John A. Roberts
John represents a diverse array of companies, including in the consumer product, pharmaceutical, medical device, and medical equipment companies; medical groups; ambulatory surgical centers; healthcare providers and management companies; mortgage servicers; financial service companies; and product manufacturers in a myriad of commercial litigation and product liability matters. His experience includes serving as national litigation counsel for numerous Fortune 100 companies and industry-leading private companies in the construction, financial services, medical device, pharmaceutical, and window manufacturing industries, where he has successfully defended them against class actions and other commercial disputes, including mass torts and breach of contract and corporate governance matters. He further represents healthcare providers—including medical equipment suppliers, ambulatory surgery centers, and physician practices, having recovered $40M+ in unpaid claims from healthcare insurers.
John also counsels public and private healthcare entities on regulatory, transactional, and administrative matters, including HIPAA and state confidentiality law compliance; the False Claims Act; federal and state fraud and abuse laws; the Stark Law; state licensure statutes; accreditation; certificates of need for acquiring, constructing, or financing healthcare facilities and or/major medical equipment; employment, shareholder, payor and managed-care contracts; mergers and acquisitions, healthcare recoupment and reimbursement; and joint ventures.
Related Practices
Experience
Representative Matters
- Lead trial counsel for a founding member and former CEO of a multi-billion-dollar, privately held trading firm in a high-profile, bet-the-company commercial dispute where plaintiff sought hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. After a six-week trial, plaintiff settled case for a small fraction of the damages claimed
- Successfully defended a leading window manufacturer in a nationwide class action litigation alleging consumer fraud and product defects in multiple product lines
- Successfully defeated class certification claims brought against a major general liability insurer in Illinois alleging consumer fraud
- National coordinating counsel for a Fortune 50 globally consumer product manufacturer, defending against plaintiffs’ claims seeking millions of dollars because of alleged exposure to chlorine solvents used in the dry-cleaning industry. Obtained favorable judgments for the company in all cases filed nationwide, except for one case, which settled for nuisance value
- National coordinating counsel for a leading orthopedic medical device manufacturer, defending against mass tort claims stemming from purported defective hip implants. Developed, implemented, and executed a strategy that successfully disposed of most cases, increasing the client’s leverage to negotiate a favorable global settlement
- National coordinating counsel for a leading pharmaceutical company, defending against mass tort claims stemming from a manufacturing incident that led to a product recall of an inflammatory medication contaminated with a beta blocker. Obtained favorable judgments in all cases filed nationwide, via aggressive dispositive motion and litigation practice, except a small number of cases the client opted to settle for nuisance value
- Lead trial counsel for numerous ambulatory surgical treatment centers and medical practice groups in numerous cases seeking millions in damages for unpaid claims against a major health insurance company. Following multiple trials, recovered $40M+ for clients, plus pre- and post-judgment interest
- Successfully argued an appeal in the Illinois Supreme Court reversing a trial court’s decision to dismiss a podiatric practice group’s multi-count complaint against a major health insurer for breaching their provider agreement, resulting in the client recovering millions in unpaid claims at trial. Chatham Foot Specialists, P.C. v. HCSC, 216 Ill. 2d 366, 837 N.E. 2d 48 (Ill. 2005).
- Successfully appealed a trial court decision to dismiss an out-of-network provider’s complaint alleging promissory estoppel, resulting in a multi-million-dollar recovery at trial and pre- and post-judgment interest. Chatham Surgicore v. HCSC, 356 Ill. App. 3d 795, 826 N.E. 2d 970 (1st Dist. 2005).
Insights
Credentials
Education
- J.D. University of Iowa College of Law 1993
- M.A. Hospital and Health Administration University of Iowa College of Medicine 1993
- B.A. History and Political Science University of Michigan 1990
Bar Admissions
- Illinois
- Kentucky
Court Admissions
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
Professional Memberships and Activities
- Member, Healthcare Liability Practice Group, American Health Lawyers Association
- Member, Litigation Practice Group, American Health Lawyers Association
- Member, Illinois Association of Healthcare Attorneys
- Member, Drug and Medical Devices Committee, Defense Research Institute (DRI)
- Member, Health Care Law Section, Illinois State Bar Association
- Member, Tort Law Section, Illinois State Bar Association
- Member, Kentucky State Bar Association
Recognition
- Super Lawyers
- Illinois, General Litigation, 2009, 2012 – present
- Illinois, Commercial Litigation, 2016 – present
- Illinois, Products Liability Defense, 2016 – present
- Law Bulletin Media
- Leading Lawyer, Commercial Litigation, 2015 – present
- Leading Lawyer, Health Law, 2015 – present
- Leading Lawyer, Products Liability Defense, 2015 – present
- Legal500, Dispute Resolution - Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Action - Defense: Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices, 2024