Willis Tower 233 S. Wacker, Suite 6100 Chicago, Illinois 60606-6359
Phone: 312.443.3200 | Fax: 312.630.8500 | E-mail: wmjinfo@willmont.com
Firm Overview
Williams Montgomery & John is the ideal business litigation firm. Our clients know we have the experience and dedication to achieve successful results. Our opponents know we have the skills and courage to try cases to verdict.
The trial lawyers of Williams Montgomery & John vigorously and fearlessly represent client interests in high-stakes lawsuits across the United States. We have a track record of achieving outstanding results for some of corporate America’s biggest names.
Our lawyers have extensive jury trial, bench trial and arbitration experience in complex, multimillion-dollar disputes involving breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, professional malpractice, products liability, defective construction , intellectual property, labor and employment, insurance bad faith and white collar litigation. CBS Corporation named Williams Montgomery & John as its “go to” law firm in Illinois for commercial disputes (Corporate Counsel, December 2010), and other large corporations such as 3M, Goodyear, Siemens, IBM, Genentech, Whirlpool and Zurich Insurance Company have relied on our unwavering advocacy.
In the tort defense area, our trial attorneys have achieved defense verdicts in numerous complex product liability, toxic tort, personal injury and wrongful death matters, a number of which have been recognized by The National Law Journal. As a result of our vast experience and stellar track record, we have been retained as national and regional trial counsel for more than 60 corporate clients, including Ford, Fisher-Price, Black & Decker, General Electric, Chevron, Goodyear, and Bausch & Lomb.
The name partners of Williams Montgomery & John are nationally known trial attorneys and members of the prestigious International Academy of Trial Lawyers. Barry Montgomery and Peter John are listed in Best Lawyers in America for Commercial Litigation and Bet-the-Company Litigation. The firm’s energetic, dedicated partners and associates have a strong commitment to client service with a singular focus on achieving client objectives. Sixteen of the firm’s partners have been selected by their peers for inclusion in Illinois Leading Lawyers and 11 have been recognized in Illinois Super Lawyers.
We work closely with all of our clients to ensure that their goals and expectations are met. We believe that early, aggressive and thorough preparation is essential to achieving the best results. We are passionate about what we do and our passion is reflected in the results that we achieve for our clients.
Clients trust Williams Montgomery & John to handle their sophisticated business and financial disputes and to devise and execute a litigation plan that will achieve their goals. For more than 40 years we have delivered fearless and effective advocacy for our clients. Our experience includes:
Appellate
The firm maintains a highly skilled appellate practice group to protect our clients’ trial court victories and work to overturn unfavorable rulings. Our appellate attorneys have briefed and argued cases in state and federal appellate courts throughout the United States. Our appellate attorneys work closely with the firm’s trial lawyers to assist with pleadings, jury instruction conferences and briefing of critical motions.
Class Action & MDL Litigation
As a highly regarded civil defense firm, Williams Montgomery & John represents major corporate clients in complex, high-stakes class action and multidistrict litigation around the country. The firm’s attorneys have served as national or regional trial counsel in product liability, mass tort and commercial class action matters. We have successfully resolved class actions through decertification, dismissal and settlement.
Commercial Litigation
Clients call upon our experienced trial lawyers to provide resolute and effective advocacy in business and financial disputes. Our commercial litigators have extensive jury trial, bench trial and arbitration experience in complex commercial litigation involving multimillion-dollar claims for breach of contract, construction delays, consumer fraud, insurance bad faith, unfair business practices, fiduciary duty and officer and director litigation.
Construction
The firm represents contractors, engineers, architects, owners and consultants in commercial lawsuits involving claims for construction defects, negligent design and delayed completion, as well as liability lawsuits arising from construction worksite accidents. Our attorneys have tried cases in the courts and before arbitration panels involving the construction of office and residential buildings, power plants, distribution facilities, and public works and retail projects.
General Liability
The firm’s trial lawyers represent companies in high-exposure liability actions involving claims for personal injuries, property damages and economic losses. Our experience extends to catastrophic injury, wrongful death, negligence and strict liability lawsuits arising from vehicular, trucking, rail and aviation accidents, construction worksite accidents, fires and explosions, and other such calamitous events.
Government Relations
Our government relations practice group represents clients before the legislative and executive branches of Illinois government and provide guidance through the administrative rulemaking process. We work with the members of the Illinois General Assembly, Governor’s office, executive officials and members of their staffs to advance our clients’ public policy interests, as well as with other lobbyists to build coalitions to develop and implement public policy strategies.
Insurance
Williams Montgomery & John defends insurance companies against bad faith, consumer fraud and breach of contract claims. We also prosecute and defend declaratory judgment actions and provide coverage opinions for claims arising from directors and officers, professional and general liability, and other types of insurance policies. In the insurance defense area, the firm represents companies in product liability, toxic tort, personal injury, wrongful death and property damage claims on behalf of their insurers.
Intellectual Property
In the intellectual property area, the firm has successfully prosecuted and defended infringement, misappropriation and unfair competition claims involving patents, trademarks, trade dress, copyrights and trade secrets. We have taken many cases to verdict as lead trial counsel in both jury and bench trials nationwide and have argued appeals in State and Federal Appeals Courts.
Labor & Employment
Williams Montgomery & John has defended employers against a wide variety of employment claims arising under the Americans With Disabilities Act, Fair Labor Standards Act, ERISA, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Our experience includes representation before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Illinois Department of Human Rights and National Labor Relations Board.
Product Liability
We defend manufacturers, distributors and retailers against product liability claims based on negligence, strict product liability and breach of warranty. Our attorneys have litigated cases involving an extensive array of products, including pharmaceuticals and other health care products, food products, children’s products, consumer electronics, vehicle components, aircraft engines, power tools, manufacturing equipment, construction equipment and toxic substances.
Professional Liability
Our attorneys have represented law firms and attorneys throughout the country in legal malpractice suits and have represented individual accountants, “Big 4” accounting firms and regional firms in state and federal courts and before state licensing and accounting boards. Our professional liability experience also includes the defense of doctors, nurses and hospitals against medical malpractice cases, insurance agents and brokers against fraud and misrepresentation claims, and engineers and architects against professional negligence claims.
Toxic Tort
The trial attorneys at Williams Montgomery & John represent manufacturers, shippers, distributors, premises operators and owners, retailers, users and insurers in class actions, mass tort actions, property damage cases and individual catastrophic injury cases involving numerous products and substances. The firm has developed particular capabilities defending emergency situations involving the release of hazardous materials into the environment.
Transportation
The members of our transportation team have defended wrongful death, personal injury and property damage lawsuits brought in courts across the country against railroads, trucking and freight transport companies. We have extensive experience with product liability lawsuits alleging manufacturing and design defects involving tires, airbags, seatbelts and other automobile components. In the aviation area, our attorneys have litigated matters involving catastrophic commercial airline, general aviation and helicopter accidents involving allegations of engine and component part failures.
White Collar Litigation
Williams Montgomery & John has a group of former Federal, State and County prosecutors who represent businesses and individuals in grand jury investigations, regulatory inquiries and civil whistleblower claims. We have experience handling all aspects of state and federal white-collar litigation involving health care fraud, antitrust, RICO, False Claims Act and a variety of other issues. We conduct internal investigations to help clients gather and assess evidence and make informed decisions regarding an effective response.