Lynn is an experienced trial attorney and firm leader who solves high-stakes problems for her clients. In an age where commercial trials are increasingly rare, Lynn has successfully tried many complex matters to verdict and judgment across the country. She is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, an honor extended after careful investigation to those trial lawyers who have mastered the art of advocacy and demonstrated the highest standard of professionalism and civility. Lynn’s work spans diverse subject matter, including antitrust, class actions, intellectual property, product liability, financial services, insurance coverage and contracts.
Lynn is the co-chair of the firm's Antitrust practice. She has been recognized as a BTI Client Service All-Star, repeatedly selected by her peers as a “Business Litigation Super Lawyer” and one of the “Top Women Attorneys in Illinois.” She is rated AV “Preeminent” by Martindale-Hubbell, with commenters calling her an “outstanding,” “highly skilled” and “superb” trial attorney. She has been profiled in the Chicago Lawyer (“Women Rise to Top Leadership at Three Chicago Firms”) and in Leading Lawyers magazine (“Taking on High Stakes on the Job and at Home”). In those articles and in Chambers USA, clients noted her ability to manage their “unique, complex and volatile” cases, stated that they were drawn to her “drive and determination to win, paired with her civility, creativity and smarts,” and called her a "brilliant trial lawyer" who was very good at "navigating our needs as a business." Counsel for co-defendants call her a “superb cross-examiner,” “gifted in working with groups of lawyers” and a “brilliant strategist.” In addition to her trial work, Lynn has settled hundreds of cases, often in unique ways, and frequently after early analysis reveals a path to early resolution.
Matters Of Note
As lead counsel for her client, representing a poultry company in antitrust class action alleging coordinated production cuts, including acting as co-liasion for the defense group for a period of time (Illinois federal court). The cases are the subject of substantial press coverage in Law360, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and trade publications.
As lead counsel for her client, Lynn represented a company in a class action alleging wage and salary price fixing (Maryland federal court).
Represented as lead counsel a farm equipment company in a national class actions alleging product defects and misrepresentations (Missouri federal court) and currently representing the client in a putative class action with claims against a different product group (Minnesota federal court).
Acting as lead counsel for an insurance company in an insurance coverage action relating to Purdue Pharma opioid products (Southern District New York bankruptcy court).
Representing a real estate company in multi-district litigation alleging an agreement to use a pricing algorithm to set rental prices.
Defending an insurance company against asbestos-related coverage claims, culminating in a 2023 trial in New York state court.
Successfully defended at bellwether jury trial a Fortune 200 company against claims that its drug caused pulmonary embolisms (Illinois federal court).
Represented a major automotive company in a case relating to alleged brake failure (California state court).
Represented former directors and officers of a media company in a high-profile matter involving claims of breach of fiduciary duty (New York federal court).
Served as lead counsel in a patent case involving lithium-ion battery technology (Wisconsin federal court and Federal Circuit).
Served as lead trial counsel responsible for an issue of first impression regarding the onset and continuation of asbestos-related bodily injury, establishing that such injury occurred only after "significant exposure" (Delaware Superior Court).
Acted as lead counsel for a Fortune 200 company defending against allegations of trade secret violations and patent infringement in connection with its industrial warehouse system (California federal court), and for a financial services company defending against allegations that employees had improperly stripped a competitor of billions of dollars of assets under management (Illinois state court).
As lead counsel, defended a Fortune 500 company against an indemnification claim stemming from a $34 million Eastern District of Texas patent infringement verdict. Obtained voluntary dismissal while a sanctions motion was pending (Ohio federal court).
Handled multiple trials and arbitrations as lead counsel for a Fortune 500 company in patent matters involving automotive equipment (Illinois, Missouri, Tennessee, Texas).
Served as lead and co-lead counsel in numerous other patent, trademark, copyright, trade dress and trade secret matters relating to products such as Heelys shoes, air conditioners, vehicle repair manuals, folding tables, lighting equipment, electrical diagnostic systems, game systems, claims processing software and mailing equipment (California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Puerto Rico, Texas, Utah and Wisconsin, argued appeal in Federal Circuit). Many cases involved TRO and preliminary injunction proceedings.
Defended and prosecuted numerous cases and advised on numerous antitrust issues associated with intellectual property rights, leasing restrictions and sports leagues (California, District of Columbia, Illinois, Michigan, New York).
Acted as co-lead counsel in defamation case resulting in an award of one of The National Law Journal top 100 verdicts in favor of our client; profiled in The National Law Journal (“Lights, Camera and . . . Time to Testify”), and information on the case also appeared in the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin (“Jury Awards Tobacco Firm $19 Million for Defamation”) (Illinois federal court).
As lead counsel in an insurance coverage case, negotiated a unique “hybrid pass through” asbestos bankruptcy settlement (New Jersey bankruptcy court).
As lead counsel for a major California company, resolved multi-distributor litigation through global settlements (many jurisdictions).
Acted as lead or co-lead counsel in asbestos and environmental insurance coverage cases in California, Delaware, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio and Oregon and argued appeals in the Eighth and Ninth Circuits. Tried and won asbestos coverage actions in California and Delaware and environmental coverage action in Oregon. Acted as lead or co-lead counsel for breach of contract cases in Connecticut, Illinois and North Carolina and argued appeal in the Fourth Circuit.
Publications And Presentations
Panel Moderator and Speaker, Trying Cases in Today’s Complex World: How to Incorporate Professionalism, Diversity and Inclusion in Trial Advocacy Curricula (2023).
Speaker, Webinar, Force Majeure and Covid-19 (2020).
Author, Force Majeure and Common Law Defenses - National Survey (2020).
Speaker, Ethics in the Digital Age, with Cory Fisher, Camila Tobón and Wendy Cassity, ACC Colorado, Denver, Colorado (2017).
Lynn H. Murray and T.J. Dammrich, Chapter 1: Pre-Litigation; Chapter 4: Written Discovery Strategy; Chapter 9: Trial, in "The Trial Compendium," DRI (2017).
Speaker, Litigation-Related Contractual Clauses - How Contract Drafting Plays Out in Litigation, with Erin Vaughn and Joe Rebein, Law Day (2017).
Speaker, The Real-World Impact of Forum Selection, Arbitration and Other Litigation-Related Contractual Clauses – Pros, Cons and Best Practices (2013, 2014, 2017).
Author, Avoiding Double Damages: 3 Practical Tips And A Hail Mary, Law360 (2016).
Speaker, Consumer Protection Update, ABA Section on Antitrust Law (2016).
Speaker, Insurance Coverage Cases and Trial - Judge v. Jury, Phasing, Developing Themes, Common Evidentiary Issues and More, Chicago Bar Association Insurance Law Committee (2016).
Speaker, Privilege Issues Confronting In-House Counsel (2012, 2013, 2014, 2016).
Speaker, Finding Common Ground: Where Insurers and Insureds are Aligned and Where They Conflict in Defending Asbestos Claims, Perrin National Asbestos Conference (2015).
Speaker, Relationship Between Allocation and Trigger, With a Focus on Asbestos, Environmental, and Other Long-Tail Claims, ACI National Conference on Allocation (2015).
Speaker, Dispute Resolution Practices and Preferences (2014).
Speaker, Legal Ethics and Social Media (2014).
Speaker, Emerging Insurance Coverage & Allocation Issues in EPLI Coverage, Perrin Conference (2014).
Speaker, Hot Topics for Employers, Perrin Conference (2014).
Speaker/Article, A Legal and Practical Perspective on Trying the Coverage Case, DRI Insurance Coverage and Practice Symposium (2013).
Speaker, The Real-World Impact of Forum Selection, Arbitration and Other Litigation-Related Contractual Clauses – Pros, Cons and Best Practices (2013).
Author, Numerous in-house presentations, including Written Discovery Strategy, Current Issues in Class Action Litigation, Pretrial and Trial Preparation Nuts & Bolts, Legal Writing and Taking Depositions in Complex Civil Litigation.
Editor, ABA Manual on Complex Insurance Litigation (current).