Erik W. Snapp, Partner

Erik Snapp is a litigation partner in the Chicago office of Winston & Strawn. His practice focuses on litigation and counseling related to product liability issues, consumer fraud class actions, internal investigations, SEC investigations, and marketing and promotion of FDA-approved products.

Matters representative of Mr. Snapp’s experience include the following:

• Led multi-firm trial teams defending a major pharmaceutical manufacturer against allegations by multiple plaintiffs that the manufacturer’s product caused cancer.
• Represented a sub-prime lender in an SEC investigation focused on the adequacy of the lender’s reserves and its loss disclosures.
• Defended a top executive of a sub-prime lender in an SEC investigation focused on the lender’s loan loss reserves and related disclosures.
• Defended a durable medical equipment manufacturer in federal and state criminal and civil investigations, and related consumer fraud class action litigation, focused on the manufacturer’s sales and contracting practices.
• Defended a major pharmaceutical manufacturer in a federal investigation involving allegations of off-label promotion.
• Served as national counsel to a joint venture owner in nationwide consumer fraud class action litigation related to the joint venture’s pricing, sales and marketing practices.
• Conducted an international internal investigation for a major consumer products manufacturer regarding allegations of tax fraud.
• Defended Philip Morris U.S.A. in smoking and health litigation, including as a member of class action trial teams in Florida and Ohio.

In addition, Mr. Snapp has written numerous appellate briefs submitted to the U.S. Supreme Court and state and federal appellate courts, and has argued several cases before the Seventh Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals and the Illinois Appellate Court.

Prior to joining Winston & Strawn, Mr. Snapp served as a law clerk for the Hon. Bruce D. Willis of the Minnesota Court of Appeals.

Activities

Mr. Snapp has devoted hundreds of hours to pro bono work on behalf of indigent criminal defendants as part of the firm’s ongoing commitment to community service. Mr. Snapp is also certified as a volunteer mediator by the Center for Conflict Resolution. He also has served on the board of directors of Art Encounter, a community-based non-profit organization dedicated to visual arts education.

Education

Speeches and Publications

• Mr. Snapp was a panelist at the 6th National Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Company’s Guide to Off-Label Communications conference for a presentation titled “Minimizing the Risk of the Sales Force Crossing the Line,” on July 15, 2009 in Philadelphia.
• Mr. Snapp co-authored “Mandatory Compliance with “Voluntary” Codes,” which was published in October 2008 in Law360’s Health Law section.
• Mr. Snapp co-authored “The FDA’s medical reprint policy — a cautious compromise,” which was published in August 2008 in Scrip World Pharmaceutical News.