Heyl Royster

Anne Kimball

Of Counsel
Chicago, IL

Joined Firm in 2018

Anne has secured numerous precedent-setting opinions for diverse clients such as Eli Lilly, Novartis, the Beer Institute, McDonald's, and Smith & Wesson throughout her career.

  • Published in The American Lawyer, the ABA Journal, and The Chicago Tribune
  • Named as one of Benchmark's Top 250 Women in Litigation in America
  • Adjunct Professor of Law at Northwestern Law School
Read Full Bio

Anne Kimball

Attorney in Chicago, IL

Anne's practice is focused on complex litigation, particularly in the areas of defense of consumer products, class actions, emerging theories of liability, and industry-wide defense. She has represented manufacturers and distributors in the pharmaceutical, medical device, alcoholic beverage, firearms, agricultural, and other consumer product industries – locally and nationally. This representation has included trials before state and federal courts around the country and counseling on issues such as product recalls, product warnings, design considerations, and trade association relations.

Anne has secured numerous precedent-setting opinions for diverse clients such as Eli Lilly, Novartis, the Beer Institute, McDonald's, and Smith & Wesson. As primary outside counsel to the Beer Institute, a Washington-based trade association, Anne guided major American brewers through a variety of challenges in the courts and regulatory and legislative forums from the 1980s through 2010. She coordinated the industry's defense of a series of lawsuits involving claims of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, alcoholism, drunk driving, and she successfully led the Beer Institute and brewers through class actions brought by David Boies, Jr. alleging that alcohol advertising causes young people to drink illegally. These lawsuits sought billions of dollars based on consumer fraud theories, unjust enrichment, and conspiracy. As part of this effort, Anne has worked closely with industry representatives in the areas of public relations, assisting in developing public service advertisements, educational campaigns, and public statements.

Anne has defended cases for Novartis involving prescription and over-the-counter products, including several cases involving Novartis's nicotine patch and an over-the-counter diet pill. She defended Cytodyne Technologies in a highly publicized case brought in the Circuit Court of Cook County by the Estate of Rashide Wallace, a Northwestern football player who died suddenly during football practice after allegedly consuming an energy drink manufactured by Cytodyne. For many years, she served as counsel to Smith & Wesson Corp. in numerous high-profile lawsuits alleging a variety of theories. These lawsuits were either dismissed before discovery or on summary judgment. She is currently involved in large-scale litigation on herbicides used in the agriculture industry.

Anne is a graduate, magna cum laude, of Smith College and the University of Chicago Law School. She is a member of the Board of Overseers of the Kent Law School and an Adjunct Professor of Law at Northwestern Law School, where she teaches its trial practice and civil discovery courses. She has served on the Visiting Committee of the University of Chicago Law School.

Anne was recognized as one of the Top Fifty Female "Super Lawyers" in Illinois, in Benchmark's Top 250 Women in Litigation in America, and the 2016 Best Lawyers in America publication for Product Liability. She was recognized by the Law Bulletin Publishing Company in its 2011 "Women Making an Impact" issue as "A master negotiator, a pioneering litigator, and an inspirational mentor."

Articles about Anne's work have appeared in The American Lawyer, the ABA JournalThe Chicago Tribune, and other media.

Credentials

Education

J.D., University of Chicago

M.A., The University of Vermont

B.A., Smith College, magna cum laude

Licensure(s) and Admission(s)

State Courts of Illinois

United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit

United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois

United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan

United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (Trial Bar Member)

United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois

United States Supreme Court

Presentations/Publications

Publications

"When All Else Fails, Blame Madison Avenue: Negligent Marketing Claims in Firearm Litigation," ABA's Tort and Insurance law Journal (2001)

“The Limits on the Use of Tort Law to Encourage Consumer Safety,” Loyola Consumer Law Review (2000)

Awards/Recognition

  • Best Lawyer in AmericaTM by The Best Lawyers in AmericaTM – Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, 2012 -2021
  • Leading Lawyer by Law Bulletin Media
  • Super Lawyer by Super Lawyers®, Top Fifty Female by Benchmark's Top 250 Women in Litigation in America
  • Women Making an Impact recognition by the Law Bulletin Media
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