Jeannie Tinkham

Jeannie litigates and manages complex, high stakes matters for clients around the country, including preparing cases for trial and serving as trial counsel. She has extensive experience crafting defense themes and strategies from the motion to dismiss phase through trial.

Clients entrust Jeannie with some of their most significant matters. Currently, she is serving as lead counsel for Walgreens in litigation related to the distribution and sale of prescription opioid medications. She is the second chair trial counsel in a case set for trial this year, with billions of dollars at stake. In another prescription opioid trial with similar high stakes, Jeannie conducted the direct examination of Walgreens’ key company witness. She has argued dozens of motions, including dispositive and pretrial motions, worked up experts, deposed experts, and directed the litigation strategy of numerous cases in different jurisdictions.   

Prior to her work for Walgreens, Jeannie was an instrumental team member on numerous mass tort cases, including for Bayer (Xarelto and YAZ/Yasmin) and Johnson & Johnson (pelvic mesh). For Johnson & Johnson, she was a key member of the trial team in Philadelphia state court, which resulted in a complete defense verdict. 

Jeannie also has experience in commercial litigation. In 2019, she served as second-chair trial counsel in a breach of contract dispute between two companies in Nevada state court. She conducted voir dire and examined four witnesses, including two experts, before the jury.   

Jeannie graduated from The University of Chicago Law School in 2013 with High Honors. She was a Kirkland and Ellis Scholar (awarded to the top 5% of the class). After law school, Jeannie clerked for The Honorable Robert M. Dow on the Northern District of Illinois. 

Representative Matters

Opioids Litigation
National counsel for Walgreens in litigation relating to the distribution and sale of prescription opioids, including over 1,000 cases brought by states, cities, counties, tribes, and private parties seeking recovery in connection with the opioid abuse crisis. MDL in the Northern District of Ohio and numerous related state court cases.

Pelvic Mesh Product Liability Litigation
Counsel for Johnson & Johnson in defense of lawsuits alleging personal injuries caused by pelvic mesh medical devices. Member of trial team led by Bartlit Beck that secured complete defense verdict after three-week jury trial in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. Click here and here to learn more about the case. 

FortuNet Inc. v. Gaming Arts LLC (Clark County, NV)
Second chair trial counsel for Gaming Arts in two-week jury trial alleging breach of contract and unfair competition claims. Directed two witnesses, including damages expert, cross-examined opponent's expert and fact witnesses, and conducted day-long voir dire to select jury. Second phase of trial led to jury verdict against Gaming Arts. The court reversed the jury's verdict on Gaming Arts' claim for breach of the implied duty of good faith and fair dealing due to manifest disregard of the court's instructions. Case settled.

Xarelto Personal Injury Litigation
National counsel for Bayer in defense of lawsuits alleging personal injuries caused by novel oral anticoagulant Xarelto.

YAZ®/Yasmin® Product Liability Litigation
Counsel for Bayer in nationwide product liability litigation alleging personal injuries caused by the oral contraceptives YAZ® and Yasmin®. MDL in the Southern District of Illinois and coordinated proceedings in California, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

LoggerHead v. Sears (N.D. Ill.)
Represented LoggerHead against Sears and Apex in a lawsuit alleging patent infringement, trademark infringement, and several tort claims arising from Sears' sales of Craftsman Max Axess Locking Wrenches. After eight-day trial, won jury verdict of patent infringement, and won jury verdict of willful infringement, entitling LoggerHead to treble damages on top of the $5.97 million award. In post-trial briefing, the court granted a new trial and later granted summary judgment in favor of Sears and Apex, which was affirmed on appeal. Click here (Law 360) and here (Crain's Chicago Business) to learn more about the case.