Francis P. ("Pat") Cuisinier

Francis P. ("Pat") Cuisinier received his undergraduate degree in political science from the University of Wisconsin.  He later completed post-graduate courses in Federal Taxation and Accounting at DePaul University and Business Management and Computer Science at the University of Illinois Graduate School of Business.  Pat received his J.D. from Loyola University Chicago  School of Law.  He is admitted to practice in Illinois, the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.  Pat has an AV rating with Martindale-Hubble. He served as the Chairman of the Chicago Bar Association Trial Technique Committee and Vice-Chair of the Chicago Bar Association Judicial Evaluation Committee.  He is a member of the Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel, where he has also served as a lecturer.  Pat is a former Trustee of the Village of Glenview, Board of Trustees and has been appointed Trustee of the Glenview Fire Protection District.  Pat is also a past chairperson of the Illinois Chapter of the Claims and Litigation Management Alliance ("CLM"), a non-partisan alliance of attorneys and insurance representatives dedicated to prompting ethical standards within the insurance industry.  Pat was recently listed in the Chicago Tribune as being one of the top attorneys involved in employment litigation.

Notable Cases:

• 69 W. Washington Fire Case: Catastrophic occurrence involving 26 consolidated law suits, including six wrongful death lawsuits arising out of a fire at the 69 W. Washington County Building in 2005.  Francis P. Cuisinier was hired to represent the manufacturer of an electric ballast for the light fixture thought to be the cause and origin of the fire.  Summary Judgment obtained prior to trial.  The remaining defendants reached a global settlement for $100 million.

• Andrevic, et al. v. Wheaton Board of Education, et al.: Mold contamination case filed as a class action by the parents of 75 children exposed to toxic conditions caused by faulty construction of the Johnson Elementary School.  Class certification defeated.  Settlement reached prior to trial with various individual Plaintiffs.

• Ensz v. Transcraft, Corp., et al.: Product liability jury trial in the U.S. District Court of the Western District of Indiana.  A not guilty verdict on behalf of a trailer manufacturer following a global settlement demand of $12 million.

• Aguirre v. City of Chicago, et al.: Section 1983 civil rights case brought against seven City of Chicago police detectives based upon allegations of malicious prosecution resulting from the wrongful murder convictions of three plaintiffs.

• Taylor v. Commonwealth Edison: Wrongful death action filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois.  A not guilty verdict on behalf of the contractor hired by Commonwealth Edison.  A jury verdict of $20 million against Co-Defendant vacated on post-trial motion.

• LoCoco v. XL Disposal Corp.: Wrongful death action filed in the Circuit Court of Will County arising out of a motor vehicle accident occurring as a result of a "right angle" impact at a rural intersection that was under construction.  A not guilty verdict on behalf of Wheatland Township, which served as resident project engineer.

• Strong v. City of Chicago: Section 1983 civil rights action based on allegations of excessive force on the part of a City of Chicago police officer in the apprehension of a minor suspected of theft.  Not guilty verdict on behalf of the arresting officer.

 Practice Areas:

• Insurance defense and litigation
• Insurance coverage litigation
• Insurance coverage analysis
• Personal Injury
• Commercial litigation
• Estate & Trust litigation
• Municipal defense

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Contact:

300 South Wacker Dr., Suite 3250

Chicago, Illinois 60606

Phone: 312-466-7250

Email: Pat.Cuisinier@ruberry-law.com

Education:

• Loyola University School of Law, J.D.
• University of Wisconsin-Madison, B.A.

Admissions:

• Admittance to the Bar by the Illinois Supreme Court, 1973
• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, 1973
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, 1982
• U.S. District Court for the Western District of Indiana, 2003
• Admittance pro hoc vice on a case by case basis in Indiana, Wisconsin, Arkansas, West Virginia, Tennessee, New York, California, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, Michigan and Florida

Professional Associations:

• Chicago Bar Association, 1975-present
• Chicago Bar Association Judicial Evaluation Committee ("JEC"), 1989-1991
• JEC Hearing Officer, 1989
• JEC Co-Chair, 1991

Peer Review Rating:

AV rating with Martindale-Hubbell, the highest national rating available based on legal ability and ethical standards.

Public Service:

• Elected Trustee,  Board of Trustees of the Village of Glenview, Illinois 2005-2013