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  1. Professionals

Christopher Essig

Partner

Chicago

+1 312-558-6229

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  • Overview
  • Experience
  • Credentials
  • Insights & News

Chris focuses his practice in the areas of products liability, class actions, and intellectual property.  He has deep experience with significant nationwide product liability matters, as well as consumer fraud class actions, involving multidistrict and consolidated litigation in both state and federal courts. He also has substantial experience representing major pharmaceutical companies in disputes involving intellectual property.

Chris has represented sophisticated defendants in nationwide products liability and class action matters in both state and federal courts for two decades. Currently, Chris is national counsel for a pharmaceutical manufacturer in almost 900 products liability lawsuits pending across the country involving the manufacture of opioid medications. Among other matters, he also represents a major chemical manufacturer in environmental and products liability claims alleging groundwater contamination and personal injury. Chris has played significant roles on trial defense teams for a range of clients including global aerospace manufacturers, as well as major firm pharmaceutical and medical device clients such as Medtronic, Pfizer Inc., and Wyeth.

Further, Chris has defended various clients in some of the largest consumer fraud class actions in the United States. For example, he has litigated claims in several cases nearing US$2B based on the allegation that his client’s products violated several state consumer protection statutes.

Chris also has represented pharmaceutical companies in other contexts. He has spent years defending multinational corporate clients in pharmaceutical patent infringement litigation surrounding the filing of Abbreviated New Drug Applications and the Hatch-Waxman Act. Most recently, Chris was trial counsel for a client who prevailed in litigation involving Sensipar® (cinacalcet), a prescription drug with more than US$1B in sales per year.

Chris has notably invested significant time in pro bono matters, some of which have garnered media attention. For example, Chris successfully led Winston’s pro bono team and obtained asylum for an Iranian photojournalist who published several controversial and award-winning projects focusing on youth and female identity. 

Recent Experience

Winston Represents Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA in Opiate MDL and State Court Cases

Chris is recognized in the 2023 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch®in America for commercial Litigation. He is also recognized in The Lawdragon “500 Leading Litigators in America” for product liability, IP, and antitrust in 2022–2025.

Chris is recognized as a “Key Lawyer” in The Legal 500 US in the following areas:

  • Dispute Resolution: Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Action – Defense: Consumer Products (2021–2024)
  • Dispute Resolution: Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Action – Defense: Toxic Tort (2022,2024)
  • Dispute Resolution: Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Action – Defense: Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices (2022–2024)
  • Healthcare: Life sciences (2021–2022) 

Chris is currently on Winston & Strawn’s Associate Evaluation Committee and is a sustaining member of the Product Liability Advisory Council.

Capabilities

Product Liability & Mass Torts
Intellectual Property
Litigation/Trials
Patent Litigation
Antitrust/Competition
Financial Services
Health Care
Medical Devices
Insurance

Recent Experience

Winston Represents Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA in Opiate MDL and State Court Cases

Credentials

Education

Chris received a J.D., with honors, from The Ohio State University College of Law in 2000, where he was associate editor of The Ohio State Law Journal. He received a B.A. in Political Science from Miami University in 1996.

    Admissions
    • Illinois

    Related Insights & News

    • “Strategies for Addressing Plaintiff Evolving Tactics in MDLs: Public Nuisance and Beyond,” Winston & Strawn Product & Mass Torts Summit, Speaker, June 7, 2022
    • “Updates in Biosimilars Law and Litigation,” GCEIP - 3rd Annual International Conference, Speaker, Nov. 15, 2018
    • “Pharmaceutical Warnings: A Changing Landscape,” Law360, Co-author, Nov. 9, 2018
    • “Product Liability Preemption for Generic Drug Manufacturers—The Current Landscape,” Product Safety & Liability Reporter, Bloomberg BNA, Co-author, Oct. 30, 2017
    • “Examining Subjective Damages in the Class Action Context,” Law360, Co-author, June 29, 2017
    Pro Bono In Action
    Winston Teams Up With Accenture to Secure Asylum for Venezuelan Freedom Fighter

    November 19, 2024

    Seminar/CLE
    Winston’s Product & Mass Torts Summit Series 2024

    October 23, 2024

    Recognitions
    Winston Attorneys Featured on the 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America List

    September 6, 2024

    Blog
    Microplastics Are the Latest Trend in “Greenwashing” Litigation

    July 3, 2024

    Recognitions
    Winston & Strawn Recognized in The Legal 500 U.S. 2024

    June 12, 2024

    Pro Bono In Action
    Winston Helps Ugandan Escape Tortured Past and Start a New Life in the United States

    November 30, 2023

    Recognitions
    Winston & Strawn Partners Recognized in 2024 Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America

    September 8, 2023

    Recognitions
    Winston & Strawn Recognized in The Legal 500 U.S. 2023

    June 7, 2023

    Recognitions
    Winston Wins 2022 Alice Paul Award for Dedication to Women’s Rights Through Pro Bono Support

    November 21, 2022

    Recognitions
    Winston & Strawn Partners Recognized in 2023 Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America

    October 5, 2022

    Recognitions
    Winston & Strawn Attorneys Recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America 2023

    August 18, 2022

    Recognitions
    Winston & Strawn Recognized in The Legal 500 U.S. 2022

    June 8, 2022

    View All Insights & News

    Capabilities

    Product Liability & Mass Torts
    Intellectual Property
    Litigation/Trials
    Patent Litigation
    Antitrust/Competition
    Financial Services
    Health Care
    Medical Devices
    Insurance
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