Edward McCambridge concentrates his practice on complex tort litigation with a focus on toxic tort, mass tort and product liability actions and substantial trial experience in toxic tort, asbestos, product liability, automobile, premises and sports liability litigation. He is a founder of the firm and has served as a member of the firm’s Executive Committee.

Ed served as chairman and president of the Chicago Asbestos Defense Group and was appointed by the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, as liaison officer and lead counsel for the defense of all asbestos litigation pending in Cook County.

Sharing his deep knowledge of asbestos litigation, Ed has lectured on asbestos litigation to the Conference of Insurance Legislators, the Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel, the Chicago Bar Association, DRI and Perrin Asbestos Conferences. 

He was a featured speaker at a National Business Institute seminar on trial advocacy and an author and lecturer on trial advocacy in Illinois in 1991 and 1999. Ed is also the author of a chapter on handling toxic tort cases in the Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel manual and has lectured extensively in toxic tort and asbestos litigation across the country.

Ed is a member of the Illinois State Bar, the State Bar of Michigan and the federal bars of the Northern, Central and Southern Districts of Illinois, the Eastern and Western Districts of Wisconsin, the Eastern District of Missouri and the Northern District of Indiana. He is a member of the Illinois Bar Association, the Michigan Bar Association, DRI, the Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel and the Chicago Trial Lawyers Club and is a Senior Fellow in the Litigation Council of America. He also is an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association.

He received his J.D. from the John Marshall Law School after receiving his B.S. from the University of St. Thomas.

Ed has been presented the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award by Marquis Who’s Who for his accomplishments in the practice of law. He has been listed in Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in American Law, Who’s Who in American Business, Illinois Super Lawyers and Leading Lawyers in Illinois. He has been selected by his peers for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America from 2016 through 2021. Ed has served as a trustee of the Village of Brookfield and has been a member of the village’s Zoning and Recreation Boards. He also has served as president of the Brookfield Jaycees. Ed is a member of the Union League Club and the Saint Cyril Society.

A trial lawyer’s true value rests on what jurors think of him and how he or she relates to them. Complete post-trial juror interviews were performed by a well-known jury consultant service in two of Ed’s recent trials. The jurors rated him excellent, grading him A or A+. Click here for the direct responses of the jurors to the questions of the jury consulting service, which was done blind to ensure no prejudice in their answers.

       

Honors

  • Named to Best Lawyers “Lawyer of the Year” in Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, Chicago, 2023
  • Listed in The Best Lawyers in America®  for Product Liability LitigationDefendants, 2016 – present
  • Selected to Illinois Leading Lawyers, 2003 – present
  • Selected to Illinois Super Lawyers, 2005 – present
  • Top Rated Lawyer in Mass Torts by American Lawyer Media and Martindale-Hubbell­, 2014, 2019
  • Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award by Marquis Who’s Who
  • Who’s Who in America
  • Who’s Who in American Law
  • Who’s Who in American Business
  • Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent­ Peer Review Rated
  • Senior Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America

Professional & Civic Involvement

  • Founder, President and Chairman, Board of Chicago Asbestos Defense Group
  • Founder, Chicago Asbestos Properties Damage Group
  • American Arbitration Association
  • Association of Defense Trial Attorneys
  • Chicago Trial Lawyers Club
  • Member, Diversity Law Institute
  • Defense Research Institute (DRI)
  • Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel
  • Illinois Bar Association
  • Illinois Defense Counsel
  • Mealey’s Defense Toxic Tort Advisory Council, 2006
  • Michigan Bar Association
  • Barrister, Order of the Centurions
  • Member, Trial Law Institute

Practice Highlights

Representative Matters

  • Represented a leading North American manufacturer of hydronic heating systems at trial and through appeal to the Illinois Supreme Court in perhaps the most significant decision in Illinois asbestos litigation history, wherein the court specifically overruled those cases that expanded the “Lipke rule” to prevent a defendant at trial from introducing evidence of other exposures to advance a causation defense.
  • Served as national coordinating counsel and national trial counsel for numerous manufacturers of gaskets and packing. Tried and defended cases involving these products across the country including cases in Massachusetts, Delaware, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Texas, Mississippi and California.
  • Defended numerous cases at trial for manufacturers of boilers.
  • Defended numerous products including but not limited to ADT security systems, cements, asbestos textiles, respirators, auto materials, bonding presses, plastics and underground insulation.
  • Tried asbestos premises cases including the case of Epstein v. Port Authority of New York in the Supreme Court of New York City in 2020.
  • Represents product manufacturers in product liability actions across the country relating to a wide range of products including industrial, commercial and pharmaceutical.

Published Appellate Opinions

  • Kinseth v. Weil-McLain 913 NW 2d 55, Iowa Supreme, 2018
  • Nolan v. Weil-McLain 233 Ill 2d 416, Illinois Supreme, 2009
  • Dallis v. Don Cunningham and Associates, 11 F.3d 713 (7th Cir. (Ill.), Dec 08, 1993
  • Balzekas v. Looking Elk, 254 Ill. App.3d 529, 627 N.E.2d 84, 193 Ill. Dec. 925 (Ill.App 1 Dist., Sep 17, 1993) (NO. I-92-0677)
  • Kurrack v. American Dist. Telegraph Co., 252 Ill.App.3d 885, 625 N.E.2d 675, 192 Ill.Dec. 520
  • Belkow v. Celotex Corp., 722 F. Supp. 1547, Prod.Liab.Rep. (CCH) P 12,437 (N.D.Ill., Sep22, 1989) (NO. 89 C 3049)
  • Wakeland v. Garlock, Ill App Ct 5 District #5-02-0142
  • Froud v. Celotex Corp., 98 Ill.2d 324, 456 N.E.2d 131, 74 Ill.Dec.629 (Ill., Oct 25, 1983)
  • Phillips v. Chicago Housing Authority, 89 Ill.2d 122, 431 N.E.2d 1038, 59 Ill.Dec.281 (Ill., Feb 02, 1982)
  • Phillips v. Chicago Housing Authority, 91 Ill.App.3d 544, 414 N.E.2d 1133, 47 Ill.Dec. 17 (Ill.App. 1 Dist., Dec 04, 1980) (NO. 79-1898)
  • Clark v. Standard Life & Acc. Ins. Co., 68 Ill.App.3d 977, 386 N.E.2d 890, 25 Ill.Dec. 416 (Ill.App. 1 Dist., Feb 14, 1979) (NO. 76-1526, 77-347, 77-664)
  • Board of Educ. of City of Chicago v. A, C and S, Inc., 171 Ill.App.3d 737, 525 N.E.2d 950, 121 Ill.Dec.643, 47 Ed. Law Rep. 1108, Prod.Liab.Rep. (CCH) P 11,874 (Ill.App. 1 Dist., Jun 01, 1988) (No. 86-0817)

News & Events

Publications

Speaking Engagements

  • “The Current Status of Lung Cancer Litigation,” Perrin Conferences Cutting-Edge Issues in Asbestos Litigation, 2024
  • “Jury Selection in an Asbestos Trial,” DRI, 2016
  • “Asbestos Trust Disclosure,” DRI Young Lawyers Section, 2015
  • “Issues in Defending the Lung Cancer Case,” Perrin Conferences’ Asbestos Defense Strategic Summit, 2010 – 2013
  • “Lung Cancers, Screenings and Litigation – The Science and Law Issues,” Perrin Conferences’ Newest Trends in Lung Cancer and Mesothelioma Cases, 2013
  • “Asbestos Defense at Deposition” DRI, 2012
  • “Inside the Jurors’ Heads: Revelations from the Jury from the Trial Participants,” Jury Management Conference, Law Bulletin Seminars, 2012
  • “The Value of Mock Trials, Deliberations and Focus Groups,” Juror Deliberation and Jury Management Seminar, Law Bulletin Seminars, 2011
  • “An Update on the Continued Growth of Tobacco and Asbestos Litigation,” New Era of Product Liability Law – Emerging Issues Driving Mass Tort and Environmental Litigation, Perrin Conferences, 2011