Litigation and Business Litigation. He was also designated a Leading Lawyer in the areas of Transportation Defense, Personal Injury Defense, Product Liability Defense, and Commercial Litigation by Law Bulletin Media. To further the interests of his construction clients, John obtained his OSHA 10-Hour Construction Safety Certification. He also has the designation of Certified Litigation Management Professional, which is awarded by the CLM. He has been AV® rated by Martindale-Hubbell® for many years, which designates him as having reached the highest levels of skill and integrity. Martindale-Hubbell is the facilitator of a peer review rating process, which reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary.

Credentials

Education

  • DePaul University College of Law (J.D., 1988)
  • St. Norbert College (B.B.A., 1985)
  • Certified Litigation Management Professional (2014)
  • OSHA Certified (2014)

Admissions to Practice Law

  • Illinois Bar
  • Federal Trial Bar
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Indiana
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan

Publications

  • IDC Quarterly – “Recent Decisions” Columnist
  • Tort & Insurance Law Journal
  • Products, General Liability, and Consumer Law Newsletter of TIPS (the Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section of the ABA)

Memberships

  • Federal Trial Bar
  • Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel (IDC Board of Directors, 2005-2012)
  • Defense Research Institute
  • Claims & Litigation Management Alliance
 
Representative Matters

Vasquez v. Nedeljkovic – Obtained a not guilty verdict on behalf of property owner and manager in negligence action in which minor plaintiff alleged that she suffered severe and permanent injuries to her dominant hand due to the defendant’s failure to install safety glazing materials on the property. The plaintiff sought a verdict of nearly $720,000. The jury found the defendant not guilty. (Cook County, 11 L 3878, July 2015)

PlatinumTel v. Buchar – Obtained $182,000 breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty award in binding arbitration matter on behalf of a telecommunication company against former consultant and officer. (American Arbitration Association, November 2013)

Regnier v. Cox – Obtained defense verdict for construction site superintendent who allegedly attacked an inspector on project site causing him permanent neck and back injuries. The plaintiff sought a verdict of nearly $400,000. Jury awarded the plaintiff only $905.00. (Cook County, 09 L 4629, September 2013)

Steiner/Moore v. Universal Security – Obtained defense verdict in binding arbitration action in which subcontractors alleged prime contractor breached contract for security services with respect to payment and hours provided under contract. Plaintiffs sought award of $500,000. No damages were awarded. (American Arbitration Association, August 2012)

Name withheld pursuant to client request – Secured a $4,113,800 judgment against a client’s former controller for embezzlement of $1.1M. Joint work with the state’s attorney’s office, and pursuit of the recipients of some of the pilfered funds (including closely held businesses), resulted in a recovery of hundreds of thousands of dollars for John’s client. (May 2011)

Durham v. Dubin – Obtained defense verdict in jury trial in defense of general contractor sued by subcontractor employee claiming that general contractor alleged safety and housekeeping practices caused permanent injuries after he fell into a trench. The plaintiff sought an award in excess of $2,000,000. The jury found the defendant not guilty. (Cook County, 07 L 1639, November 2010)

E. Anthony, Inc. v. Ryan – Obtained jury verdict for general contractor against owner for owner’s breach of construction contract. Damages and costs awarded to the plaintiff exceeded $100,000. (Cook County, 06 L 10477, July 2010)

Lawler v. Reliable Manufacturing – Obtained defense verdict for manufacturer of rubber mill that the plaintiff alleged was defective and caused an amputation injury to her dominant hand. The plaintiff sought a verdict of $3,700,000. The jury found the defendant not guilty. (Kane County, 05 L 463, March 2010)

PlatinumTel v. U.S. Mobile, Inc., et. al. – Secured a $15,340,089 judgment and a permanent injunction against corporate and individual defendants, who were the plaintiff’s competitors, for a systematic scheme to deceive consumers by failing to provide them with the wireless minutes promised under promotional prepaid programs in violation of the Lanham Act, the Illinois Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act, and the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. (Northern District of Illinois, 08 C 1062, April 2010)

Scriptech, LLC v. Walgreen Co. – Represented corporate plaintiff in commercial breach of contract action, which alleged that the defendant’s premature termination of the contract for the purchase of pharmaceutical scales required it to reimburse the plaintiff the discounts awarded in the original contract. The matter settled for nearly $800,000 in favor of the plaintiff. (Cook County, 05 L 3125, March 2008)

Stanisewski v. Baxter – Obtained temporary restraining order and subsequent injunctive relief against defendant who sold accounting business to plaintiff and then violated non-confidentiality and non-compete agreements. Permanent injunctive relief and financial recovery were later negotiated. (Will County, 07 CH 296, February 2007)

Ben-Joy, Inc. v. v. E. Anthony, Inc. – Obtained defense verdict for general contractor in breach of contract action by building owner who asserted contractor constructed a defective building. The plaintiff sought a verdict in excess of $500,000. The jury found for the defendant and awarded no damages, after the trial court had granted the defendant’s motion for a directed verdict on related tort allegations of the complaint. (Cook County, 00 L 12248), February 2004)

Startz v. Perini – Obtained defense verdict for general contractor accused of construction negligence by ironworker. The plaintiff alleged that the defendant’s safety practices caused his fall on the jobsite resulting in alleged permanent injuries. The plaintiff sought a verdict in excess of $300,000. The jury found the defendant not guilty. (Cook County, 99 L 3506, April 2002)

Calumet Construction v. Acme Steel Company – Represented steel company sued in mechanics lien/breach of contract action seeking $20 million in damages for failure to pay for construction of steel mill. The defense asserted that the construction was defective and steel mill failed to properly operate. After several days of trial, the matter settled and Acme recovered funds from the general contractor. (Cook County, 97 CH 2502, November 2001)

Mayflower Transit v. Specialty Moving Systems – Obtained defense verdict for moving agency sued by former principal for breach of contract. Principal sought $4 million in damages in an effort to prevent the defendant from competing. The arbitration panel entered a binding not guilty verdict for the defendant. (American Arbitration Association, September 2001)

O’Connell v Tomaszewski – Obtained defense verdict in two-party auto case in which plaintiff claimed that defendant’s negligent driving caused permanent low back injuries resulting in multiple surgeries, including a fusion. The plaintiff sought a verdict in excess of $500,000. The jury found the defendant not guilty. (Will County, 98 L 129, December 2000)

Skoneczka v. Johnson – Obtained defense verdict in wrongful death case in which the plaintiff alleged that defendant’s negligent driving caused the decedent’s death. Defendant left the scene of the accident and plaintiff presented this as evidence of negligence. The plaintiff sought a verdict of $2,500,000. The jury found the defendant not guilty. (Cook County, 95 L 4726, July 1999)

K&K Industries v. Badger Airbrush – Obtained a binding arbitration award of $780,000 on behalf of plaintiff company asserting that defendant/distributor of plaintiff’s hobby paint breached its contractual and fiduciary duties and took the plaintiff’s trade secrets in an effort to compete. An additional $50,000 was obtained for the plaintiff in the settlement of a related federal case. (American Arbitration Association, May 1998)

Sowa v. Warner-Lambert – Secured $0 damages verdict in high speed rear-end automobile accident on I-90. The plaintiffs, a mother and daughter, claimed significant physical and mental injuries from the impact. The jury found for the defendant responsible for the impact, but determined that the plaintiffs’ alleged pain and suffering were solely related to pre-existing conditions and awarded no damages. (Kane County, 92 L 116, January 1997)

Blitstein v. Calhoun, et. al. - Obtained defense verdict in multi-party auto case in which plaintiffs – a mother and daughter – claimed that defendant’s negligent driving caused permanent low back and knee injuries resulting in surgery. Defense contended a “phantom” vehicle caused accident. The jury found the defendants not guilty. (Cook County, 92 L 5803, September 1996)

Reported Cases

McKernan v. Gregory – Represented plaintiff corporation in a fraud, breach of fiduciary duty and tortious interference action asserting that the defendants, former officers and employees of the plaintiff, conspired to secretly compete with and divert the plaintiff’s assets and business opportunities. After a three-week jury trial, the jury awarded the plaintiff $1.5 million in compensatory and punitive damages. See, McKernan v. Gregory, 191 Ill.App.3d 514, 613 N.E.2d 981 (2d Dist., 1993)