Profile
Gregory E. Ostfeld is Vice Chair of the firm’s Pharmaceutical Medical Device & Health Care Litigation Practice and Co-Chair of the Chicago Litigation Practice. For more than two decades, Greg has focused on providing outstanding representation and exceptional service to clients in regulated industries, with a focus on pharmaceutical and medical device companies, the financial services sector, and the consumer products sector. Greg focuses his litigation and appellate practice on class actions, data privacy, products liability, mass torts, mass arbitrations, and other high-stakes litigation, combining innovative strategies with a deep understanding and appreciation of his clients’ business goals and objectives to deliver superior outcomes. Greg’s litigation practice is nationwide; he has handled individual, multi-district, and consolidated cases at the trial court level in dozens of states, and has led appeals in nearly every federal appellate court and approximately two dozen state appellate courts. The pillars of Greg’s practice are: understanding the client’s business; frequent and consistent communication and collaboration; tailoring legal strategy to client objectives; and principled representation meeting the highest standards of professionalism.
Greg has been recognized by Chambers USA for his work based on client feedback highlighting his meticulous attention to detail and comprehensive research. Clients reporting to Chambers describe him as thoughtful, knowledgeable, and consistently providing commercially astute and well-considered advice across a wide range of disputes. He is also praised as “an absolute pleasure to work with,” with particular recognition for his responsiveness and thorough approach.
Greg is a committed believer in Justice Learned Hand’s maxim, “Thou shalt not ration justice.” As a past pro bono coordinator for the Chicago office, Greg strives to lead by example. He has represented dozens of indigent clients in cases involving discrimination, victim advocacy, prisoner rights, and civil rights, and has written and filed amicus briefs on behalf of dozens of major bar associations and public interest organizations in the U.S. Supreme Court, numerous federal appeals courts, and state courts around the country. His efforts as pro bono coordinator fostered a culture of commitment to service, and succeeded in elevating the office’s pro bono hours by several multiples during his nine-year tenure. As co-chair of the litigation practice, Greg has also been instrumental in promoting and applying standards of diversity and inclusion in hiring, retention, and promotion.
Greg is a proven advocate at the trial and appellate levels, with numerous bench and jury trials and arbitrations and scores of appellate oral arguments to his credit. Though his successful approach over hundreds of cases has brought him recognition from ratings and rankings organizations, Greg’s most important measure of success is the trust his clients have continued to place in him, case after case, year after year, in close-knit relationships.
Concentrations
- Class action litigation
- Data privacy class actions and mass arbitrations
- Products liability and mass tort litigation
- Pharmaceutical and medical device litigation
- Consumer fraud litigation
- Appeals
Capabilities
Experience
- National coordinating counsel for a significant financial service company in a series of class actions and mass arbitrations filed in federal courts around the country and before the American Arbitration Association, including as lead trial counsel in multiple bellwether arbitrations. Plaintiffs’ and claimants’ claims assert federal and state wiretap violations, invasion of privacy, unjust enrichment, and other common law claims arising out of the alleged use of online tracking technologies to transmit private customer information to third-party advertising providers.
- Represent a large regional medical provider in a federal multi-state class action asserting federal wiretap and state common law claims arising out of the alleged use of online tracking pixels purportedly to transmit personally identifiable information and private health information to third-party pixel providers.
- Represent a major national pharmaceutical and medical device company in its entire nationwide portfolio of class actions and products liability cases, including a class action under the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act arising out of the company’s online virtual try-on software for colored contact lenses, a consumer protection class action involving the labeling of over-the-counter eye drop products, and a consumer protection class action involving the recall of one lot of over-the-counter eye drop products.
- Represent a national cosmetics company in the defense of multiple class actions under the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act, asserting that the company’s online virtual try-on applications allegedly violate users’ biometric privacy rights by using facial geometry as part of the virtual try-on algorithms. Successfully argued motions to dismiss in multiple cases.
- Represent a car manufacturer in the defense of a class action under the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act, asserting that a vehicle safety feature monitoring driver attentiveness violates the biometric statute by measuring users’ eye movements to evaluate driver attentiveness. Successfully secured dismissal of the lawsuit with prejudice based on plaintiff’s failure to allege that the data ever left plaintiff’s vehicle.
- Represent a pharmacy chain in the defense of a putative statewide class action under the Pennsylvania wiretap statute alleging that the use of tracking technologies on the company’s website shares private user information with third-party advertising partners.
- Represent a major generic pharmaceutical manufacturer in numerous ongoing economic loss class actions, multi-district product liability litigations, and individual product liability cases. Successfully participated in Rule 702 hearings resulting in the admission of defendants’ damages experts and the exclusion of plaintiffs’ damages expert in a multi-state economic loss class action weeks before trial, resulting in the postponement of the trial and renewed summary judgment briefing.
- Represent a national medical device manufacturer in connection with multiple statewide medical monitoring class actions arising out of alleged health risks related to the emission of ethylene oxide used in sterilization of life-saving medical devices.
- Represent a leading national wholesale mortgage company in the defense of multiple class action antitrust suits alleging a coordinated boycott of a competitor’s wholesale mortgage products. Successfully secured multiple rounds of dismissal at the magistrate judge and district court levels, followed by affirmative of the final dismissal order by the Eleventh Circuit.
- Represent a leading manufacturer of medical devices in connection with claims of mislabeling of pulse oximeter devices, raising novel issues regarding the design, testing, and labeling of medical devices that are allegedly less accurate based on skin pigmentation.
- Represented a health care facility in connection with post-trial motion practice and appeal of one of the largest single-plaintiff verdicts for compensatory emotional distress damages and punitive damages in Illinois history. Successfully argued for remitted verdict, resulting in reduction of jury’s punitive damages verdict by more than $350 million.
- Represent a large generic drug manufacturer in the defense of coordinated state court personal injury claims asserting injuries arising out of a recalled generic heartburn medication based on allegations that the product degraded and formed nitrosamine impurities. Co-led a joint defense group of generic manufacturers that successfully secured dismissal of all claims on preemption grounds, followed by a lead role in successfully opposing the appeal of the preemption ruling to the Illinois appellate court and to the Illinois Supreme Court.
- Represent a major manufacturer of regulated consumer products in arbitration and multiple state appeals arising out of a multi-state master settlement agreement, including arbitration of amounts owed under the settlement agreement, appeals challenging product seizures, appeals relating to amendments to the master settlement agreement, and appeals relating to payment adjustments under the settlement agreement.
- Represented a major national university and its current and former employees in multiple high-stakes tort suits, including a high-profile lawsuit drawing national media attention alleging civil rights violations and negligence in connection with the abduction and murder of a visiting foreign student, and the alleged practices of university counselors in connection with the perpetrator’s psychological care and treatment. The case was dismissed with prejudice.
- Represented multiple universities in the defense of class action breach of warranty, consumer protection, and civil rights lawsuits arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic, the closure of on-campus activities, the transition to online learning, and vaccine policies for return-to-school protocols. Successfully secured dismissal of multiple lawsuits, including the successful appeal of a class certification ruling that resulted in remand and a subsequent summary judgment ruling in favor of the defendant university, and the successful dismissal of a section 1983 lawsuit and affirmance on appeal to the Seventh Circuit.
- Represented a group of major pharmaceutical companies in a series of multi-state consumer fraud class actions filed in federal courts around the country, asserting unfair practices in connection with the design of the containers for the defendants’ prescription eye drop products. Successfully argued and secured dismissal of plaintiffs’ claims before the First Circuit and Seventh Circuit, in decisions named among the top ten drug and medical device rulings of 2017 and 2018. Following these successful appeals, plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed all remaining lawsuits nationwide.
- Represented two pharmaceutical companies in a series of high-stakes Telephone Consumer Protection Act cases filed in federal courts in Florida, Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio, with multiple successful favorable settlements.
- Represented a not-for-profit in a Telephone Consumer Protection Act case raising constitutional questions regarding First Amendment protection of political, non-commercial communications.
- Represented a leading national provider of veterinary services in a successful appeal to the Ninth Circuit challenging the validity of its contractual and franchising practices.
- Multiple representations of the landlord/owner of multi-unit residential apartment complexes across the United States in class actions challenging clients’ practices with respect to security deposits and billing practices.
- Represented the officers of a film production company in a successful appeal affirming the dismissal of claims alleging fraud, fraudulent inducement, and negligent misrepresentation in connection with the structure and alleged promotion of film investment opportunities.
- Represented an investment fund and its manager in a breach of fiduciary duty class action seeking $500 million in damages relating to alleged negligence in connection with a fund investment. Obtained dismissal with prejudice and prevailed on appeal before the Eleventh Circuit and on a referred issue to the Delaware Supreme Court.
- Represented a national bank in a series of nationwide class actions alleging claims on behalf of borrowers and advisers arising out of the Paycheck Protection Program. Successfully secured dismissal of multiple lawsuits and compelled others into arbitration.
- Represented appellant before the Illinois Supreme Court in a products liability suit on question of whether trial court and appellate court erroneously ruled that Illinois law rather than Michigan law would apply. Obtained a decision reversing the trial and appellate courts, which is now one of the leading Illinois authorities on conflicts of law in the Illinois courts.
- Represented a major retailer before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and the Mississippi Supreme Court in the appeal of a negligence verdict. The appeal included a challenge by the plaintiff to Mississippi’s statutory cap on non-economic damages, an issue considered by both the Mississippi Supreme Court and the Fifth Circuit, ultimately resulting in a decision affirming the constitutionality of the damages cap.
- Represented minority shareholder in a dissenting shareholder case involving a major regional hotel chain. Obtained judgment at trial in excess of $18 million.
- Represented victims of a fraudulent investment scheme involving an investment in an Argentine airline and several plans. Obtained a jury verdict of approximately $4.5 million.
Recognition & Leadership
- Listed, Chambers USA Guide, Litigation: Product Liability, 2025
- Team Member, BTI’s Most Recommended Law Firms, Big Pharma, 2025
- Listed, Benchmark Litigation, "Litigation Star," 2025
- Listed,The Legal 500 United States, 2013 and 2017-2024
- Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Action - Defense: Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices, 2021-2025
- "Recommended Lawyer," 2022-2024
- "Leading Partners," 2025
- Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Action - Defense: Consumer Products (Including Tobacco), 2022, 2025
- "Other Key Lawyer," 2022
- "Recommended Lawyer," 2025
- Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Action - Defense: Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices, 2021-2025
- Listed, Crain’s Chicago Business
- “Notable Leaders in Accounting Consulting & Law,” 2024
- “Notable Litigators & Trial Attorneys,” 2023
- “Notable Gen X Leaders in Law,” 2022
- Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, Appellate Practice, 2019-2026
- Listed, Super Lawyers magazine, Illinois Super Lawyers, 2020-2025
- "Rising Stars," 2009-2011 and 2013
- Listed, Leading Lawyers Network, 2019-2025
- Named, Client Service All-Star, BTI Client Service All-Stars Report, 2020, 2022-2023
- Recipient, United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, "Excellence in Pro Bono and Public Interest Service Award," 2021
- Team Member, a Law360 "Real Estate Practice Group of the Year," 2023
- Team Member, a Law360 “Product Liability Practice Group of the Year,” 2021-2022
- Team Member, U.S. News - Best Lawyers®, Best Law Firms Edition, "Law Firm of the Year," Real Estate - Litigation, 2017 and 2022
- Team Member, The American Lawyer’s “Products Liability Litigation Department of the Year,” 2018
- Team Member, a Law360 "Appellate Practice Group of the Year," 2010
- Recipient, Greenberg Traurig "Outstanding Pro Bono Service Award," 2009 (individual) and 2019 (pro bono team)
- Recipient, "Crown of a Good Name Award," Congregation Kol Ami, June 30, 2006
- Member, Personal Care Products Council (PCPC)
- Board Member and Member of the Legal Committee, American Jewish Committee
- Special Advisor to the Board, Chicago Metropolitan Sports Association
- Member, Lawyers for Civil Justice
- Member, Chicago Bar Association
- Member, Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago
- Former Board Member and Former Member of the Civil Rights Executive Committee, Anti-Defamation League
- Former Board Member and Former Treasurer, Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance
- Past President, Congregation Kol Ami, Chicago
Credentials
Education
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J.D., with honors, University of Chicago Law School
- Production/Managing Editor, The University of Chicago Law Review
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B.A., summa cum laude, The George Washington University
- Phi Beta Kappa
Judicial Clerkships
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, 1998
Admissions
- Illinois
- Supreme Court of the United States
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York
News, Insights & Events
Gregory is a contributor to the Consumer Products Counselor Blog 