Bio

W. Jason Rankin focuses his practice on trials involving complex litigation matters, including class actions, pharmaceutical litigation, product liability, and insurance defense. He regularly represents clients in multi-million-dollar litigation relating to nationwide class actions and product liability claims. Mr. Rankin represents clients in both Illinois and Missouri and has obtained favorable jury verdicts and arbitration awards on behalf of the defendants.

  • Washington University School of Law, J.D., 1996
  • Drake University, B.A. in English with Spanish minormagna cum laude, 1993

 

Law School Honors/Involvement

  • Washington University Journal of Urban and Contemporary Law
    • Associate Editor
  • Illinois
  • Missouri
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit
  • U.S. District Courts for the
    • Eastern District of Missouri
    • Southern District of Illinois
    • Central District of Illinois

 

Professional Associations

  • Defense Research Institute
    • Class Action Specialized Litigation Group (Chair)
    • Class Actions Seminar – Latest Developments in Law and Practice (Program Chair)
  • Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel
  • International Association of Defense Counsel
  • Madison County (Illinois) Bar Association
HB Attorneys Secure Defense Verdict in Talc Case
Rankin, Young, and Jacobi Obtain Summary Judgment
HeplerBroom Attorneys Receive an Important Class Action Fairness Act Victory

Petition for Certiorari

  • AV Preeminent® Attorney by Martindale-Hubbell
  • Best Lawyers in America (2016-2026)
    • 2021 “Lawyer of the Year” – Product Liability Litigation–Defendants (St. Louis)
  • Illinois Leading Lawyer (2015-2025)
  • Illinois Super Lawyer (2012-2025)
    • Rising Star (2011)
15 HeplerBroom Attorneys Named 2026 Illinois Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
19 HeplerBroom Attorneys Honored with Inclusion on 2026 Best Lawyers Lists
15 HeplerBroom Attorneys Named 2025 Illinois Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
28 HeplerBroom Attorneys Honored with Inclusion on 2025 Best Lawyers Lists
13 HB Attorneys Named 2024 Illinois Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
28 HeplerBroom Attorneys Honored with Inclusion on 2024 Best Lawyers Lists
13 HB Attorneys Named 2023 Illinois Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
HeplerBroom Attorneys Honored with Inclusion on Best Lawyers List
15 HB Attorneys Listed as Illinois Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
HeplerBroom Attorneys Honored with Inclusion on Best Lawyers Lists
16 HB Attorneys Listed as Illinois Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
38 HeplerBroom Attorneys Named to 2020 List of Leading/Emerging Lawyers
Three HeplerBroom Attorneys Named Best Lawyers' 2021 "Lawyers Of The Year"
HeplerBroom Attorneys Honored with Inclusion on Best Lawyers List
17 HB Attorneys Listed as Illinois Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars®
14 HeplerBroom Attorneys Named Best Lawyers®
44 HeplerBroom Attorneys Named to 2019 List of Leading/Emerging Lawyers
23 HB Attorneys Listed as Illinois Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
15 HeplerBroom Attorneys Named Best Lawyers®
21 HB Attorneys Listed as Illinois Super Lawyers and Rising Stars®
15 HeplerBroom Attorneys Named Best Lawyers®
22 HB Attorneys Listed as Super Lawyers and Rising Stars®
30 HeplerBroom Attorneys Named to 2016 "Leading/Emerging Lawyers" in Civil Defense
Nine HeplerBroom Attorneys Named Best Lawyers
HeplerBroom Attorneys Named In 2016 Illinois Super Lawyers
31 HeplerBroom Lawyers Named Leading or Emerging Lawyers
HeplerBroom Attorneys Named Best Lawyers
Rankin Quoted in Chicago Daily Law Bulletin
HeplerBroom Attorneys Named 2015 Illinois Super Lawyers
Rankin Accepted for Membership in IADC
HeplerBroom Attorneys Named as 2014 Illinois Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
HeplerBroom Attorneys Named Illinois Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
HeplerBroom Attorneys Named Illinois Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
Rankin Named Chair of DRI's Class Action Specialized Litigation Group
Rankin Appointed Vice Chair of DRI Committee
  • “The Future of Class Actions Worldwide,” International Association of Defense Counsel, 2021 Midyear Meeting (2021).
  • “Practical Application of E-Discovery in Illinois.” Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel Seminar (Chicago IL, 2015).
  • “Latest Developments in Law and Practice,” DRI Class Actions Seminar (Washington D.C., 2015).
  • “A Review of Recent Class Action Fairness Act (CAFA) Decisions,” DRI Business Litigation Seminar (Chicago IL, 2013).
Implications of U.S. Supreme Court’s Expansion of Civil RICO Liability: An Analysis of Medical Marijuana, Inc. v. Horn
  • “Providing Notice of a Class Action,” Chapter 6 in IICLE Class Actions Handbook (2020). (Co-author)
  • “Are Class Action Counterclaims Removable Under CAFA?” DRI (March 2, 2011). (Co-author)
  • “CAFA Removal in the Seventh Circuit,” The Business Suit, DRI (November 21, 2008). (Co-author)

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