Adam L. Hoeflich

“The one person that you want by your side to navigate a difficult issue whether it's inside the courtroom or outside the courtroom.” – Chambers USA Client's Guide 2021

Adam Hoeflich has a national reputation as a courtroom lawyer and strategic advisor to public and private companies and prominent individuals facing complex challenges both within and outside of the litigation process.

In the courtroom, Adam has served as lead counsel in high-profile individual cases, multi-jurisdiction litigation, and appeals. Outside the courtroom, Adam has advised corporations, executives, and individuals on their most important matters, ranging from personal disputes affecting families and privately held companies to complex commercial issues that domestic and international companies and individuals sought to resolve without publicity and/or litigation.

Adam's accomplishments have been broadly recognized. Chambers and Partners noted his "expertise handling sophisticated litigation matters across diverse areas such as securities, insurance and product liability," referred to him as a "force in multidistrict litigation," and quoted sources calling him a "phenomenal strategist" and a "go-to legal mind on complicated litigation." Benchmark Litigation has listed him as a national "litigation star." And LMG Life Sciences has stated that Adam "is thought of by peers as 'a master courtroom strategist.'" Chambers ranks him (in band 1) as one of Illinois’ leading litigators and as one of the leading national Products Liability lawyers. Lawdragon includes Adam among its 500 leading litigators in America.

Adam's practice benefits from his deep understanding of complex litigation and legal ethics. Adam is a Professor of Practice at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law and previously was a Lecturer in Law at the University of Chicago Law School. Adam is an elected member of the American Law Institute (ALI).

Active in the civic community, Adam is a Trustee and Past Chair of the Civic Federation Board of Trustees, a Trustee of Northwestern University, a board director of Northwestern Memorial Hospital, and a member of both the Commercial Club and the Economic Club.

After graduating first in his class from the University of Illinois College of Law, where he was Articles Editor of the Law Review, Adam clerked for Honorable Thomas J. Meskill on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and Honorable Milton I. Shadur on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Adam joined Bartlit Beck in 1994 and became a partner in 1997.

Representative Matters

Commercial Matters

Confidential Commercial Arbitration
Lead counsel for claimant in dispute concerning investment in patent rights relating to semiconductor technology. Successfully obtained emergency relief before Tribunal empaneled. After a three-week arbitration, Tribunal ruled for our client on all claims, granted all damages sought, and denied Respondents’ counterclaim, with an award more than $75 million.

CF Entertainment, Inc. v. The Nielsen Company (US) LLC
Lead counsel for Nielsen in contract dispute brought by CF Entertainment, a collection of cable networks that is part of comedian and entrepreneur Byron Allen's Allen Media Group. Pending in the Northern District of Illinois. 

Outcome Health 
Lead counsel for prominent venture capital firm in fraud, rescission, and unjust enrichment litigation in New York and Delaware relating to Outcome Health. Settlement that included freezing of funds held by founder and a restructuring.

Confidential Insurance Recovery Litigation
Lead counsel for a leading United States company in confidential insurance recovery litigation in arbitrations seeking hundreds of millions of dollars in coverage under the "Bermuda Form." Recoveries achieved exceeding $500 million.

Hsieh v. Seakeeper
Lead counsel for Seakeeper in action challenging the performance of its gyroscopic stabilizers that virtually eliminate boat roll. Central District of California. Case settled. 

Baycol Qui Tam
Co-lead counsel for Bayer in qui tam litigation brought by a former employee relating to Baycol. MDL in District of Minnesota. Twice obtained dismissal at the district Court and eliminated vast majority of case during 2 appeals (argued) to the Eighth Circuit. Case settled after nearly 20 years of litigation.

Bandag, Inc. v. Michelin
Co-lead counsel for Bandag in action against Michelin alleging that Michelin used illegal tactics to induce Bandag franchisees to breach agreements with Bandag. Counterclaim by Michelin for Antitrust and Lanham Act violations. Preliminary injunction sought by Michelin denied. Case settled during trial.

Confidential Real Estate Dispute
Lead counsel for an international hotel and resort company in a contractual dispute with a nationally known real estate developer relating to the developer's alleged breach of a purchase and sale agreement. Dispute resolved without litigation.

Confidential Real Estate Dispute
Lead counsel for an international hotel and resort company in a contractual dispute with a nationally known real estate developer relating to the developer's alleged breach of a purchase and sale agreement. Dispute resolved without litigation.

Confidential Pharmaceutical Mediation
Lead counsel for pharmaceutical company in matter claiming substantial damages stemming from alleged antitrust violations, breach of contract, tortious interference, and fraud involving the alleged monopolization of the active ingredient used to manufacture client's medicine. Case settled on favorable terms involving a supply agreement providing present and future payments to our client and no payments to plaintiff.

Confidential Litigation Counseling
Advised multinational pharmaceutical company on a potential dispute with another multinational pharmaceutical company concerning development and marketing rights with respect to a potential blockbuster drug that showed potential safety issues during development. Litigation avoided.

Barr Laboratories, Inc. v. DuPont Merck Pharmaceutical Company
Co-lead counsel for DuPont in an antitrust case brought by generic drug manufacturer in New York Federal Court for alleged monopolization of the market for blood thinning medicine. Motion to dismiss based on First Amendment protection for petitioning activity granted in part. Case settled.

Trustees of the United Mine Workers of America 1992 Benefit Plan v. CONSOL Energy Inc., et al. v. DuPont & RWE (D.D.C.)
Counsel for Third-Party Defendant RWE, a German multinational energy company, in a retiree health benefits dispute arising under the federal Coal Industry Retiree Health Benefit Act.  Successfully obtained dismissal of all claims against RWE.

Bourke et al. v. Dun & Bradstreet
Defended Dun & Bradstreet in a dispute brought by former executives claiming breach of contract based on terms of an incentive compensation program. Motion to Dismiss granted in Dun & Bradstreet's favor. Affirmed by Seventh Circuit.

Nichols Aluminum v. Morton International
Lead counsel for Morton International in a negligence action brought in Illinois state court based on alleged negligence in the manufacture of coatings for aluminum coils. Motion to dismiss granted in Morton International's favor.

Multidistrict Litigation

IN RE: January 2021 Short Squeeze Trading Litigation (MDL 2989)
Lead counsel for leading market-making firm in litigation arising from trading restrictions that on-line trading firms imposed on meme stocks. Motion to dismiss granted. Lead counsel in Eleventh Circuit appeal. Southern District of Florida.

PFOA-C8 Litigation
National counsel for DuPont on fraudulent transfer allegations in Aqueous Film-Forming Foams Products Liability Litigation MDL and in other state PFOA cases. MDL in South Carolina; state cases in New Hampshire, N.J., Ohio, and Vermont.

VIX Litigation
Lead counsel for prominent financial firm in litigation alleging manipulation of the markets and futures tied to the CBOE volatility index. Client dismissed from MDL pending in Northern District of Illinois.

Imprelis® Litigation
Lead counsel for DuPont in product liability litigation, including putative class actions, alleging damage to more than 35,000 properties caused by DuPont's Imprelis® herbicide. MDL in Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Litigation settled.

Teflon® Litigation
Lead counsel for DuPont in an MDL comprised of twenty-three alleged class actions brought on behalf of consumers who claimed to have purchased cookware coated with Teflon® and other non-stick coatings manufactured by DuPont. MDL in Southern District of Iowa. Class certification denied in all matters. Plaintiffs' petition for appeal rejected by the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. All cases dismissed with prejudice.

Aspirin Combination Products Litigation
Lead counsel for Bayer in an MDL comprised of eleven alleged class actions relating to Bayer aspirin combination products. MDL in Eastern District of New York. Litigation settled.

Vioxx® Litigation
National counsel for Merck in MDL litigation relating to withdrawal of Vioxx®. One of four lawyers principally responsible for creating and negotiating settlement of Vioxx® personal injury cases. MDL in Louisiana. 

Baycol® Litigation
National counsel for Bayer in litigation resulting from withdrawal of Baycol®. Cases pending throughout country. MDL in District of Minnesota. 

PPA Litigation
National counsel for Bayer in litigation brought by plaintiffs alleging that they suffered strokes after ingesting Alka Seltzer Plus® medicine containing PPA. Cases throughout the country. MDL in Washington. Bartlit Beck achieved a defense verdict in each case it tried.

Coumadin® Litigation
Co-lead counsel for DuPont in antitrust and unfair trade practices class actions concerning DuPont's marketing of the medicine Coumadin®. MDL in Delaware. Cases settled.

In Re Factor VIII or IX Concentrate Blood Products Liability Litigation
Represented Alpha in wrongful death and personal injury suits throughout the country claiming that hemophiliac plaintiffs contracted HIV virus through use of Alpha's blood clotting medicine. Trial and strategic counsel for Alpha, co-trying cases to defense verdicts in Houston, Texas (two plaintiffs) and St. Louis, Missouri (three plaintiffs).

Class Actions

Reed v. Scientific Games Corp.
Lead counsel for Scientific Games Corp. in putative class action challenging social games as illegal gambling. Pending in the Western District of Washington.  

Iowa Public Employees Retirement System, et al. v. Bank of America, et al.
Advising prominent investment firm on its rights as an absent class member in a class action relating to alleged anti-competitive conduct in the stock lending business. Pending in Southern District of New York.

Trinity ET Plus Litigation
National counsel in individual and class action litigation in federal and state courts challenging the safety of Trinity's ET Plus guardrail system. Lead trial counsel in selected matters alleging serious personal injuries or wrongful death. Lead counsel in Southern District of Illinois class action dismissed with prejudice during class certification briefing.

LaPlant v. Northwestern Mutual (W.D. Wis.)
Lead counsel for Northwestern Mutual in purported class actions alleging breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty arising out of the determination of dividends for certain annuities. Entered case after plaintiffs sought damages after winning declaratory judgment trial in state court with a different firm representing Northwestern Mutual. Case was removed and the federal district court remanded to state court. Entered appearance for Northwestern Mutual and obtained appellate review in the Seventh Circuit, and successfully argued (against David Boies) for reversal of district court remand order, keeping the case in federal court. Case subsequently settled.

Swidler v. Georgia-Pacific Gypsum LLC
Lead counsel for Georgia-Pacific in putative class action alleging that building products manufactured by Georgia-Pacific caused damage in consumers' homes. Case dismissed.

Retired Andersen Partner Litigation
Represented Deloitte & Touche in purported class action brought by retired Arthur Andersen partners. Case dismissed. State court in Indianapolis, Indiana. 

Financial Firm Litigation

Market Manipulation Litigation

Represented prominent investment firms in cases brought against Doe defendants alleging market manipulation. All cases dismissed.

Non-Compete Litigation

Lead counsel for prominent investment firm in non-compete litigation in the Northern District of Illinois. Temporary Restraining Order granted in client’s favor.

Spoofing Litigation
Represented whistleblower investment firm in CFTC action accusing a trading firm and its founder of market manipulation known as spoofing. Northern District of Illinois. Case settled between CFTC and trading firm.

Regulatory Matters
Represented financial firms and their senior executives in a variety of confidential domestic and international regulatory matters.

Employment Matters

Represented financial firms with respect to sensitive employment issues, including confidential arbitrations.

Professional Activities and Community Service

Academic Positions and Association Memberships

Professor of Practice, Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, 2015-Present

Member, American Law Institute

Lecturer in Law, University of Chicago Law School, 2009-2015

Adjunct Professor of Law, Northwestern University School of Law, 2000-2003

Community and Academic Board and Other Community Service

Board of Trustees, Civic Federation (Chair, 2019-2023)

Board of Trustees, Northwestern University (Member, Audit and Medicine Committees)

Director, Northwestern Memorial Hospital  (Member, Quality Committee)

Director, Chicago Public Library Foundation 

Dean's Advisory Board (formerly Board of Visitors), University of Illinois College of Law (2014-2017)

Acknowledgements, Presentations, and Publications

Selected speaking engagements include:

Northwestern Pritzker School of Law Complex Litigation Conference; Co-Chair (2016-2023)

Baylor MDL Judicial Summit, Steering Committee (2023)

ABA Business Law Section Annual Meeting, Litigation Financing and Alternative Fee Agreements (September 2017)

Perrin Conferences: Co-Chair, National Complex Litigation Conference (June 2012, June 2014)

University of Chicago Legal Forum, Frontiers of Consumer Protection, Product Recalls (November 2012)

National Foundation for Judicial Excellence: Admissibility of Expert Evidence at Class Certification (July 2012).

University of Illinois College of Law Chicago Program: The Legal Profession (June 2012)

Conference Board Council of Legal Officers: Council of Chief Legal Officers, Alternative Fee Arrangements (October 2010)

American Bar Association: Mediation with the Masters (June 2010)

American Bar Association, Tort, Trial & Insurance Practice Section: Recent Developments & Ethical Issues in Class Actions (April 2010)

American Bar Association: Corporate Counsel CLE (February 2010)

Dupont Legal Model Outside Counsel Annual Meeting: Topics ranging from best practices in early case assessment and class action defense to alternative fee arrangements (Multiple Occasions)