Jerald P. Esrick

Jerry Esrick is a partner in the Litigation and Business Transactions Departments of Wildman Harrold. Jerry’s extremely varied legal experience ranges from an extensive practice in corporate transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and securities law to nationwide business and class action litigation, including high-stakes jury trials involving antitrust, securities, and RICO issues. He is an experienced arbitrator and mediator, currently serving on the American Arbitration Association’s National Large Complex Case Panel. He has also devoted a considerable portion of his career to pro bono cases and organizations devoted to legal reform and legal support for indigent clients. Following a federal court clerkship after graduating from law school, Jerry has spent his entire legal career at Wildman Harrold, serving in numerous leadership positions within the firm during his tenure. For several years he was Chairman of the firm’s Management Committee, he founded the Diversity Committee, and in earlier years, Jerry served as the Recruiting Chair in which he helped the firm grow from its original size of six lawyers to its current position as a national law firm with over 200 attorneys.

Representative Experience:

As principal outside corporate counsel, represented a variety of notable public and private companies on merger and acquisition transactions, joint ventures, and restructurings; has represented international and local clients in the manufacturing, agribusiness, healthcare, financial services, insurance, technology, communications, advertising, and real estate industries
Served as securities counsel to issuers and investors in IPOs, secondary offerings, private placements, and private equity transactions; also has served as counsel and adviser to special committees and boards of directors of several public companies
Successfully represented both plaintiffs and defendants in numerous complex antitrust, contracts, RICO, and securities cases
Antitrust counselor to global and local businesses in many diverse industries regarding mergers, joint ventures, distribution systems, and compliance programs
For over 25 years, has served as active arbitrator in large complex cases for the American Arbitration Association and as privately retained arbitrator, handling more than 100 cases as either sole arbitrator, chair, or member of a panel; also, served as retained mediator in numerous cases
Recently arbitrated first impression antitrust healthcare case between large healthcare insurer and hospital system involving alleged price fixing

Reported Decisions:

Cement-Lock, LLC v. Gas Technology Institute, et al., No. 05 C 0018 (N.D. Ill.), 523 F.Supp.2d 827 (N.D. Ill. 2007); 2006 WL 3147700 (N.D. Ill. 2006); 2005 WL 2420374 (N.D. Ill. 2005)
Gas Technology Institute, et al. v. Rehmat, et al., ___ F.Supp.2d ___, 2007 WL 3374590 (N.D. Ill. 2007); 2006 WL 3743576 (N.D. Ill. 2006)
Proctor v. Board of Education, et al., No. 04 C 3889 (N.D. Ill.) (2005 U.S. Dist. Lexis 10473) (Judge Gettleman)
CPN v. Cass, No. 99 C 1482 (N.D. Ill.) (Judge Hibbler)
Ratcliffe v. International Surplus Lines, 194 Ill.App.3d 18 (1st Dist. 1990)
American Passage Media Corporation v. Cass Communications, Inc., 750 F.2d 1470 (9th Cir. 1985)
Amendola v. Bayer et al., 907 F.2d 760 (7th Cir. 1990)
Cass Communications, Inc. v. NEAS, 374 F.Supp. 796 (N.D. Ill. 1974), rev’d. 516 F.2d 1092 (7th Cir. 1975), cert. denied, 423 U.S. 986 (1975), on remand, 407 F.Supp. 520 (N.D. Ill.), aff’d., 537 F.2d 282 (7th Cir. 1976)
Weit v. Continental Illinois National Bank et al., 60 F.R.D. 5 (N.D. Ill. 1973), aff’d. 535 F.2d 1010 (7th Cir. 1976) (class action issues); 467 F.Supp. 197 (N.D. Ill. 1978) and 478 F.Supp. 285 (N.D. Ill. 1978), both aff’d., 641 F.2d 457 (7th Cir. 1981), cert denied, 455 U.S. 988 (1982) (merits)
Bank of Lincolnwood v. Federal Leasing Inc., 622 F.2nd 944 (7th Cir. 1980)
Wright v. Heizer, 411 F.Supp. 23 (N.D. Ill. 1975), aff’d in part and rev’d in part, 560 F.2d 236 (7th Cir. 1977)
McCormick v. McCormick, 118 Ill. App. 3d 455, 455 N.E. 2d 103 (1983)
TSC Industries v. Northway Inc., 426 U.S. 438 (1976), rev’d in part 512 F.2d 324 (7th Cir. 1975), aff’d, 361 F.Supp. 108 (N.D. Ill. 1974)
Schaefer v. First National Bank of Lincolnwood et al., (N.D. Ill., unreported, June 25, 1973), aff’d., 509 F.2d 1287 (7th Cir. 1975)
Rosin v. American Stock Exchange, (N.D. Ill., unreported, April 17, 1972), aff’d., 484 F.2d 179 (Cir. 1975)
Svizzero v. Twomey, 72 C 1229 (N.D. Ill.) (Judge McGarr)
AMF v. McDonald’s Corp., 73 C 1376 (N.D. Ill., unreported, 1975), aff’d., 536 F.2d 1167 (7th Cir. 1976)

Pro Bono Activity:

Successfully prosecuted a First Amendment free speech case involving the No Child Left Behind Act for an Illinois teacher; settled after judge turned down the defendant’s motion for summary judgment; Proctor v. Board of Education, 2005 U.S. Dist. Lexis, 10473
Handled numerous pro bono criminal appeals in conjunction with the Appellate Division of the Illinois Public Defenders Office

Publications And Presentations:

Adjunct Professor, Antitrust Law Seminar at Northwestern University (1984-1992).
Speaker, numerous continuing education and professional seminars on corporate, antitrust, and litigation topics.

Professional Associations:

Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers

Elected to Who’s Who Legal Illinois; Illinois Super Lawyers; and Leading Lawyers' Network

Board of Visitors, Northwestern University

Recipient, Northwestern University Service Award (2001)

Board of Directors, Executive Service Corps

American Bar Association (Business, Litigation, and Antitrust Sections)

Chicago Bar Association (Member and former Chairman, Antitrust Law Committee; Securities Law Committee, Corporate Law Committee)

Illinois State Bar Association (former Council Member, Antitrust Law Section)

Chicago Council of Lawyers (Founding Member; former Secretary and member Board of Directors)

Lawyers Club of Chicago

Former President and longtime Board member of National Lekotek Center

Friends Committee, Legal Assistance Foundation of Chicago

Board of Directors, Evanston Community Defenders, Inc.

Bar Admissions:

Illinois, 1966

U.S. Supreme Court

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (Trial Bar member)

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh and Ninth Circuits

Personal Information:

Jerry is married and has two grown children. His wife, Ellen, taught elementary school for over 30 years and now is on the faculty at Northwestern University’s School of Education and Social Policy. His son is an attorney in Boston, and his daughter is a high school teacher in Seattle. When not representing his corporate or pro bono clients, Jerry skis, sails, bikes, golfs, and hikes the high mountains of southwestern Colorado. He is also known around the office as a lunchtime workout fanatic who exercises while listening to rock music.

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