Matthew C. Sostrin

Toxic Tort

• Defended a former owner of a seed warehouse against claims asserted by 300 plaintiffs who were recruited by Erin Brokovich and alleged that they were exposed to solvents in area groundwater; prevailed on summary judgment by establishing that our client did not cause the contamination and had no reason to know of contamination caused by a prior owner of the property.
• Defended a former owner of a wood treatment facility against claims asserted by 1,400 neighboring residents who alleged that they were exposed to air emissions containing dioxins and other chemicals, all claims settled after we moved for summary judgment under the state statute of repose.

Product Liability

• National and trial level defense of a multinational entity that sold asbestos and asbestos-containing products; secured numerous grants of summary judgment as well as a defense verdict following a three-week jury trial in Cook County, Illinois.
• Defended a chemical manufacturer in lawsuits filed by 1,400 coal miners claiming respiratory injuries from exposure to isocyanate products used for roof support and ventilation control in underground coal mines.
• National and trial level defense of a former diacetyl supplier in butter flavorings litigation; developed our client’s strategy for resolving approximately 400 claims in connection with its chapter 11 reorganization; secured the transfer of all claims against our client, its subsidiary, and another company to the federal court where our client’s bankruptcy case was pending, facilitating a global resolution of the claims.
• Represented a chemical manufacturer in a putative class action alleging that the company's herbicide atrazine has contaminated public water supplies.

Environmental

• Representing a natural gas distribution company against RCRA and state law claims asserted by a municipality alleging that a former manufactured gas plant is the source of oil and methane gas detected a half mile away near a former municipal landfill.
• Represented a natural gas distribution company in an EPA enforcement action under TSCA involving PCBs in natural gas pipeline systems.
• Represented a railroad in state and federal court actions filed by regulators and neighboring landowners concerning solvents and diesel fuel in the groundwater near a former rail yard.
• Defended a former owner of a manufacturing facility against CERCLA and state law claims to recover response costs for residual thorium contamination.
• Defended a former owner of 14 chemical plants against CERCLA and contract claims asserted by the current owner to allocate environmental response costs.
• Defended a tenant against the landlord’s CERCLA, RCRA, and state law claims involving groundwater contamination caused by a prior occupant; secured the exclusion of the landlord’s remediation expert’s testimony following a Daubert hearing.

Other Litigation

• Defended a national bank against putative class actions alleging that the bank improperly processed ACH transactions on behalf of tribal and offshore payday lenders.
• Represented a national bank in post-judgment and bankruptcy proceedings to collect a $43 million judgment against multi-millionaire borrowers.
• Defending a mortgage lender and servicer in various individual and class actions involving claims under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act, Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, Home Affordable Modification Program, Fair Housing Act, Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, and various state unfair and deceptive trade practices statutes.
• Defended the founders of an educational software company against litigation filed by minority shareholders that sought to enjoin the $455 million sale of the company; secured denial of injunctive relief and dismissal of all claims; affirmed by state supreme court.
• Defended a wind farm operator and secured dismissal of tortious interference and antitrust claims asserted by a wind turbine servicing company.

Pro Bono

• Principal drafter of the Police Accountability Task Force Report (2016), which recommended reforms to the Chicago Police Department and its oversight bodies.
• Briefed and argued an appeal of a racketeering conviction in the Seventh Circuit.
• Advised a charity that distributed used computers to military families on electronic waste regulations.

University of Illinois College of Law, JD, summa cum laude
Articles Editor, University of Illinois Law Review

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, BA, cum laude

• Illinois

Court

• US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
• US District Court for the District of Colorado
• US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
• US District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
• US Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit