Matthew Brewer

Represents and advises major U.S. and international companies in potential and actual commercial disputes, including contract, intellectual property, antitrust, false advertising, product liability, and a range of other complex commercial matters in federal and state courts throughout the United States. Managing counsel in several high-stakes and complex litigation matters. Counsels clients on pre-litigation and pre-transaction strategy, and advocates for clients in trial, arbitration, and settlement negotiation.

Representative Matters

Roundup® Litigation
Represent Monsanto and Bayer defending the Roundup® products liability litigation. Served as trial counsel in Evans v. Monsanto in City of St. Louis.

Opioids Litigation
Part of the team defending Walgreens in nationwide litigation relating to the distribution and sale of prescription opioid medications, including over 2,500 cases brought by states, cities, counties, tribes, and private parties seeking recovery in connection with the opioid abuse crisis.

Millennium Labs. v. Ameritox (District Court of Maryland)
Served as second chair for Ameritox in a Lanham Act false advertising trial concerning Ameritox's advertisements for its urine drug testing services. Successfully briefed and argued Daubert motion excluding Millennium's two highly-credentialed survey experts. Managed fact and expert discovery process, including taking or defending more than ten depositions. Conducted direct examination and prepared witnesses for testimony at trial. After four weeks of trial and argument before Judge Benson Legg, the parties entered into a consent order to end the dispute.

Massachusetts Mutual Life Ins. Co. Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities Litigation (District of Massachusetts)
Represented MassMutual in its actions under the Massachusetts Uniform Securities Act, against underwriters Barclays, Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs, and RBS, arising from their sales of residential mortgage-backed securities to MassMutual in 2005-2007.

Confidential Financial Firm Matter
Represented financial firm and their senior executives in a confidential international regulatory dispute.

Wildcat v. Johnson Controls, Inc. (Western District of Wisconsin)
Served as lead counsel for Johnson Controls, Inc. in a patent infringement action brought by a non-practicing entity who alleged infringement of a patent relating to safety bolts used in automotive seat manufacturing. Developed legal strategy, which included moving for inter partes review (IPR). Patent Office invalidated all disputed claims at IPR.

Confidential Litigation Counseling
Advised Fortune 100 company in potential litigation resulting from numerous complex transactions. Developed plan for business to limit financial, reputational, and operational risk while preserving strong litigation positions. Litigation avoided.

Proprietect v. Johnson Controls, Inc. (Eastern District of Michigan)
Served as lead counsel for Johnson Controls, Inc. in a patent infringement action regarding foam molding technology used in automotive seat manufacturing. Developed defense strategy, managed litigation team, and oversaw fact and expert discovery process. Case has settled.

Friel v. Federal Signal (Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County)
Represented siren manufacturer Federal Signal in product liability trial against firefighters alleging they suffered noise-induced hearing loss resulting from exposure to Federal Signal sirens. Cross-examined witnesses and prepared witnesses for testimony at trial. Obtained jury verdict in favor of Federal Signal across all claims.

DuPont v. ICOR (Southern District of Indiana)
Represented DuPont in declaratory judgment and patent false marking case. ICOR alleged that its proposed refrigerant (a generic version of DuPont's SCEON® MO99™ product) would not infringe DuPont's patent on R-438A and that DuPont falsely marked its MO99™ product.  Case ended with ICOR agreeing to dismiss these claims with prejudice. Presented case overview and strategy at DuPont's Annual Meeting of Preferred Law Firms, which highlighted "best practices" in litigation.

Confidential Litigation Counseling
Advised private equity firm during and after its acquisition of an e-commerce provider. Provided counsel on alleged breach of representations and warranties after closing.

Confidential Litigation Counseling
Counseled prominent family business on corporate governance and employment issues.

JPMorgan v. IDW and Patrik Edsparr (Southern District of New York)
Represented hedge fund in dispute involving post-employment obligations of former employee. Resolved through favorable settlement for the client.

In re Parmalat (Southern District of New York)
Represented global accounting organization against plaintiffs alleging counts of fraud against one of its member firms. Hired to try case five months before trial. Resolved through favorable settlement for the client.

In re Trasylol Litigation (multiple jurisdictions)
Represented drug manufacturer in multidistrict product liability litigation for claims involving drug that controls bleeding during open heart surgery. Took and defended fact depositions of plaintiffs and third parties. Multidistrict litigation pending.

Professional Activities and Community Service

Commissioner, Chicago Housing Authority

Future Leaders of Chicago, Founder

Board of Directors, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

Board of Governors, Metropolitan Planning Council

Leadership Greater Chicago Fellow