John M. Robinson

Prior to joining Kirkland, John was involved in the following matters:

Trials

• Trial counsel for a leading private equity firm in a confidential three-week arbitration involving competing breach of contract claims in a franchise dispute. Won a multi-million dollar judgment.
• Trial counsel for an innovative medical device manufacturer in a plaintiff-side case asserting trade secret and breach of contract claims against a former distributor. Won a preliminary injunction after a nine-day hearing and settled favorably on the eve of trial. 
• Trial counsel for a start-up aerospace development company in a plaintiff-side case asserting breach of contract claims against its most significant business partner. Won a jury verdict on liability and settled favorably before the damages trial. 
• Trial counsel for a major automotive manufacturer in a defense-side case involving claims of fraud and defective engine design. Won a complete defense jury verdict. 
• Trial counsel for the newly-hired president of a fast-growing medical diagnostics company in a defense-side case involving claims of unlawful solicitation of his former company’s employees. Defeated a motion for TRO after an evidentiary hearing before settling favorably.
• Trial counsel for a leading private equity firm in a confidential dispute involving the breakup of the firm’s partnership. Settled favorably after presenting our case-in-chief during a five-day arbitration. 
• Trial counsel for a large food and beverage company in a defense-side case involving claims of trademark infringement. Successfully reduced plaintiff’s damages claim by over 90% after a three-week jury trial.  
• Trial counsel for an industry-leading market maker in a plaintiff-side case asserting trade secret claims against a competitor in a multi-day PI hearing.

Significant Litigation

• Represented a Fortune 500 professional services firm and its affiliates in connection with a multi-billion dollar cross-border reinsurance fraud scheme overseeing the clients’ legal defense and case-resolution strategy. 
• Represented an innovative medical diagnostics company in resolving a multi-billion dollar breach of contract and trade secret dispute with a business partner. 
• Represented the founder of an NYSE-listed AI company in his departure as CEO and Chairman of the Board.
• Represented a start-up music technology company in a plaintiff-side antitrust case against a significant business partner.

Appeals

• Briefed and argued a federal Seventh Circuit appeal from summary judgment of a prisoner’s Section 1983 claim alleging constitutionally deficient medical care. Won a unanimous reversal in a precedential opinion.
• Briefed a federal Seventh Circuit appeal defending the trial court’s grant of a preliminary injunction barring our adversary’s competing product from the market worldwide. Won a complete affirmance. 
• Briefed an Indiana Supreme Court appeal defending the trial court’s denial of post-judgment interest on a judgment lost by the client’s prior firm. Won a complete affirmance. 
• Briefed a federal Ninth Circuit appeal from the trial court’s summary judgment of plaintiff’s class and individual claims in a class action. Won a substantial affirmance.

Investigations

• Conducted an internal investigation to discover any involvement our client’s employees may have had in a global reinsurance fraud scheme perpetrated by a third-party in resolving domestic and international regulatory inquiries. 
• Ran an internal investigation into alleged perjury during a trial overseen by the client’s prior firm and successfully advised the client on how to avoid charges.
• Ran an internal investigation into alleged accounting fraud by our client’s founder in assisting the client in responding to an SEC inquiry. 

Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP

Jones Day