Claire L. Lunardini, Esq.
Practice Areas:
Commercial Litigation, Product Liability, Insurance, Labor & Employment, Toxic Tort
Biography
Claire L. Lunardini is a partner of Williams Montgomery & John Ltd. and a member of the firm’s product liability, aviation, commercial litigation and toxic torts practice groups. She focuses her practice on defending product liability, employment, toxic tort and commercial claims in state and federal courts in Illinois and throughout the United States.
Ms. Lunardini has successfully tried, arbitrated and mediated cases for major corporate clients.
In the product liability area, Ms. Lunardini has represented Ford Motor Company in dozens of Ford Explorer cases involving tread separations of Firestone tires, represented Bausch & Lomb, Inc. and Walgreen Co. in dozens of lawsuits involving Bausch & Lomb Renu with Moistureloc contact lens solution, and represented Sharp Electronics in two product liability lawsuits arising from fires allegedly started by a Sharp television and a Sharp copying machine. She also has represented clients such as Lycoming Engines, Avco Corporation, Textron Inc., Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Dunlop Tires, Interco Tire Corp. and Denman Tire Corp. in product liability matters involving personal injury and wrongful death claims.
Ms. Lunardini has extensive experience with breach of contract, insurance coverage, negligent representation and other complex commercial litigation representing clients such as IBM, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Genentech, Inc., The Terminix International Co. and Johns Manville International, Inc. In addition, she represents clients in employment contract and wrongful termination disputes.
Education/Bar Admissions
Ms. Lunardini received a B.A. in English and political science, With Highest Honor, in 1997 from DePaul University. She was a recipient of the Dean’s Award for Scholastic Excellence (four years), and became a member of Phi Kappa Phi honor society, Sigma Tau Delta international English honor society, Pi Sigma Alpha national political science honor society, Golden Key national honor society and Alpha Lamda Delta honor society.
She received her J.D. in 2000 from DePaul University College of Law, where she was an article and note editor and a writing staff member for the DePaul Law Review, and was the recipient of the CALI Achievement Award for Legal Writing II and CALI Achievement Award for When Justice Fails.
Ms. Lunardini was admitted to the Illinois bar in 2000 and also has been admitted to the following federal trial courts:
- 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, Northern District of Indiana
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana
In addition, Ms. Lunardini has been admitted pro hac vice in several state and federal courts throughout the country.
Professional Activities
Ms. Lunardini is active in various professional organizations, including:
- Illinois State Bar Association
- Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel
- Defense Research Institute
Ms. Lunardini also is a member of the Membership Committee of the Young Lawyers Section of the Primerus Defense Institute, a consortium of 87 small- to medium-sized defense firms located throughout the country.
Representative Cases
Product Liability
Ford Explorer/Firestone Tire Tread Separation Litigation, various courts in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Florida: Obtained favorable settlements for client Ford Motor Company in dozens of Ford Explorer cases involving tread separations of Firestone tires.
Gaskin v. Sharp Electronics Corp., U.S. District Court, Northern District of Indiana: Favorably resolved product liability and wrongful death lawsuit against client Sharp Electronics. Case arose from a fire inside a home allegedly started by a Sharp television. Case settled following order barring plaintiff’s expert pursuant to Daubert.
Bausch & Lomb, Inc./Renu with Moistureloc Product Liability Litigation, various state and federal courts in Illinois: Represented Bausch & Lomb, Inc. and Walgreen Co. in dozens of product liability lawsuits involving Bausch & Lomb Renu with Moistureloc contact lens solution. Cases settled.
Johnson v. Avco/Textron/Lycoming, et al., U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri: Represented defendant aircraft engine manufacturer in product liability lawsuit involving general aviation catastrophic crash that resulted in five deaths. Case settled for confidential amount after motion to remand was denied.
McCloud v. Goodyear Dunlop Tires North America, et al., U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois: Defended Goodyear Dunlop Tires in product liability action arising from allegedly defective motorcycle tire and involving brain damage and quadriplegia. Case settled after verdict.
Helgesen v. Jewel Food Stores, Inc., Circuit Court of Cook County, Ill.: Obtained decision of “not guilty” in a non-binding arbitration representing defendant Jewel Food Stores in a premises liability lawsuit. Plaintiff alleged personal injury as a result of a slip and fall inside a Jewel store. Case settled for nuisance value following arbitration decision.
Bryant v. Terminix International, Circuit Court of Shelby County, Tenn.: Represented Terminix International in a toxic tort lawsuit in which plaintiff alleged to have sustained neurological damage and other permanent injuries as a result of exposure to a pesticide. Case settled.
Leynaud v. IBM, Circuit Court of LaSalle County, Ill.: Represented IBM and IBM employee in an action concerning motor vehicle accident. Case settled.
Krueger v. President Builders, Inc., Cook County, Ill.: Represented general contractor President Builders in lawsuit arising from an accident that occurred on residential construction site where an individual fell through a hole. Case settled during trial.
Jelic v. Goodyear, Circuit Court of Cook County, Ill.: Obtained dismissal, with prejudice, on behalf of defendant Goodyear in a personal injury lawsuit arising from a motor vehicle accident.
Willow Creek v. Sharp Electronics Corp., U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois: Obtained favorable settlement on behalf of Sharp Electronics in product liability lawsuit involving a fire allegedly started by a copying machine manufactured by Sharp.
Hector v. Interco Tire Corp., Circuit Court of Cook County, Ill.: Represented Interco Tire in a product liability and wrongful death lawsuit arising from a catastrophic automobile accident. Case settled.
Hector v. Denman Tire Corp., Circuit Court of Dane County, Wis.: Represented Denman Tire in a product liability and wrongful death lawsuit arising from a catastrophic automobile accident involving an allegedly defective tire. Case settled.
Commercial Litigation
Goodyear v. Lucas, Circuit Court of Cook County, Ill.: Obtained judgment for client Goodyear entered against two corporations and an individual in a lawsuit involving a breach of contract claim and a claim under the Illinois Uniform Fraudulent Transfer of Assets statute.
Trapper Enterprises v. Goodyear, Circuit Court of Cook County, Ill.: Obtained arbitration decision of “not guilty” for defendant Goodyear in a breach of contract action. Case dismissed following arbitration decision.
American States Insurance Co. v. Monticello Insurance Co., Circuit Court of DuPage County, Ill.: Represented Monticello Insurance Co. in insurance coverage matter. Case settled.
Schnaar v. Genentech, Inc., Circuit Court of Cook County, Ill.: Represented drug manufacturer Genentech, Inc. in a lawsuit arising out of an FDA drug study for the psoriasis drug Raptiva. Case settled.
Bedolla v. RES Environmental, Circuit Court of Cook County, Ill.: Defended spray insulator company against third-party breach of contract claim brought by general contractor. Plaintiff alleged failure to provide insurance coverage, with an underlying claim concerning personal injuries sustained in a one-story fall through a hole at a building construction site. Case settled.
Crystal Towers v. Johns Manville International, Inc., Circuit Court of Cook County, Ill.: Obtained dismissal without settlement on behalf of defendant Johns Manville in a negligent misrepresentation and breach of warranty lawsuit. Case arose out of allegations concerning a Johns Manville roofing product.
Glenbrook v. Goodyear, Circuit Court of Cook County, Ill.: Obtained favorable settlement on behalf of Goodyear in a breach of contract claim involving payment of real estate taxes.
Phoenyx One, Inc. v. Terminix International, Inc., Circuit Court of Will County, Ill.: Represented Terminix International in a breach of contract and negligent misrepresentation action arising from property termite inspections. Case settled.
Onyango v. Goodyear, Circuit Court of the 19th Judicial Circuit, Lake County, Ill.: Achieved bench trial decision in favor of defendant Goodyear and one of its employees in a property damage lawsuit. Judge found in favor of defendants on all issues.
Employment Litigation
Forsythe v. Wayne Snyder et al., Circuit Court of Cook County, Ill., Chancery Division: Represented Forsythe in a trade secrets violation and employment contract breach against former employees. In a Rule 23 non-published order, the Illinois Appellate Court ruled in favor of Forsythe. In its ruling, the Illinois Appellate Court ruled that the trial court erred in finding unenforceable the forum-selection clause in Forsythe’s employee confidentiality and non-compete agreements and erred in dismissing the case against the former employees based upon lack of personal jurisdiction. The Illinois Appellate Court reversed the circuit court’s judgment dismissing Forsythe’s claims against its former employees and remanded for further proceedings. The case settled for a confidential amount.
Green v. CMS, Circuit Court of Cook County, Ill.: Represented individual in lawsuit concerning employment disputes and compensation owed following termination.
Publications
Chapter on “Indiana Jury Instructions for Product Liability Claims and Defenses,” (co-author), Product Liability Advisory Council Handbook of Jury Instructions, 2009.
“Actual Notice of Defect Exception to the Illinois Distributor Statute Requires More than Knowledge of the Characteristics of the Product,” (with Bradley C. Nahrstadt), Defense Update, IDC Product Liability Committee, Vol. 9, No. 1, 2009.
Contributing Editor, Williams Montgomery & John Litigation Forum newsletter, 2005-2009.
“Using the Internet as a Discovery Tool,” (with Bradley C. Nahrstadt), Experience, American Bar Association Senior Lawyers Division, Volume 16, Number 3, Spring 2006.
“Using the Internet as a Tool in the Discovery Process,” (with Bradley C. Nahrstadt), The Practical Litigator, March 2005.
“Consumer Fraud Statutory Causes of Action,” (with Thomas H. Neuckranz), paper submitted to Product Liability Advisory Council Conference, Fall 2004.
“Illinois Law on Admission of Expert Testimony,” (with Thomas H. Neuckranz), paper submitted to Product Liability Advisory Council 50 State Compilation, 2004.
Speeches and Presentations
“The Answer (to the complaint!),” Pincus Professional Education, Federal Court Boot Camp: How to Practice in Federal Court, June, 2011.
“Ex Parte Motions and Injunctive Relief,” Pincus Professional Education, Federal Court Boot Camp: How to Practice in Federal Court, June 2011.
“Motions to Dismiss and Motions to Strike,” Pincus Professional Education, Circuit Court Boot Camp: A Practical Trial Litigation Skills Program, June, 2011.
“Motions to Continue,” Pincus Professional Education, Circuit Court Boot Camp: A Practical Trial Litigation Skills Program, June, 2011.
Moderator, Pincus Professional Education, Circuit Court Boot Camp: A Practical Trial Litigation Skills Program, June, 2011.
“Complex Litigation,” Practice Tracks 2008 program for law students sponsored by DePaul University College of Law and Chicago Area Law School Consortium (consisting of 11 Illinois and Indiana law schools), 2008.
“The Practice of Litigation Law,” DePaul University College of Law, 2006.
Practicing: Negligence Defense, Civil Practice, Commercial Law, Construction Law, Insurance Defense, Labor and Employment, Personal Injury, General Litigation
