Dennis J. Graber

Dennis J. Graber defends major manufacturers, distributors, service providers, premises owners, and retail businesses in the mediation and litigation of product liability, toxic tort, and environmental matters, with an emphasis on the defense of asbestos litigation in Illinois and Missouri. He has also defended asbestos cases in Delaware, Kentucky, Rhode Island, California, and New York.

Dennis also represents clients in defense of other product liability, and toxic tort matters where claims were made regarding chemicals, coatings, and appliances.

He routinely appears in the circuit courts in most counties in southern Illinois and has handled numerous civil trials in St. Louis, Missouri, and throughout southern Illinois.

In 2017, Dennis completed the Illinois State Bar Association's mediation training, and in 2021, began serving as a member of the Mediator Panel of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois.

Dennis joined Hinshaw in 1987.

• Illinois State Bar Association
• Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis
• Defense Research Institute

• Selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© for Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants, 2023 – 2025; Product Liability Litigation - Defendants, 2023 – 2025
• Holds the AV® Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell, its highest rating for ethics and legal ability
• Leading Lawyers, Problem Solvers Award for Insurance/Insurance Coverage/Reinsurance Law; Personal Injury Defense: General; Professional Malpractice Defense; Workers Compensation Defense List

• Clendenny vs. Austin, Madison County, Illinois. Obtained a complete jury verdict in a personal injury claim in favor of our client, the premise owner.
• Carbondale Convention Center vs. City of Carbondale, Jackson County, Illinois. Obtained a favorable settlement for our client, the City of Carbondale, in a breach of contract claim alleging in excess of $7 million in economic and other damages for failure to provide parcels of land to the plaintiff. The city was defended under its Errors and Omissions policy of insurance. After four days of trial, a confidential settlement was reached at a figure substantially less than the $1M policy limit.
• Bleem vs. Eagle Bank, Randolph County, Illinois. Successfully defended at trial and on appeal, a lawyer sued for malpractice by a plaintiff who had defaulted on mortgage payments.
• Niederbrach vs. Johnston, St. Clair County, Illinois. Secured a complete defense verdict in an alleged staircase slip-and-fall personal injury case, having proved that the steps in question were a uniform height and that there was substantial evidence the plaintiff's injuries may have resulted from an unrelated accident.