Profile
John F. Gibbons is Co-Managing Shareholder of the Chicago Office and has more than 35 years of experience handling a broad range of civil and criminal matters for national corporations, financial institutions, brokerage houses, pension funds, real estate entities, and individuals, including fraud, FCA, breach of contract, trade secret, class action, civil rights, commercial and criminal securities cases, grand jury investigations, white collar defense, FCPA issues, corporate internal investigations and appeals. He has advised many corporate clients on issues confronting them on an everyday basis and has been responsible for matters pending before the Justice Department, SEC, NASD, EPA and various Attorney General and state regulatory bodies. John is a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers, an invitation-only society of senior trial counsel in the United States.
John previously served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Los Angeles for six years and as the supervisor of the Financial Crime and Government Fraud Unit of the Cook County State's Attorney's Office in Chicago.
Concentrations
- White collar criminal and regulatory litigation
- FCA, anti-kickback and qui tam defense
- Securities and financial fraud
- FCPA investigations
- Class action defense
- Trade secret prosecution
- SEC and FINRA Investigations
- Corporate internal investigations and compliance
- RICO and complex civil litigation
- Police brutality and corruption
- Civil rights
主要执业方向
主要执业经验
- Represented bank vice-president on federal criminal charges (United States v. Graber) and obtained dismissal of all charges, with prejudice.
- Representing the CEO and owner of trading company on federal criminal charges, and related SEC and class action suits, alleging participation in a pump-and-dump securities fraud scheme. Cases pending.
- Lead trial attorney charging and prosecuting multiple police officers of misconduct in the Laquan McDonald shooting case, before the Police Board; all convicted.
- Represented the CEO/Chairman of a large, publicly traded company on federal criminal charges (United States v. Wolfe) and related SEC and class action complaints.
- Lead trial attorney charging and prosecuting a Chicago alderman for ethics violations in the first ever trial before the Ethics Board.
- Represented the City of Chicago in a month-long Section 1983 federal jury trial defending various police officers accused of the wrongful death of a community activist. Molina v. City of Chicago, et al.
- Lead trial attorney in a fraud case charging and successfully prosecuting high-ranking City of Chicago official Abd Ayesh.
- Represented a Fortune 500 company in FCPA matters involving Nigeria and Egypt.
- Represented Trans Energy, Inc. in a criminal federal case entitled United States v. Trans Energy, Inc. alleging violations of the Clean Water Act.
- Represented Ecologic Industries, Inc. in a federal False Claims Act investigation regarding customs imports.
- Lead trial counsel in Dick’s Sporting Goods v. ATF wherein Dick’s successfully overturned an administrative ruling stripping the company of its federal firearms license.
- Lead plaintiff attorney in a theft of trade secrets case entitled Lands' End, Inc., Sears Holding Corp. v. Eddie Bauer, et al. 10-LV-05084.
- Defended Sears Holdings Corporation and Kmart Corporation in qui tam action involving alleged violation of the False Claims Act in relation to pharmacy pricing.
- Represented CEO and owner of a company in federal investigation of public corruption and bribery involving high-ranking public officials.
- Represented CEO and owner of a large insurance company on federal fraud charges.
- Defended Sears Holdings Corporation and Kmart Corporation in qui tam action involving alleged violations of the False Claims Act and Anti-Kickback Statute in relation to Kmart’s pharmacy promotions.
- Represented a Fortune 50 company in an FCPA investigation centering on the alleged bribery of Chinese officials.
- Represented an international construction conglomerate in a wide-ranging antitrust investigation conducted by the U.S. Justice Department and Canadian Bureau of Competition.
- Defending a national chain against allegations of violations of the False Claims Act and Anti-Kickback Statute in relation to retail pharmacy promotions and drug pricing.
- Represented a Fortune 50 company in a series of putative class actions pending in state and federal courts that it deceptively marketed and labeled its proprietary line of tools as "Made in USA" when, in fact, some of these tools contained foreign components. In three separate written opinions from 2007-2009, the Honorable John F. Grady denied plaintiffs' motions for class certification, concluding that plaintiffs failed to establish that the prerequisites of F.R.C.P. 23 were satisfied. In re Sears, Roebuck and Co. Tools Marketing and Sales Practices Litigation (2007 U.S. Dist. Lexis 89349). In two related actions, the Appellate Court of Illinois affirmed the dismissal of two putative class actions seeking compensatory and injunctive relief with respect to the plaintiffs' purchase of various Craftsman brand tools. Baumann v. Sears Roebuck and Company.
- Represented a large property management company in an environmental investigation conducted by the U.S. Attorney's Office and City of Chicago relating to lead paint being present in various properties.
- Represented an international aircraft company in a joint investigation by the U.S. and Italian governments relating to false invoices and a fraudulent billing scheme.
- Represented a multi-national corporation in an investigation by U.S. authorities relating to whether corporate executives engaged in deceptive accounting practices thereby deceiving third-parties.
- Represented a large Canadian pension fund manager and a real estate investment company in litigation alleging failure to live up to loan commitment and acquisition agreement in acquisition of a publicly owned REIT, fraud and conspiracy.
- Represented a Fortune 100 Company in a class action complaint alleging that the company fraudulently mislabeled the nutrients in their lines of pasta sauce.
- Represented a national software company in a RICO class action suit brought by individuals who allegedly sustained losses from Internet gambling.
- Represented a large multi-national company in a class action suit by persons claiming consumer fraud and product liability relating to certain products manufactured by client.
- Represented a national commercial real estate company in an ACLU First Amendment test case against owners of a large shopping mall.
- Represented a prominent background investigative company accused of breach of contract and fraud in the performance of its duties.
- Represented a multi-billion dollar pension plan in a RICO investigation conducted by U.S. authorities relating to the investment of the fund's assets.
- Represented a Fortune 100 company accused of fraud and various other federal offenses in the securing of various contracts.
- Represented key employees of a multi-national corporation accused of defrauding consumers through the advertising and sale of certain products that were known to be defective.
- Represented a national commercial real estate company in a class action race discrimination case.
- Represented a national restaurant chain in a breach of contract and RICO suit brought by certain Illinois franchisees.
- Represented an Ohio company in various proceedings growing out of fraud allegations leveled by the government and various investors related to certain private placements.
- Represented a national cellular telephone provider in a case of first impression as to whether state law regulated a telecommunications company's right to erect certain equipment on private land.
- Represented a national real estate developer in a breach of contract suit regarding the services performed in constructing a large shopping complex.
- Retained by the City of Chicago to prosecute a high profile police brutality case in which four police officers were alleged to have wrongfully shot and killed an unarmed citizen, LaTanya Haggerty.
- Retained by the City of Chicago to prosecute a high profile fraud case involving a police lieutenant's manipulation of Chicago Police Department's computerized gun records.
荣誉和领导力
- Listed, The Best Lawyers in America
- Commercial Litigation, 2013-2025
- Criminal Defense: White Collar, 2025
- Listed, Super Lawyers magazine, Illinois Super Lawyers, 2005-2024
- Listed, Leading Lawyers Network, 2005-2024
- Listed, Chambers USA Guide, 2018-2024
- "Recognised Practitioner," 2018
- Listed, Lawdragon, "500 Leading Litigators in America," 2022-2025
- Listed, Acritas Stars™ Independently Rated Lawyers, "Star Lawyers," 2018-2021
- Listed, The Legal 500 United States, 2016-2017, 2019
- Secretary of State's Securities Advisory Committee, 1994-1998
- Financial Institution Fraud Committee, 1995-1996
- Recipient, United States Department of Justice, Special Achievement Award, 1992
- Rated, AV Preeminent® 5.0 out of 5.0
- Special Prosecutor for the City of Chicago on police brutality and corruption cases, 1998-Present
- Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
- Member, Chicago Regional Advisory Committee, The Ireland Funds
- Chairman, Chicago Board of Advisors, Good Sports
- Member, Chicago Bar Association
- Member, Illinois State Bar Association
资历
教育
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J.D., cum laude, Notre Dame Law School
- Associate Editor, Notre Dame Law Review, 1983-1985
- B.A., American Studies, cum laude, University of Notre Dame
获准执业地区
- Illinois