Jeffrey C. McDermott

Jeff McDermott joined Krieg DeVault LLP in 1986. He currently serves as President/CEO at The Center for the Performing Arts and The Great American Songbook Foundation, as well as Senior Counsel to the Firm. Since the beginning of his legal career, his practice has been devoted almost exclusively to litigation in both federal and state courts. He has represented major manufacturers in tobacco litigation, product liability cases, toxic tort litigation, and contract disputes. Mr. McDermott has also devoted a substantial amount of his practice to representing financial institutions in a variety of litigation matters including lender liability actions, check forgery cases, RICO and securities fraud claims and trust litigation. Mr. McDermott has also represented a number of hospitals and medical practices in complex litigation matters in both federal and state courts. He has also advised corporate clients regarding various employment matters, trade secret act cases, shareholder derivative suits and preliminary injunctions, and has handled numerous real estate and construction litigation cases. Mr. McDermott previously served on the firm's three-member Executive Committee from 2000-2011, chaired the firm's Litigation Practice group, and served as the Executive Partner to its Hamilton County office.

Representative Experience

• Trial counsel for the State of Indiana in prosecuting a three week fraud and RICO trial resulting in multi-million dollar verdict for the State
• Lead counsel in numerous litigation matters involving closely-held businesses, including representation of both majority and minority shareholder(s)
• Successfully defended major hospital in class action seeking damages related to alleged disclosure of patient information
• Indiana counsel for national manufacturer of consumer products, including successful defense of individual product liability cases in both state and federal courts
• Lead trial counsel for major corporations as well as individual officers and directors in shareholder derivative actions
• Lead trial counsel for foreign consortium in litigation relating to the lease of the Indiana Toll Road
• Lead litigation counsel in many matters involving issues of breach of contract with successful resolutions achieved through judgment or verdict, motion practice, mediation and/or arbitration
• Lead counsel in arbitration against broker and brokerage company resulting in multi-million dollar arbitration award for investor clients

A sampling of representative published opinions in which Mr. McDermott is counsel of record include:

• Auto-Owners Insurance Co. v. Bank One, 879 N.E.2d 1086 (Ind. 2008)
• Order for Mandate of Funds Montgomery County Council v. Milligan, 873 N.E.2d 1043 (Ind. 2007)
• Bonney v. Indiana Finance Authority, 849 N.E.2d 473 (Ind. 2006)
• Rogers v. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., 745 N.E.2d 793 (Ind. 2001)
• Downs v. Panhandle Eastern Pipeline Co., 694 N.E.2d 1198 (Ind. App. 1998)
• Zayas V. Gregg Appliances, Inc. 676 N.E.2d 365 (Ind. App. 1997)

Seminars & Presentations

• Frequent Lecturer on areas of Torts, Civil Procedure and Appellate Procedure, Bar/Bri Bar Review of Indiana
• Lecturer for LLM in Advanced Litigation, classes presented in week long conference to European attorneys at the University of Nottingham, England, September 2002
• Lecturer for Updates on Torts, Indiana Judicial Center Annual Meeting, 2000
• Lecturer at a series of Civil Procedure presentations for the Indiana Judicial Center's Spring Workshops, 1998
• Faculty member and presenter for Indiana Continuing Legal Education Forum ("ICLEF") on Top Ten Dos and Don'ts for Federal and State Evidence
• Chair and presenter for ICLEF seminar on Engagement Letters and Retainer Agreements
• Faculty Member at multiple courses given by The National Institute for Trial Advocacy ("NITA")

Publications

• Author of two comprehensive workbooks on Civil Procedure and Appellate Procedure, which are used as study resources by hundreds of applicants sitting for the Indiana Bar Exam

Professional Associations

• The Great American Songbook Foundation (President/CEO)
• The Center For The Performing Arts (President/CEO)
• St. Vincent Hospital Foundation Board of Directors, 1994 - 2006 (Chairman Emeritus)
• Bar/Bri Bar Review (Lecturer)
• Seventh Circuit Bar Association (Member)
• St. Maria Goretti Parish

Awards & Recognitions

• Indiana Super Lawyers, 2012-2020

Education

• J.D., University of Notre Dame Law School, Notre Dame, Indiana, 1986
• B.A., Highest Distinction, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, 1983

Bar & Court Admissions

• Indiana (1986)
• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana (1986)
• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana (1986)
• U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit (1986)

Practices

• Appellate
• Class Action and Multi-Party Litigation
• Litigation and Dispute Resolution
• Health Care Litigation
• Construction Litigation
• K-12 Education

Industries

• Health Care
• Education and School Law
• Financial Services
• Construction