Abbott secures complete defense verdict in six-day whistleblower jury trial

Client(s) Abbott Laboratories

Jones Day secured a complete defense verdict for Abbott Laboratories in a six-day whistleblower jury trial in the Northern District of Illinois. The plaintiff, a former employee, filed a two-count complaint against Abbott in 2020, alleging retaliation under the Minnesota Whistleblower Act and promissory estoppel. The plaintiff claimed that he had engaged in protected activity by reporting alleged regulatory violations involving one of Abbott’s medical device divisions and was terminated as a result.

In early 2024, Abbott obtained summary judgment with respect to the promissory estoppel claim. Following the week-long trial and after less than an hour of deliberations, the jury returned a verdict in favor of Abbott on the remaining whistleblower claim, finding that the plaintiff had not reported actual violations of law and thus had not engaged in any protected conduct.

Steven Jwanouskos v. Abbott Laboratories, No. 1:20-cv-00687 (N.D. Ill.)