Jeffrey R. Williams

Partner

Jeffrey R. Williams focuses his practice in the areas of product liability and commercial litigation, where he has tried and arbitrated dozens of cases to verdict or binding award.

He has extensive experience handling claims involving both consumer products as well as heavy industrial equipment, in which it was claimed that the product's use resulted in catastrophic injury (burns, amputations, paralysis) or death. He also has substantial experience in:

• Unfair trade practices
• Intellectual property-based disputes
• Securities and antitrust lawsuits
• Wrongful termination suits
• Construction litigation

Mr. Williams was one of the founders of Morgenstein & Jubelirer in 1982, and served as its Managing Partner from 1987 to 1990. Morgenstein & Jubelirer merged with Schiff Hardin in January 2007.

Experience

For the past 20 years, Mr. Williams has represented a diversified manufacturer of consumer and industrial products, for whom he has obtained a defense verdict for each of the following matters:

• Propane gas hot water-heater control involved in a fire causing extensive second- and third-degree burns, despite conceding that subsequent changes in the design of the control would have prevented the accident
• Hand-held circular saw in which a guard jammed, resulting in the amputation of three fingers
• Motorized pipe-threading equipment in which a plaintiff's clothing became entangled, causing permanent and disabling back injures
• Electric strip heater that allegedly failed in run-away mode, causing extensive property damage to semiconductor manufacturer
• Temperature-sensing device used to activate frost-protection system in a Napa Valley, Calif., vineyard, which plaintiff claimed failed, causing loss of virtually entire year's harvest

In addition, Mr. Williams also has represented clients in complex commercial and products liability litigation including:

• Serving as lead counsel on behalf of a Fortune 200 company in a lawsuit against a Fortune 100 defendant, arising out of a failed joint venture involving ink jet printing technology, which resulted in a $21 million settlement on behalf of his client.
• Representing a manufacturer of aerial devices in its northern California litigation, with claims typically involving death by electrocution or serious electrical injuries.
• Representing a manufacturer of children's car seats in cases usually involving death or serious injury, such as quadriplegia.
• Representing manufacturers of window blinds in litigation involving strangulation deaths and serious injuries of children on window blind cords.
• Serving as lead counsel for committee appointed to administer claims against major asbestos manufacturer during pendency of appeal of class action settlement; responsible for team of trial lawyers around the country in negotiation and arbitration of these claims.

Speeches and Presentations

"Beating Conspiracy Claims," Network of Trial Law Firms seminar, New York (2006)

"Punitive Damages After State Farm," Network of Trial Law Firms seminar, Palm Beach, Fla. (2003)

"Effective Preparation of In-house Counsel for Mediation Leadership," Network of Trial Law Firms seminar, Stamford, Conn. (2001)

Awards and Honors

AV Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell

Education

Teaching Appointments

Adjunct Professor, University of California Hastings College of the Law (1995-present) Civil Pretrial Procedure

Professional Memberships

Network of Trial Law Firms
Past Chair

Defense Research Institute