Joseph A. Cancila Jr. is the Co-Leader of Schiff Hardin's class action litigation practice. He concentrates his practice in the area of complex civil litigation, with particular focus on the defense of class actions litigation involving:
- Consumer protection laws
- Fair housing law
- Trade practice and business torts
- Environmental law
- Antitrust law
He also has experience in other commercial,
fair housing, trade secret and employment litigation.
He has spoken on class action and fair housing topics.
He maintains a national practice. His current and recent matters include alleged or certified class actions in federal or state courts in Illinois, Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas. He has extensive class certification evidentiary hearing experience and trial experience in federal and state courts and before arbitrators.
He has represented insurers, corporations and other business entities in connection with several dozen class actions in numerous states. He has accomplished dismissals or denials of class certification of many of those cases. He also has successfully resolved other cases through state and national class action settlements. He also resolved by class settlement environmental class litigation asserted against a manufacturer of automotive parts
He has represented corporations and insurers in antitrust challenges and other alleged statutory violations or business torts. For instance, he has represented manufacturers and insurers in cases involving claims of breach of contract, price discrimination, antitrust, RICO, or other asserted statutory violations.
He has represented employers and insurers in connection with administrative investigations of discrimination complaints. He also has represented employers and former employees in claims involving trade secrets or non-compete employment provisions. And his broad-ranging litigation experience also has included trade secret misappropriation, fair housing, and coal contract arbitrations.
He has successfully argued appeals before the Illinois Appellate Courts and the United States Courts of Appeal for the Fifth, Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Circuits.