Jones Day partner José Isasi named to Crain's Chicago Business' Notable Latino Leaders list
Jones Day's José Isasi, a first-chair trial lawyer, was named to Crain's Chicago Business's Notable Latino Leaders list for 2024. Recipients of the honor identify as Hispanic or Latino, serve in senior leadership positions, show accomplishment in their field and the ability to power or effect change, and are selected in recognition of their significant contributions to advancing equality in the workplace and community.
A partner in the Firm's Business & Tort Litigation Practice, Mr. Isasi has successfully tried to verdict dozens of federal and state jury and bench trials in product liability and commercial disputes throughout the United States. He also serves as lead trial counsel in commercial arbitrations. He focuses his practice on defending product manufacturers, particularly pharmaceutical, medical device, and chemical manufacturers, in product liability, public nuisance, and commercial disputes, including multidistrict litigations, consolidated cases, and other national, high-risk representations. He regularly counsels clients on strategies to minimize litigation risk.
One of his recent notable wins includes as lead trial counsel achieving a complete defense verdict in favor of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company (RJR) in the first smoking and health case ever tried in Chicago. The plaintiff asserted that Reynolds' cigarettes were negligently and defectively designed, that Reynolds had demonstrated disregard for its customer's welfare, and that RJR and other tobacco companies had conspired to fraudulently misrepresent the health risks and addictive nature of cigarettes. The plaintiff sought compensatory damages of $33.5 million and additional unspecified punitive damages. The jury ultimately returned a unanimous verdict for RJR on each of the plaintiff's claims, also rejecting the punitive damages claim.
In the profession and the community, Mr. Isasi has served for more than 10 years on to the board of directors for Legal Prep, a charter high school in Chicago's West Garfield Park neighborhood, as well as the board of visitors of Duke University's Trinity College. He co-chairs Jones Day's Hispanic Lawyers Group, a Firmwide affinity group, and has also served for over a decade on the board of the Duke University Hispanic Alumni Association.
