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Practice Areas: Commercial Litigation; Information Technology; Securities; Consumer Class Action Defense

Additional Information: Robert Kriss has represented some of the world’s largest technology, financial services and manufacturing companies in complex commercial, class action and intellectual property litigation. Bob has substantial experience with disputes arising in the context of financial services, securities transactions, information technology implementation and outsourcing, mergers and acquisitions, and high technology products.

Bob has successfully defended against numerous securities fraud and class action claims on behalf of such major companies as TD AMERITRADE (alleging failure to properly execute trades), Citigroup (as underwriter of an IPO), CIBC (as trustee/shareholder), and Dow Chemical (arising from breast implant tort litigation).

Although many of Bob’s cases have involved financial services, he has also litigated fraud, breach of warranty, and product liability actions involving a diverse array of products and services such as 747 freighter aircraft, fructose separation systems, computer systems, IT outsourcing services, silicone breast implants, and construction equipment.

Bob has an impressive record securing summary judgments and dismissals of securities and consumer class actions, commercial lawsuits, and product liability actions against his clients and successfully defending those judgments on appeal. He also has successfully tried many cases before judges, juries and arbitrators. For example, Bob secured jury verdicts in a multi-million dollar product liability case for Caterpillar, Inc. and in a multi-million dollar federal income tax refund case for The Dow Chemical Company. Bob’s approach to litigation and settlement combines in-depth analysis of case details with a creative, multidimensional perspective to develop and convey the most effective argument to the court.

A very quick study with a diverse, broad experience base, Bob is particularly effective in addressing cases involving issues of first impression, developing cutting edge legal arguments, and mastering novel fact settings. For example, he was named leader of Mayer Brown’s Stock Option Backdating task force in 2006 and in 2007 represented TD AMERITRADE in a class action involving the theft of customer information from the company’s data base.

Bob joined Mayer Brown in 1978. He has been recognized by inclusion in such publications as Leading Lawyers in Illinois, Illinois SuperLawyers, Who's Who in the World, Who's Who In American Law, Who's Who In America and The Best Lawyers in America. He holds Martindale Hubbell’s highest A/V rating.

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Firm Members: Angela Ulum Jeffrey Usow Sharon DeVault Barry Van Dyke Lane Vanderslice Jon Van Gorp John Voorhees Rebecca Wacaser Kyle Waldinger James Schroder Donald Rupert Robert Rigg