Brian J. Huelsmann
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Brian Huelsmann is a veteran trial lawyer.
He defends civil litigation matters, including product liability, toxic and mass tort litigation, and insurance disputes, as well as environmental and commercial litigation. Brian represents clients – including Fortune 200 and Fortune 500 companies, their insurance carriers, and their insureds – primarily in Illinois and Missouri. As national counsel for defendants in asbestos, benzene, and silica litigation, he has tried four asbestos trials to verdict, with two other asbestos trials settling before closing arguments, and has obtained favorable jury verdicts on behalf of clients in multimillion-dollar matters.
Clients rely on Brian for his “on-the-ground” representation in some of the most active toxic and mass tort jurisdictions in the United States. His ability to manage thousands of mass tort cases in asbestos litigation without sacrificing client communication and satisfaction is his hallmark.
In Illinois, one of only a few states to regulate the use of employees’ biometric data (e.g., fingerprints, voiceprints, and iris or retina scans), Brian is a pioneer in defending this cutting-edge litigation. He also is an arbitrator for the Third Judicial Circuit in Madison County, Illinois, and a frequent speaker on matters relating to litigation in his practice areas.
- Education
- Southern Illinois University School of Law (J.D., 2001)
- Rockhurst University (B.A., 1997)
- State Admissions
- Missouri, 2001
- Illinois, 2002
- Pennsylvania, 2012
- Federal Admissions
- United States Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit
- United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois
- United States District Court, Southern District of Illinois
- United States District Court, Eastern District of Missouri
- United States District Court, Western District of Missouri
- Achieved the successful resolution of a high-risk silicosis case in Cook County, Illinois, on the eve of trial (November 2023)
- Obtained a favorable settlement for a defendant in an asbestos personal injury case following one week of trial in Madison County, Illinois (September 2018)
- Obtained a favorable settlement for an HVAC equipment manufacturer in an asbestos personal injury case during pre-trial motions in Cook County, Illinois (June 2016)
- Secured a defense verdict for a building products manufacturer in an asbestos personal injury case in Madison County, Illinois (November 2013)
- Secured a defense verdict for a building products manufacturer in an asbestos personal injury case in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin (May 2010)
- Secured a defense verdict for a building products manufacturer in an asbestos personal injury case in Sangamon County, Illinois (August 2009)
- Obtained a favorable settlement for a building products manufacturer in an asbestos personal injury case the day before closing argument in Madison County, Illinois (October 2007)
- Secured a defense verdict for a building products manufacturer in an asbestos personal injury case in Madison County, Illinois (April 2004)
Speaking Engagements
- “Jurisdictional Updates: Overview of California, Illinois and Emerging Jurisdictions,” Perrin Asbestos Litigation Conference: A National Overview and Outlook, San Francisco, California (September 2015)
- “Examining the Tooey Case in Pennsylvania and Its Impact With Workers’ Compensation Laws in Different Jurisdictions and How It Shapes the Course of Litigation Going Forward,” American Conference Institute Asbestos Claims and Litigation Conference, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (January 2015)
- “State of the Market & Where It’s Headed in the Short and Long Term,” American Conference Institute 17th National Advanced Forum on Asbestos Claims & Litigation, Chicago, Illinois (June 2014)
- “Recent Trends and Verdicts in Illinois, New York and Rise of Alleged Asbestos Related Lung Cancer Claims,” National Forum on Environmental & Toxic Tort Issues, Chicago, Illinois (September 2013)
- “Arbitration and Mediation,” National Business Institute, Fairview Heights, Illinois (May 2013)
- “Update on Toxic Tort and Environmental Law,” National Business Institute Webinar (April 2013)
- “2012 Year in Review,” HB Litigation Conferences: 15th Annual National Asbestos Litigation Conference, Chicago, Illinois (October 2012)
- “Update on Medicare Reporting,” National Business Institute, Fairview Heights, Illinois (May 2012)
Publications
- “Is Missouri a ‘Lawsuit Inferno’? Update on Current Tort Reform Legislation and Need for Additional Measures,” Association of Corporate Counsel St. Louis (October 2024)
- “Memory Experts in Toxic Tort Litigation,” DRI’s The Voice (November 2010)
- The Best Lawyers in America® (2025)
- Top Business Attorney, St. Louis Small Business Monthly (2021)
- Illinois Super Lawyers Rising Stars® (2011, 2014)
- Madison County Bar Association
- St. Clair County Bar Association
- The Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis
- Illinois Association of Defense Counsel
- Defense Research Institute
- Claims and Litigation Management Alliance
