Biography: Product Liability Defence

C Barry Montgomery is a founding partner of the 40-lawyer commercial litigation firm of Williams Montgomery & John Ltd. Mr Montgomery, together with Peter John, is chair of the firm's commercial litigation practice. He also is a member of the firm's product liability and professional liability practice groups. Mr Montgomery focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation, product liability, class actions and construction litigation, as well as directors' and officers' liability and professional liability litigation. He is a Fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, a Fellow of the International Society of Barristers and a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America. He is 'AV Preeminent' peer review rated by Martindale-Hubbell, reflecting the highest peer recognition for ethical standards and legal ability.

Mr Montgomery has been recognised by his fellow lawyers and numerous publications as one of the outstanding trial lawyers in the United States. He has been recognised by The National Law Journal as one of the 'Top 10 Litigators in the United States,' and recently was selected by Leading Lawyers Network as one of the 'Top 10 Leading Business Litigators in Illinois.' Each year since 1989, Mr Montgomery has been recognised by Best Lawyers in America and currently is listed in this publication for bet-the-company litigation, commercial litigation, personal injury litigation and medical malpractice law. Leading Lawyers Network has named Mr Montgomery one of the leading lawyers in Illinois for the defense of product liability actions as well as one of the 'Top Ten Commercial Litigation Lawyers in Illinois.' Since 2002, Mr Montgomery has been recognised in The International Who's Who of Product Liability Defense Lawyers.

In the commercial litigation area, Mr Montgomery's significant representations include the successful defense of a major hedge fund firm in a lawsuit for breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and fraud. In another case, he successfully represented a director and a member of the audit committee in a multimillion-dollar breach of fiduciary duty lawsuit by a trustee in bankruptcy involving a major publicly traded company. Mr Montgomery's representation of a national construction company in a multimillion-dollar lawsuit for breach of contract and delay damages resulted in his selection by The National Law Journal as one of the 'Top 10 Litigators in the United States'.

Several of Mr Montgomery's product liability verdicts have been recognised by The National Law Journal as 'Outstanding Defense Verdicts' in the United States, including the successful defense of Black & Decker (US) Inc in a product liability lawsuit for compensatory and punitive damages arising out of the alleged defective design of a power saw, and for his successful representation of Bill Kelley Athletic Inc (formerly McGregor Sports) in a product liability lawsuit alleging the defective design of a football helmet worn by an 18-year-old plaintiff who became a quadriplegic when making a tackle. Mr Montgomery is currently representing the world's largest manufacturer of home appliances in a multi-million dollar recall lawsuit against a component part manufacturer.