Winston & Strawn builds Chicago litigation, offering with McDermott partner twosome

Winston & Strawn builds Chicago litigation, offering with McDermott partner twosome

Co-chair of McDermott's class action practice moves on along with product liability specialist

Top 50 US firm Winston & Strawn has added two litigation partners focused on class actions, antitrust and other complex litigation in Chicago from local rival McDermott Will & Emery.

Christopher Murphy became the co-chair of McDermott's class action practice group after working for more than 30 years ago in a firm. He has signified clients like Apple, Bayer and Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Representing clients regularly before the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation, he commented that consumer class actions "continue to increase in volume, profile and jurisdictional complexity, challenging proven experience and capacity of the highest calibre from trusted legal partners".

He was "excited to join Winston & Strawn at such a critical juncture."

Meanwhile Terrence Dee joined McDermott in 2015 after working over 20 years as a partner at Kirkland & Ellis. His practice focuses on product accountability and product-related class actions and mass torts cases. Offering pre-marketing advice to clients, he also develops products in the health, medical device and pharma industries to manage possible threatening areas.

Dee remarked that "challenges related to product accountability, particularly in the health care sector, are expected to be more destructive and complex as courts continue to return to normal schedules post-pandemic. I look ahead to meet these challenges as part of the Winston litigation team."

Cardelle Spangler, managing partner, Chicago office said that the firm expects uptick in complex commercial litigation, class actions and antitrust in the New Year. It would also look to "influence" the pair's skills to serve developing clients' need.

Tom Fitzgerald, chairman of Winston & Strawn uttered, "The influence of class actions and related litigation reaches far beyond the courtroom," He further added that Murphy and Dee "bring corresponding skills in resolving highly complex matters on behalf of our clients."

The hires follow Winston's 21-strong promotions round last week. It saw the addition of eight litigators to the partnership, including Jeffrey Huelskamp in Chicago.

The firm also improved its environmental litigation offering early 2021. It also added Jonathan Brightbill former senior justice department official in Washington DC.

A trio of litigation partners from Kirkland & Ellis, Mayer Brown and the Department of Justice were added in Silicon Valley firm Cooley back in Chicago in July. It opened in May with nine hired partners including five from Winston & Strawn.