Goldman Ismail Tomaselli Brennan & Baum LLP is praised as ‘a fantastic boutique litigation firm with excellent trial lawyers’ and integrates multidisciplinary strength in sectors including patent infringement, antitrust, data privacy, and individual arbitration to represent major national clients on high-value commercial litigation. Industries in which the practice is most accomplished in include medicine, pharmaceuticals, media and entertainment, and consumer electronics. Based in Chicago and noted for its range of ’outstanding personalities and skills’, the practice group is led by Tarek Ismail and Alan Littmann, who is acclaimed as ‘smart and strategic’ and ’an incredible communicator’. Ismail and Jennifer Greenblatt lead on consolidated class actions and antitrust lawsuits for clients in the construction, manufacturing, and pharma sectors, while Littman focuses on the patent infringement litigation front alongside Doug Winnard. Also of note in the practice are Shayna Cook, experienced as trial counsel in an array of national courts, and Andrew Rima, another name of note in the practice on patent infringement cases.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Accolades
Client satisfaction: Lawyer & team quality
Client satisfaction: Billing & efficiency
Client satisfaction: Sector knowledge
Client satisfaction: NPS ®
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- ‘Alan Littmann is the best lawyer I know, hands down. If I am ever in trouble personally, he is the first call I will make, and I will follow his advice without the slightest hesitation. He is not only smart and strategic, but also an incredible communicator both in his written work and in his oral advocacy. He is also a good, warm, honest man. I can imagine no better pick. He is truly the best lawyer I have ever known.’
- ‘Andrew Rima -- able litigator with a calm demeanor - highly effective. Brian O'Donoghue - effectively leads coordination of litigation - effective communicator.’
- ‘The Goldman team has very strong litigation skills and aptly leads and coordinates extensive PFAS third-party litigation work. Its size makes it nimble and facile and "punches-up" with the top litigation firms. It is an excellent collaborator.’
- ‘The Goldman Ismail team is hands down the smartest, hardest working, best prepared group of lawyers I have ever had the pleasure of working with. Their ability to use database on trial presentation technology and their seamless collaboration with other firms in the virtual law firm setting provides enormous value to clients.’
- ‘Goldman Ismail is a fantastic boutique litigation firm with excellent trial lawyers. They offer strong alternative fee arrangements and collaborate well with other firms to ensure clients receive the best defense.’
- ‘Jen Greenblatt and Tarek Ismail are fantastic. Jen has argued motions for us (and been complimented by the judge), and Tarek has been our lead trial lawyer after impressive feedback from mock juries.’
- ‘Tarek Ismail and Shayna Cook are best-in-the-country trial lawyers, and Emma Ross and others are rising stars right behind them. Joe Tomaselli, Ken Baum, Craig Woods are similarly the absolute tops with science and expert development. Brian O'Donaghue and Elizabeth Curtin are amazing national counsel / strategic advisors.’
- ‘Goldman Ismail is my go-to firm for litigation. The lawyers are extraordinary: careful, strategic, organized, and effective. In almost eight years of partnership, I have never gotten a bill that was surprisingly large or indeed at all unexpected. Put simply, this is a firm that knows how to be a good partner to its clients.’
- ‘Outstanding personalities and skills. Among the best trial lawyers that I've worked with.'
- ‘Tarek Ismail, Shayna Cook and Emma Ross are exceptional litigators: Poised, prepared and persuasive.’
Key clients
- Merck & Co., Inc.
- Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
- Schering- Plough Corp.
- MSP Singapore Co. LLC
- Organon USA Inc.
- Apple Inc.
- Major League Baseball; MLB Advanced Media, L.P.
- AbbVie, Inc.
- Lafarge North America Inc.
- Lafarge Building Materials Inc.
- Holcim Inc.
- Entropic Communications LLC
- Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
- Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.
- Bayer HealthCare LLC
- Bayer Corp.
- Bayer AG
- Chicago Cubs Baseball Club LLC
Work highlights
Representing Major League Baseball Advanced Media,L.P. in a case alleging breach of contract, patent infringement, and trade-secret misappropriation relating to pitch tracking and strike-zone-graphic rendering technology for Major League Baseball games.
Representing Merck as strategic and trial counsel defending against antitrust class actions and opt-out actions claiming that Merck’s settlement agreement contract resolving a Hatch-Waxman patent case regarding the cholesterol drug Zetia violated federal and state antitrust, consumer protection, and unjust enrichment laws.
Representing Merck in more than a dozen patent- infringement suits brought under the Hatch-Waxman Act concerning Merck’s Bridion product.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Practice head
Tarek Ismail; Alan Littmann
Other key lawyers
Jennifer Greenblatt; Doug Winnard; Shayna Cook; Andrew Rima; Brian O'Donoghue; Joe Tomaselli; Ken Baum; Craig Woods; Emma Ross