McGuireWoods continues the expansion of its global litigation capabilities with the arrival of Chicago partner Patrick Clyder, who brings 15 years of experience defending manufacturers and other corporate clients in complex commercial and product liability disputes.
Clyder defends manufacturers of aircraft, transformers, construction equipment, power tools and fire sprinkler systems in product liability matters. He represents clients in courts throughout the country, including the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, one of the nation’s most challenging venues for defendants, and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
Clyder joins McGuireWoods from Swanson, Martin & Bell, where he co-chaired its product liability practice group and developed a litigation associate training program. He joins a McGuireWoods practice recognized by independent organizations as a leader in defending corporate clients in high-stakes matters.
McGuireWoods earned recognition in seven practice categories and was named a leader for product liability litigation in “BTI Litigation Outlook 2022: Post Pandemic and Beyond,” based on feedback from corporate counsel. The firm also received nationwide rankings for product liability litigation from Chambers USA and The Legal 500 United States.
“Patrick’s skill and impressive track record defending companies in one of the toughest venues in the United States will benefit our clients tremendously,” said Diane Flannery, chair of McGuireWoods’ Products, Environmental & Mass Tort Litigation Department.
“Patrick is an outstanding addition to our deep bench of litigators,” added Dion Hayes, the firm’s deputy managing partner for litigation. “His experience in high-exposure product liability matters makes him a perfect fit for our practice.”
Clyder is the third partner to join McGuireWoods’ Chicago office this year, following the recent additions of antitrust partner Holden Brooks and healthcare partner Rubin Pusha III.
“Patrick is a highly regarded litigator who adds an important dimension to our client service capabilities in Chicago,” said Christina Egan, managing partner of the Chicago office.
Clyder added: “McGuireWoods is a litigation powerhouse with a stellar reputation for handling serious litigation threats facing corporate clients. I look forward to putting my experience to work to help clients overcome these challenges and achieve their business goals.”