Professional Experience
Jeff Spoerk advises and defends product manufacturers on a wide variety of product liability issues. He has served as national or regional trial counsel in more than 25 state and federal courts in cases involving trucks, automobiles, motorcycles, fire apparatus, trailers, aerial devices, cranes, forklifts, presses, farm equipment, electrical equipment, food processing equipment, compressors, paper-making equipment, building construction, gas equipment, chemical plants, chemicals and lead paint. In addition to defending lawsuits, he regularly assists clients with business planning, safety reviews, product design, product recalls and warnings to promote proactive risk avoidance. As an experienced chemical engineer, he is conversant with issues involving mechanics, chemistry, physics, metallurgy, accident reconstruction and other engineering sciences.
Mr. Spoerk’s recent experience includes:
- Lead trial counsel in Florida case involving SUV and trailer crash. Obtained voluntary dismissal after one day.
- Lead trial counsel in a California wrongful death case involving a truck rollover.
- Drafted product warnings and safety instructions for a specialty vehicle.
- Defended paint manufacturer in first of its kind lead paint trial in Wisconsin.
- Served as trial counsel in Nevada case involving a failure of chemical equipment in a gold processing facility.
- Obtained summary judgment in brain injury case involving a commercial truck.
Education and Honors
- Northwestern University School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1987)
Northwestern University Law Review (Editorial Board, 1986-1987). Order of the Coif.
- Northwestern University (B.S., with highest distinction, 1984)
Degree: Chemical Engineering. 1984 Harry McCormick Award for Top Chemical Engineering Graduate. Practical experience with Kodak as project engineer; production engineer in a chemical plant.
Bar Admissions
Wisconsin,
1989
Court Admissions
U.S. Court of Appeals, 7th Circuit, 2011
U.S. District Court, Western District of Wisconsin, 1992
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin, 1989
Professional Recognition
Martindale-Hubbell AV
® Peer Review Rated.
Listed in
The Best Lawyers in America® (2012: Product Liability Litigation).
Professional and Civic Activities
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of California (Law Clerk, 1987-1988).
- Wisconsin State Bar (Member).
- American Bar Association (Member).
- Defense Research Institute (Member).
- Greendale Community Church (Trustee, 2005-2006).
- Lake Brittany Environmental Committee (2007-present).