Bob Carson represents public companies, privately held businesses, and individuals in complex commercial litigation, having tried numerous jury and non-jury lawsuits and arbitrations, in state and federal courts in Illinois and other jurisdictions.  He has been recognized as an Illinois Super Lawyer in Intellectual Property Litigation.

Bob defends business owners in shareholder and partnership litigation, real estate developers and contractors in construction and other disputes, and represents entrepreneurs in their litigation needs.  Bob also defends product liability, intellectual property and other complex tort litigation in a variety of industries. 

Representative Matters

• Lead defense trial counsel in Federal Court action defending newspaper in multi-million dollar defamation action.
• Lead trial counsel in state court action on behalf of marine materials handling facility to obtain contractual indemnity for losses arising from construction site accident.
• Obtained favorable million-dollar plus settlement on behalf of group of recreational vehicle dealers in fraud and fiduciary duty claim.
• Trial defense counsel in Federal Court business fraud lawsuit arising from $14 million sale of diesel utility-grade generators.
• Trial counsel in U.S. Bankruptcy Court dispute over insurance coverage for historical asbestos exposures.
• Achieved 15 million plus dollar settlement in a federal fraud and breach of contract suit on behalf of an entrepreneur inventor, related to a license of medical technology.
• Lead defense trial counsel for an Illinois coal producer in a LaCrosse, Wisconsin jury trial involving an alleged contract to purchase one million tons of coal.
• Lead trial counsel in a Cook County, Illinois jury case representing a steel manufacturer, involving alleged defects in steel beams sold for use in a nuclear power plant.  
• Prevailed in a multi-million dollar arbitration concerning accounting treatment of post-retirement medical benefits in a long-term commodity contract.
• Represented a major Midwest stone quarry in a federal civil suit alleging violation of the Clean Water Act.
• Obtained summary judgment for the defendant construction materials supplier in an 18 million-dollar construction defect case.
• Represented the owner of a family-owned food products distributor in an intergenerational buyout dispute.
• Represented an officer and director of a public company in multiple securities fraud class action suits arising from the bankruptcy of the company.
• Successfully defended an Illinois coal producer in arbiration brought to terminate a long-term energy supply contract.
• Represented an owner/partner in a plastics manufacturing business in a dispute over family succession issues.

Published Opinions

• International Galleries, Inc. v. La Raza Chicago, Inc., 2007 WL 3334204 (N.D. Ill.); November 2, 2007
• Indeck Power Equipment Co. v. Ring Power Corp., 2006 WL 2661037 (N.D. III.); September 14, 2006
• Fuller Family Holdings LLC v. Northern Trust Company, 309 Ill. Dec. 111, 863 NE 2d 743 (1st Dist. 2007)
• Time Warner Sports Merch. v. Chicagoland Processing Corp., 974 F.Supp. 1163 (N.D. Ill. 1997); and 974 F.Supp. 1176 (N.D. Ill. 1997); and 1996 WL 520971 (N.D. Ill. 1996)
• Rockwell Engineering Co. v. Inland Steel Co., 288 Ill. App. 3d 1108, 711 N.E.2d 826 (1st Dist. 1997)
• Cent. Diversey M.R.I. Ctr., Inc. v. Med. Mgmt. Scis, Inc., 952 F.Supp. 575 (N.D. Ill. 1996)
• Palda v. Gen. Dynamics Corp., 47 F.3d 872, Fed. Sec. L. Rep. P. 98,680 (7th Cir. 1995)
• Hills of Palos Condo. Ass'n v. I-Del, Inc., 255 Ill. App. 3d 418, 626 N.E.2d 1311, 193 Ill. Dec. 760 (1 Dist. 1993)
• Luminall Paints, Inc. v. LaSalle Nat. Bank, 220 Ill. App. 3d 796, 581 N.E.2d 191, 163 Ill. Dec. 551 (1 Dist. 1991)
• Harbor Ins. Co. v. Tishman Const. Co., 218 Ill. App. 3d 936, 578 N.E.2d 1197, 161 Ill. Dec. 551 (1 Dist. 1991)
• Grafman v. Century Broad. Corp., 762 F.Supp. 215 (N.D. Ill. 1991); and 743 F. Supp. 544, Fed. Sec. L. Rep. P 95, 616; RICO Bus. Disp. Guide 7466 (N.D. Ill. 1989)
• Guaranty Federal Sav. & Loan Ass'n v. Am. Nat. Bank & Trust Co. of Chicago, 509 N.E.2d 1313, 157 Ill. App. 3d 176, 109 Ill. Dec. 301 (Ill. App. 1 Dist. 1987)
• Launis v. Najman, 129 Ill. App. 3d 498, 472 N.E.2d 170 (1st Dist. 1984)

Professional and Civic Affiliations

• Village Trustee, Golf, Illinois
• Treasurer and Director, The Better Government Association
• Contributing Author, Illinois Institute For Continuing Legal Education, Illinois Trial Evidence
• Defense Research Institute, Commercial Litigation Committee
• American Bar Association, Committee on Business and Corporate Litigation
• Illinois Bar Association
• Chicago Bar Association
• Chicago Council on Global Affairs
• Union League Club of Chicago
• Midwest Young Artists

News

• Gould & Ratner Obtains Signficant Defense Judgment in Commercial Fraud Case