Education & Honors

University of Michigan Law School, 2000, J.D., summa cum laude

Bates Prize (the law school's highest honor for graduating students)

Articles Editor, Michigan Law Review

Darrow Scholarship

Oxford University, Pembroke College, 1997, B.A., M.St. in Jurisprudence

Rhodes Scholar

Wake Forest University, 1994, B.A., summa cum laude, with Honors in Philosophy

Government service

Judicial Law Clerk, Honorable Sandra Day O'Connor, Associate Justice, United States Supreme Court, 2001-2002

Judicial Law Clerk, Honorable David S. Tatel, United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, 2000-2001

Bar admissions

Illinois

Professional activities and community service

Assistant Professor, University of Chicago Law School, 2003-2005

Alexander Fellow, New York University Law School, 2002-2003

Carolyn Frantz

Chicago Office
Courthouse Place
54 West Hubbard Street, Suite 300
Chicago, IL 60654
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Professional Practice

Carolyn Frantz joined Bartlit Beck in 2005, becoming a Partner in 2008.  Prior to joining the firm, she was a professor at the University of Chicago Law School.  She earned two law degrees as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University, and graduated at the top of her class at the University of Michigan Law School.  She clerked for Justice Sandra Day O’Connor of the United States Supreme Court and Judge David S. Tatel of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.  Her practice focuses on legal strategy, critical motions and appellate issues in complex and multidistrict litigation.  She is a frequent speaker on appellate and products liability issues.

Cases tried or otherwise taken to judgment

In re Teflon Products Liability Litigation (MDL, U.S. District Court, S. Dist. of Iowa)
Defeated certification of more than twenty proposed class actions brought by consumers who purchased cookware made with DuPont’s non-stick cookware coatings.

Chinese Drywall Litigation (various courts)
Represented Georgia-Pacific Gypsum LLC in putative class actions alleging that building products manufactured by Georgia-Pacific caused damage in homes.  Cases dismissed.

Convolve et al. v. Compaq and Seagate (U.S. District Court, S. Dist. of New York)
Obtained summary judgment for Compaq (now Hewlett-Packard) in patent and trade secret dispute.

Other representative cases

Imprelis® Litigation (MDL, U.S. District Court, E.D. Pennsylvania)
Representing DuPont in putative class actions alleging property damage from use of herbicide.

In re Genetically Modified Rice Litigation (MDL, U.S. District Court, E.D. Missouri)
Representing Bayer regarding appellate issues in on-going nationwide litigation.

Polo v. Federal Signal Corporation (Illinois)
Representing Federal Signal on appeal in litigation regarding firefighter alleged hearing loss from emergency-vehicle sirens.

In re Baycol Litigation (MDL, U.S. District Court, Dist. Minnesota)
Representing Bayer in litigation resulting from withdrawal of Baycol®, including Smith v. Bayer, in the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010-2011 term, and United States ex rel. Simpson, a qui tam action.

In re Bayer Corp. Combination Aspirin Products Marketing and Sales Practices Litigation (MDL, U.S. District Court, E. Dist. of New York)
Representing Bayer in numerous proposed class actions brought by consumers who purchased aspirin products.

In re Factor VIII or IX Concentrate Blood Products Litigation (MDL, U.S. District Court, N. Dist. of Illinois)
Representing Bayer in ongoing world-wide litigation alleging infection with HIV and hepatitis C from blood-based derivatives used to treat hemophilia.  Won several forum non conveniens dismissals. 

News

Big Wins