Eric F. Quandt
Overview
In Memoriam
Eric was a highly appreciated and valued member of the Firm, first as a Partner and later as Counsel. He was a fine trial lawyer and devoted his prodigious talents to the benefit of many clients. He continued to be actively engaged in sports-related medical litigation even as he pulled back from practicing law to engage with his love of sailing, travel, and his family home in Green Lake, Wisconsin. A kind and generous spirit, we will miss him and hold his memory as a blessing.
Eric F. Quandt concentrates his practice on complex litigation and life sciences. Eric is an experienced trial lawyer having successfully tried cases including products liability, pharmaceuticals, medical practice, medical devices, asbestos, and personal injury litigation. His trial experience includes various state and federal courts throughout the country. Eric is a “AV Preeminent” peer review rated by Martindale-Hubbell, reflecting the highest peer recognition for both ethical standards and legal ability.
Eric has been recognized as a “Leading Lawyer” in Medical Malpractice Defense Law and Products Liability Defense Law for several years. He was also recognized as an Illinois “Super Lawyer” in 2010.
Eric has significant experience in sports medical legal issues and was one of the founders of the Institute for Sports Medicine and Sports Law in conjunction with Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, Division of Sports Medicine, Department of Medicine, and with assistance from the National Sports Law Institute at Marquette University Law School. Eric was one of the two course directors who organized three national conferences with faculty from around the country, addressing medical and legal controversies in collegiate, professional, Olympic and high school athletics. See: www.ismsl.org
Eric assisted the Big East Conference Sports Medicine Society in organizing “The Clearwater Symposium”, a national sports medicine and sports law conference held in Clearwater, Florida. He has represented team physicians, athletic directors and athletic trainers in a variety of claims involving intercollegiate and professional sports.
Eric received a B.S. in 1973 and a J.D. in 1976 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Experience
- Represented multiple university-based physicians in litigation covering many different practice specialties, with large number of defense verdicts. Cases involved intersection of medicine, pharmaceuticals, and/or medical devices. Specialties included orthopedics, oncology, cardiology, obstetrics, anesthesiology, and neurology. Many cases involved serious birth injuries or wrongful deaths. Mr. Quandt achieved back to back jury defense verdicts defending obstetricians and medical institutions in serious birth injury cases.
- Represented asbestos manufacturers and successfully achieved jury defense verdicts in federal and state court involving claims of asbestosis and mesothelioma.
- Represented a major foreign automobile manufacturer in a multiple death case resulting in complex multi-district litigation in the United States and achieved successful dismissal on jurisdictional grounds.
- Represented major pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers in litigation involving a variety of pharmaceutical, medical devices and combination products.
- National coordinating counsel for contraceptive litigation. Cases involved trials in federal and state courts with defense verdicts/favorable settlements and defeat of plaintiff’s attempt to obtain an MDL.
- Represented a major chemical manufacturer in a gas pipe explosion case involving multiple deaths.
- Represented a major chemical manufacturer sued for gas piping replacement and achieved dismissal under the economic loss doctrine.
- Successfully defended a university through appeal in an action filed by a student athlete who suffered a cardiac condition requiring an implantable defibrillator and was denied participation by the team physician in NCAA Division I basketball in a claim brought under the Rehabilitation Act.
Professional Activities
- Chicago Bar Association
- Illinois Bar Association
- American Bar Association
Publishing & Speaking
PUBLICATIONS
- “Competitive Athletes with Cardiovascular Disease – The Case of Nicholas Knapp,” Co-author, Maron BJ, Mitten MJ, Quandt EF, Zipes DP. New England Journal of Medicine 339:1631-35, 1998.
- “Legal Liability in Covering Athletic Events” Lead Author, Eric Quandt, JD, Matthew Mitten, JD, John Black, JD, Sports Health, A Multidisciplinary Approach, January 2009, Vol. 1, No. 1.
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
- “A Proposal for Building Diversity In Our Practices, Products Liability, Section of Litigation,” E. Quandt, R. Lesley: American Bar Association, 2007.
- “Building Diversity in the Products Liability Practice,” American Bar Association, August 5, 2005.
- “Minimizing Professional Liabilities in Sports Medicine and Exercise Science,” New England Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine Annual Fall Conference, Providence, Rhode Island, November 2012.
- “Medical-Ethical-Legal Roundtable: Clearance Controversies, HIPPA, Good Samaritan and More”, with Rebecca L. Carl, M.D., University of Chicago 10th Annual Current Concepts in Primary Care Sports Medicine, March 2013.
- “Minimizing Professional and Institutional Liabilities”, Presented an address, Big East Conference Sports Medicine Society Clearwater Symposium-A National Sports Medicine and Sports Law Conference, Clearwater, Florida, May 2012.
- “Minimizing Professional Liabilities Facing Team Physicians, Athletic Directors and Athletic Trainers in Collegiate Athletics,” Big East Sports Medicine Society 5th Annual Symposium, May 2011.
- “Potential Professional Liabilities on Team Physicians,” The National Football League National Combine.
- “Potential Liabilities Facing Colleges and Universities,” National Association of College and University Attorneys.