Public and private companies, boards, senior executives, and influential families turn to Ross Bricker to assist with their most significant business issues and disputes, often involving the intersection of board of director oversight, internal investigations, complex litigation, and governmental review. He represents clients in arbitrations, and in federal and state trials and appeals nationwide. Clients also rely on him for advice on business ethics, compliance, governance, and board of director duties.
Whether Ross is counseling or handling a trial, an appeal, arbitration, or a sensitive corporate investigation, clients know they can count on his discretion, insight, and swift, effective solutions. He sees problems from his client’s perspective and crafts solutions that minimize risk and maximize opportunity. With exceptional creativity, Ross’s novel dispute resolution mechanisms and approaches have helped clients avoid litigation entirely or convinced courts and investigators not to take action.
Ross’s corporate clients include car rental, telecommunications/cable, broadcast television, IT, and consumer-focused companies. His exceptional experience includes senior leadership roles at Jenner & Block and serving as lead counsel in significant matters across various areas of law. Recognizing his skill, clients have asked Ross over the years to lead their legal function, and to replace existing counsel shortly before trial.
Litigation is not a zero-sum game. There is a winner and a loser. I develop strategies, design approaches, and frame advocacy in a way that both helps clients win and advances their business objectives.
Representative Matters
- Successfully defended numerous consumer, fraud and antitrust class actions and complex commercial disputes in various fora, including AAA, and state and federal courts throughout the United States.
- Represented public and private companies in responding to private and governmental antitrust claims, including alleged illegal information sharing, price fixing, tying, refusal to deal, monopolization and attempted monopolization, and price discrimination.
- Represented a consortium of car rental companies in negotiations, dispute resolution, and litigation arising out of the multi-billion dollar O'Hare airport expansion and renovation.
- Successfully obtained a temporary restraining order and permanent injunction enjoining various software design and marketing companies from injecting unauthorized computer programming code into the source code of a client’s website that was designed to divert customers to the client’s competitors.
- Successfully assisted boards of directors and committees in internal investigations of alleged misconduct involving issues ranging from accounting estimates and financial reporting controls, senior executive performance, raw material sourcing practices, payments to foreign officials, and other matters.
- Assisted public companies and their boards of directors in successfully addressing shareholder and governmental claims of CEO misconduct, along with related derivative shareholder complaints, allegations of breach of fiduciary duties, and class action securities fraud claims.
- Represented different clients in responding to investigative subpoenas, information requests, and complaints from the Securities and Exchange Commission, various State Attorneys General, the Federal Trade Commission, the United States Department of Justice, and the National Association of Attorneys General.
- Represented numerous companies in responding to class action and other complaints alleging violation of Illinois Biometric Privacy Act.
- Defeated the City of Chicago’s attempt to increase its revenue base by collecting use taxes from lease transactions taking place in collar counties outside the city’s borders.
- Defeated efforts by various cities to impose new forms of taxes on rideshare trips that would result in double taxation.
- Regularly counseled clients on important legal and business issues, such as the propriety of, and available legal challenges to, a competitor’s advertising and business practices; the reach of a material adverse change clause in a corporate acquisition agreement after an unexpected drop in the acquired company’s revenue and earnings; disputes between franchisors and franchisees and between manufacturers and distributors; complex multi-million dollar contractual arrangements and disputes; legal issues arising from future virtual business practices; and others.
Dispute Resolution: Novel Strategies
- For a dispute between Fortune 500 manufacturing competitors, designed a process that combined limited litigation in federal court with “baseball”-type arbitration. The National Law Journal hailed the design as “an outstanding example of the parties ability to tailor a complex conflict management program to their specific needs.”
- For a dispute arising from a failed merger of two public companies, created a mid-case jury polling system using a single agreed-upon instruction and pre-determined settlement values based on the outcome of the poll. Michigan Lawyers Weekly characterized this approach as “an excellent example of lawyers creativity actually adding some momentum to settlement discussions.”
- For a dispute between two affluent individuals, designed a unique, efficient arbitration proceeding involving agreed-upon structural and economic remedies based on outcome, tailored and limited discovery, written evidentiary, and legal submissions and one day of oral argument, all focused on the single central factual issue that went to the heart of each the competing individuals' claims and cross-claims of fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and misrepresentation.
Dispute Resolution: Late-Stage Counsel
- Asked by our client, a Fortune 200 manufacturing company, to take the lead in presenting its case to the jury six weeks before the start of trial. The matter, a dispute involving patents relating to uninterruptable power supply technology, settled shortly before closing argument.
- Replaced defense counsel in a consumer fraud class action after the court had certified a class, notice had been sent to over 750,000 class members, and the court had denied summary judgment. Ross devised a strategy that led to a highly favorable settlement.
- Took over from other law firms in a consumer class action while post-judgment proceedings were underway in the trial court. The Ninth Circuit vacated a judge’s order granting summary judgment and directed that judgment be entered in favor of the Firm's client.
Management Experience
- Served on the firm’s Policy and Management Committees.
- Served as Chair of the firm’s Business Litigation and Antitrust Practices.
- Served as General Counsel of a global, Fortune 200 supplier of highly engineered infrastructure equipment.
- Led the legal function of a boutique investment banking firm providing financial advisory and brokerage services with offices in New York and London.
- Founding member of the firm’s Washington, DC, office and founding member and Managing Partner of the firm’s Miami, Florida, office.
Credentials
Service / Recognition
Overview
Public and private companies, boards, senior executives, and influential families turn to Ross Bricker to assist with their most significant business issues and disputes, often involving the intersection of board of director oversight, internal investigations, complex litigation, and governmental review. He represents clients in arbitrations, and in federal and state trials and appeals nationwide. Clients also rely on him for advice on business ethics, compliance, governance, and board of director duties.
Whether Ross is counseling or handling a trial, an appeal, arbitration, or a sensitive corporate investigation, clients know they can count on his discretion, insight, and swift, effective solutions. He sees problems from his client’s perspective and crafts solutions that minimize risk and maximize opportunity. With exceptional creativity, Ross’s novel dispute resolution mechanisms and approaches have helped clients avoid litigation entirely or convinced courts and investigators not to take action.
Ross’s corporate clients include car rental, telecommunications/cable, broadcast television, IT, and consumer-focused companies. His exceptional experience includes senior leadership roles at Jenner & Block and serving as lead counsel in significant matters across various areas of law. Recognizing his skill, clients have asked Ross over the years to lead their legal function, and to replace existing counsel shortly before trial.
Litigation is not a zero-sum game. There is a winner and a loser. I develop strategies, design approaches, and frame advocacy in a way that both helps clients win and advances their business objectives.
Areas of Focus
Representative Matters
- Successfully defended numerous consumer, fraud and antitrust class actions and complex commercial disputes in various fora, including AAA, and state and federal courts throughout the United States.
- Represented public and private companies in responding to private and governmental antitrust claims, including alleged illegal information sharing, price fixing, tying, refusal to deal, monopolization and attempted monopolization, and price discrimination.
- Represented a consortium of car rental companies in negotiations, dispute resolution, and litigation arising out of the multi-billion dollar O'Hare airport expansion and renovation.
- Successfully obtained a temporary restraining order and permanent injunction enjoining various software design and marketing companies from injecting unauthorized computer programming code into the source code of a client’s website that was designed to divert customers to the client’s competitors.
- Successfully assisted boards of directors and committees in internal investigations of alleged misconduct involving issues ranging from accounting estimates and financial reporting controls, senior executive performance, raw material sourcing practices, payments to foreign officials, and other matters.
- Assisted public companies and their boards of directors in successfully addressing shareholder and governmental claims of CEO misconduct, along with related derivative shareholder complaints, allegations of breach of fiduciary duties, and class action securities fraud claims.
- Represented different clients in responding to investigative subpoenas, information requests, and complaints from the Securities and Exchange Commission, various State Attorneys General, the Federal Trade Commission, the United States Department of Justice, and the National Association of Attorneys General.
- Represented numerous companies in responding to class action and other complaints alleging violation of Illinois Biometric Privacy Act.
- Defeated the City of Chicago’s attempt to increase its revenue base by collecting use taxes from lease transactions taking place in collar counties outside the city’s borders.
- Defeated efforts by various cities to impose new forms of taxes on rideshare trips that would result in double taxation.
- Regularly counseled clients on important legal and business issues, such as the propriety of, and available legal challenges to, a competitor’s advertising and business practices; the reach of a material adverse change clause in a corporate acquisition agreement after an unexpected drop in the acquired company’s revenue and earnings; disputes between franchisors and franchisees and between manufacturers and distributors; complex multi-million dollar contractual arrangements and disputes; legal issues arising from future virtual business practices; and others.
Dispute Resolution: Novel Strategies
- For a dispute between Fortune 500 manufacturing competitors, designed a process that combined limited litigation in federal court with “baseball”-type arbitration. The National Law Journal hailed the design as “an outstanding example of the parties ability to tailor a complex conflict management program to their specific needs.”
- For a dispute arising from a failed merger of two public companies, created a mid-case jury polling system using a single agreed-upon instruction and pre-determined settlement values based on the outcome of the poll. Michigan Lawyers Weekly characterized this approach as “an excellent example of lawyers creativity actually adding some momentum to settlement discussions.”
- For a dispute between two affluent individuals, designed a unique, efficient arbitration proceeding involving agreed-upon structural and economic remedies based on outcome, tailored and limited discovery, written evidentiary, and legal submissions and one day of oral argument, all focused on the single central factual issue that went to the heart of each the competing individuals' claims and cross-claims of fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and misrepresentation.
Dispute Resolution: Late-Stage Counsel
- Asked by our client, a Fortune 200 manufacturing company, to take the lead in presenting its case to the jury six weeks before the start of trial. The matter, a dispute involving patents relating to uninterruptable power supply technology, settled shortly before closing argument.
- Replaced defense counsel in a consumer fraud class action after the court had certified a class, notice had been sent to over 750,000 class members, and the court had denied summary judgment. Ross devised a strategy that led to a highly favorable settlement.
- Took over from other law firms in a consumer class action while post-judgment proceedings were underway in the trial court. The Ninth Circuit vacated a judge’s order granting summary judgment and directed that judgment be entered in favor of the Firm's client.
Management Experience
- Served on the firm’s Policy and Management Committees.
- Served as Chair of the firm’s Business Litigation and Antitrust Practices.
- Served as General Counsel of a global, Fortune 200 supplier of highly engineered infrastructure equipment.
- Led the legal function of a boutique investment banking firm providing financial advisory and brokerage services with offices in New York and London.
- Founding member of the firm’s Washington, DC, office and founding member and Managing Partner of the firm’s Miami, Florida, office.
Credentials
Admissions
- Illinois, 1980
- Florida, 1989
Education
- Washington University in St. Louis School of Law, JD, International Academy of Trial Lawyers Award, 1980
- Lake Forest College, BA, With Honors, Phi Beta Kappa, Senior Prize in Economics, Letterman's Award for Scholarship, Dean's List (1973-1977), 1977
Service / Recognition
Awards
- The Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation, 2024, 2026
- The BTI Class Action Leaders, 2026
- Chambers Global, Litigation: General Commercial, 2004-2005
- Chambers USA, Litigation, 2004
- Illinois Super Lawyers, Business Litigation, 2005; 2007-2023
- Leading Lawyers Network, Commercial Litigation, 2004-2019
- Legal 500, General Commercial Disputes, 2020-2021
Community
- CPR Institute for Dispute Resolution, Member, Executive Advisory Committee
- Hubbard Street Dance Company, Member, Board of Directors
- Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras, Chair, Board of Directors
- Past President, Beth Emet Synagogue
- Executives Club of Chicago, Member
- City Club of Chicago, Member