Timothy Ray
+1.312.928.6042
Overview
Timothy Ray is a trial attorney in Holland & Knight's Chicago office and concentrates his practice in the areas of antitrust and other complex litigation. Mr. Ray has worked as a leading trial lawyer for more than twenty years and tried more than forty jury trials to verdict in complex litigation matters. He serves as the Chicago Litigation Practice Group Leader.
Representative Experience
- Trial counsel for a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe manufacturer in an antitrust class action conspiracy case pending in federal court in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, alleging an agreement among PVC manufacturers to reduce supply and exchange competitively sensitive information to raise the price of PVC
- Trial counsel for ongoing litigation in multiple jurisdictions for a real estate franchise company in the largest real estate antitrust class action conspiracy case in U.S. history, alleging price-fixing and an agreement among an association and other real estate companies to artificially inflate real estate commissions, resulting in harm to home sellers
- Tried to verdict on behalf of a real estate franchise company in federal court in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri the largest real estate antitrust class action conspiracy case in U.S. history, alleging price-fixing and an agreement among an association and other real estate companies to artificially inflate real estate commissions, resulting in harm to home sellers
- Trial counsel for a real estate franchise company in an antitrust class action conspiracy case pending in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, alleging an agreement to fix prices of real estate commissions, resulting in harm to home sellers
- Trial counsel for a real estate franchise company in an antitrust class action conspiracy case pending in the Northern District of Illinois, alleging an agreement to fix prices of real estate commissions, resulting in harm to home buyers
- Represented a leading forest products company in an antitrust class action conspiracy case in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, alleging an agreement among oriented strand board (OSB) manufacturers to exchange competitively sensitive information to raise the price of OSB
- Served as advisory counsel to an international steel company in an antitrust class action conspiracy case in the Northern District of Illinois, alleging an agreement among steel manufacturers to reduce supply and raise the price of steel
- Theft of Trade Secrets: Representing a Chinese-based trader in theft of trade secrets and Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act case brought by a former employer
- RICO: Represented a real estate franchise company in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut in a RICO case, alleging that certain real estate companies participated in a criminal enterprise that resulted in harm to real estate owners; argued motion to dismiss that resulted in all counts dismissed at the pleading stage
- RICO: Served as counsel to a German original equipment manufacturer (OEM) in a putative class action in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida involving various RICO, defect and consumer fraud allegations concerning a sensor housing that was responsible for the release of airbags in automobiles; all counts were dismissed at the pleading stage
- Anticompetitive Practices, Fraud and Theft of Trade Secrets: Represented a Doha, Qatar, conglomerate in an International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR) arbitration regarding a dispute with a U.S. healthcare equipment maker over a distribution agreement, alleging fraud, anticompetitive behavior, theft of trade secrets and tortious interference with business, concerning a bid for $100 million in procurement spending by the two largest hospitals ever built in Doha
- Joint Venture Dispute: Represented the world's leading integrated steel and mining company in an American Arbitration Association (AAA) arbitration involving a dispute over a joint venture agreement and anticompetitive behavior
- Misappropriation of Funds and Fraud: Represented a Riyadh, Saudi Arabia-based company in federal court in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in a case alleging theft of trade secrets and embezzlement of millions of dollars stolen by a former employee
- False Advertising: Represented a national retail chain engaged in the sale of pet products and services against false advertising allegations in multiple putative class actions involving various brands of specialty pet foods in Illinois, California and Florida; the allegations included claims concerning the term "all natural" and the health benefits claimed by certain products; the case was the first false advertising case in the Northern District of Illinois to be dismissed at the pleading stage
- False Advertising: Represented online travel agents before the National Advertising Division (NAD) concerning the accuracy of published fares
- Consumer Fraud: Represented a national retail chain engaged in the sale of pet animal products and services in two putative privacy class actions; the first of which regarded alleged violations of the Song-Beverly Credit Card Act and the second of which regarded alleged violations of Massachusetts privacy laws in connection with credit card transactions
- False Claims Act (FCA): Represented 20 specialty wine distributors in Illinois state court against FCA litigation involving allegations of failure to remit sales tax
- Bad Faith Insurance: Represented a major commercial lines insurance carrier in Illinois state court in bad faith litigation over its handling of an insurance policy that insured a helicopter touring company that was triggered after a fatal helicopter crash, resulting in the death of a passenger
- Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA): Represented a healthcare insurance broker in ERISA litigation against fifteen defendants arising from various alleged fiduciary breaches in relation to their responsibilities for the administration of certain healthcare plans
- Family Office Dispute: Represented high-net-worth family involved in significant trust disputes with beneficiaries
- Lead counsel for a German consumer products company in benzene litigation
- Represented a German agrochemical company involved in litigation stemming from widespread use of Roundup, a herbicide containing the active ingredient glyphosate
- Represented an iconic Italian motorcycle manufacturer in a safety investigation conducted by the U.S. National Highway Safety Traffic Administration (NHTSA) arising from various product defect claims involving the gas tanks and fuel lines of multiple brands of motorcycles; the investigation was dismissed, and no further action was taken by the NHTSA
- Represented a major pharmaceutical company in nationwide class actions and individual wrongful death cases in litigation arising from a nationwide drug recall of oversized morphine tablets
- Represented a global drug company in significant vaccine-related litigation
- Represented a multinational automaker in state and federal court in trials alleging design defect and franchise litigation
- Appointed by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois to represent clients in employment disputes involving private businesses, the State of Illinois, Metropolitan Rail (METRA) and in civil rights cases involving prisoners
Credentials
Education
- University of Iowa College of Law, J.D.
- Xavier University of Louisiana, B.A.
Bar Admissions/Licenses
- Illinois
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut
- U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Trial Bar
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
Memberships
- American Bar Association, Antitrust Law Section
- University of Iowa College of Law, Board of Directors
- University of Iowa College of Law Chicago Alumni Steering Committee
Honors & Awards
- Pro Bono and Public Interest Award, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, 2025
- Notable Litigators & Trial Attorneys, Crain's Chicago Business, 2025
- The Best Lawyers in America guide, Commercial Litigation, 2018-2025
- Leading Antitrust & Global Competition Lawyers, Lawdragon 500, 2025
- Leading Litigators in America, Lawdragon 500, 2022, 2024, 2025
- Outstanding Service, Illinois Supreme Court, Committee on Professional Responsibility, 2007-2015
- Distinguished Service Award, Chicago Bar Foundation, 2010
- Dedicated Service, Chicago Bar Association, Board of Managers, 2009-2011
- 40 Attorneys Under 40 to Watch, Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, 2004
