Eric White
Partner
Admitted to practice only in Illinois
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Eric is a litigation and trial partner who focuses on complex business disputes, product liability and mass torts, and internal investigations. He was recently named to Lawdragon’s 2025 list of “500 Leading Litigators in America”; was recognized by Crain’s Chicago Business as a “Notable Black Leader and Executive” and named to its 2024 “40 Under 40” list; was recognized as one of the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association’s 2022 “40 Best LGBTQ+ Lawyers Under 40”; and was named in the National Bar Association’s 2022 list of “40 Under 40: Nation’s Best Advocates.”
Key Matters
Some of the experience represented below may have been handled at a previous firm.
Product Liability & Mass Torts
- PFAS Litigation—Representing chemical manufacturer in environmental and products liability litigation alleging groundwater contamination and personal injuries.
- Representing multinational food processing company in environmental litigation alleging groundwater contamination and personal injuries.
- In re Oil Spill by the Oil Rig Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico—National coordinating and trial counsel for BP in a portfolio of nearly 900 personal injury / toxic tort lawsuits pending in federal court, obtaining hundreds of Daubert and summary judgment victories.
- Abbott Laboratories—National counsel for Abbott in opioids litigation around the country, successfully obtaining dismissals including at state supreme courts.
Complex Commercial Litigation
- Successfully represented a global insurance provider in a putative class action filed in Ohio state court alleging it had wrongly refused to pay amounts owed under property insurance contracts. After successfully removing the complaint to Ohio federal court, we reached a favorable settlement below the potential cost of defense.
- BP Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund Litigation—Trial counsel for BP in complete defense jury verdict in South Carolina state court, defeating fraud and unfair trade practices act claims related to its recovery of money from state trust fund for remediating environmental contamination at its current and former service stations. National counsel for BP in similar multi-state litigation and government investigations alleging fraud, unjust enrichment, and statutory violations, successfully obtaining summary judgment victories and dispositive rulings.
- Miller UK v. Caterpillar Inc.—Litigation counsel for plaintiff in a suit that resulted in the successful jury trial against Caterpillar Inc. in connection with Caterpillar’s breach of contract and theft of trade secrets, culminating in a US$73.6 million verdict for Miller UK Ltd. The award in the five-year battle was believed to be the largest trade-secret-misappropriation verdict in Illinois history at the time.
- Philadelphia Energy Solutions—Represented the East Coast’s largest refinery in a bankruptcy adversary lawsuit seeking business interruption and property damage coverage arising from a catastrophic explosion. Part of the case settled favorably before trial, and the remainder also settled favorably during trial.
- In re Bracket Holding—Litigation counsel for plaintiff Bracket Holding Corp that resulted in a jury verdict of US$82.1 million. The jury found defendants committed fraud in selling a clinical trial software business by misrepresenting the financial condition of the company, causing Bracket to overpay for the company and suffer a substantial shortfall in working capital.
- Universal American v. Partners Healthcare Solutions Holdings, LP et al.—Defended GTCR in breach of contract and fraud case seeking over US$200 million in damages in connection with the sale of its portfolio company.
- Represented institutions of higher education in state and federal litigation and administrative proceedings alleging discrimination, breach of contract, and various tort claims.
Investigations
- Conducted independent investigation for the University of Illinois into the management of sports injuries, scholarship renewals, and other player treatment issues on the football and women’s basketball teams.
- Conducted independent investigation and advised Board of beverage company related to allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation against a senior executive.
- Conducted race-based pattern and practice investigation of the Minneapolis Police Department after the murder of George Floyd.
- Represented institutions of higher education in investigations conducted by the U.S. Department of Education related to allegations of discrimination.
Antitrust
- In re Blue Cross Blue Shield Antitrust Litigation—Counsel for Health Care Service Corporation in a series of putative class action lawsuits filed across the country, challenging the structure of the Blue System of health insurance under antitrust laws.