Juan S. Ramirez

Biography

Cases

Catastrophic Torts

• Successfully defended a large hospital client against allegations of sexual assault by a staff member; obtained nuisance value settlement against a multimillion-dollar claim.
• Serving as lead defense counsel for a large manufacturer facing multiple personal injury and wrongful death claims.
• Obtained dismissal with prejudice for a trucking client accused of causing catastrophic injuries after a multivehicle accident.
• Obtained dismissal with prejudice for a construction company's driver in a wrongful death lawsuit after establishing that a bicyclist's claims were barred under Wisconsin's comparative negligence statute.

Class & Mass Actions

• Obtained decertification of an FLSA conditional collective that had been certified before WTO took over the case. After the decertification decision was issued, lawyers for the plaintiffs conceded that another pending nationwide case—which WTO also is defending—should be decertified as well.
• After prevailing on a motion to dismiss all of plaintiffs' nationwide class claims, settled all claims individually for a major appliance manufacturer in a class action involving the doors in all of its microwave ovens.
• Managed the global investigations, class action, and commercial litigation dockets for a Fortune 150 products manufacturer.
• Managed North American class action and asbestos litigation portfolios for a Fortune 150 products manufacturer.
• As in-house counsel, negotiated pre-suit settlement of 2,700 claimants in a threatened mass tort involving defective feminine hygiene products - pre-suit. The victory was handled entirely in-house, settled on an inventory basis, and avoided the publicity of a mass tort action or class action.
• Won a first-of-its-kind defense verdict in Australia against that country's effort to ban an entire category of consumable products.
• Obtained favorable resolutions and dismissals with prejudice of municipality-based class actions in New York and Minnesota in which plaintiffs sought to certify national and state classes of municipal wastewater facilities.
• Successfully defended a manufacturing company against multiple government investigations of false advertising allegations related to the company's fastest growing product category.
• Negotiated pre-suit withdrawals of several threatened ingredient-based class actions alleging false advertising of products as "all" or "100% natural."
• Achieved favorable resolution for a Fortune 150 company against one of the largest medical device class actions in the company's history.
• Won a preliminary injunction for a product manufacturer in the District of Columbia against the District's attempt to ban an entire category of consumer products.

Commercial & Other Litigation

• Won favorable settlement for a technology company against a supplier that failed to fulfill or refund a $1.5 million order of personal protection equipment (PPE) amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Supervised and managed litigation throughout the Asia Pacific region while leading the integration of legal departments between the parent company and its Chinese subsidiary.
• Led complex litigation and trial teams in Europe, Israel, Canada, and Latin America.
• Negotiated 97% reduction of a government's proposed civil penalty—in excess of $100 million—against a major manufacturing client.
• Managed and negotiated the largest supplier recovery action in a Fortune 150 client's history, obtaining cash and future indemnity protection well into nine figures.
• Won a favorable verdict, including treble damages, for a large OEM client whose property was converted by a rival company. Secured judgment for fair market value of the converted property as well as the return of millions of dollars of equipment.
• Argued and won before the Wisconsin Supreme Court in a first-impression matter involving the retroactive application of Wisconsin's frivolousness statute. The Court reversed the appeals court's denial of attorney's fees. This upheld a summary judgment win for an oil company facing allegations of wrongful termination of a carrier contract.
• Won a defense verdict, including damages and attorneys' fees, after securing successive appellate court reversals of the trial court's denial of a client's right to enforce a restrictive covenant proscribing the operation of a competitor.
• Won reversal of a trial court's order against an 81-year-old pro bono client who was the victim of a predatory contractor. Won double damages and attorneys' fees under Wisconsin's Home Improvement Code.

Publications & Speaking Engagements

Presentations

• Presenter, "The Dangers of Imposing Consumer Arbitration Agreements with Class Action Waivers: Mitigating the Emerging Threat of Mass Arbitrations," The Trial Network Product Liability SuperCourse in Minneapolis, (December 2021).

Other Articles/Presentations

• Presenter, "Reaching Across the Border: The Impact of International Class Actions," DRI Class Actions Seminar, Washington D.C. (September 2013).
• "Keeping the Jury Engaged: Demonstrative Exhibits That Educate and Entertain," Panelist, DRI Product Liability Conference, Las Vegas (September 2012).

Press

• Juan S. Ramirez Joins Wheeler Trigg O'Donnell From Kimberly-Clark

Other Experience

Legal Memberships, Activities, and Honors

Community Memberships, Activities, and Honors

Personal Interests