John B. Isbister

Tydings & Rosenberg LLP, Baltimore, USA

Mr. Isbister has represented a number of public and private companies and individuals in a broad spectrum of civil litigation.  He has extensive experience defending products-liability claims and is the partner in charge of the firm's products liability, toxic tort, and environmental litigation practice.  He has:

• successfully defended products-liability cases in courts in Maryland and the other mid-Atlantic states involving multiple chemical-sensitivity claims, repetitive-stress injury claims, chemicals, lead paint, pharmaceuticals, toys, exercise equipment, consumer-electronics products, industrial machinery, automobiles, and building products
• served as regional counsel for former manufacturers of asbestos-containing products, and has overseen their representation in 17 states
• litigated a number of significant business matters involving insurance coverage, securities, corporate governance, antitrust, and commercial-litigation disputes
• represented the State of Maryland as the receiver of an insolvent state-chartered savings and loan in its trial, which recovered on the institution's officers' and directors' liability policy
• represented plaintiffs in numerous class actions in state and federal courts on behalf of investors and minority shareholders, including representation in cases that have established the leading authorities in this jurisdiction on securities fraud and the rights of minority shareholders during an insider takeover
• served as liaison counsel for the competitor plaintiffs in the consolidated multidistrict antitrust actions against Microsoft Corp.
• represented Sun Microsystems, Inc., in its massive antitrust action against Microsoft Corp., in which Sun received an approximate $1.95 billion settlement

Mr. Isbister has been an active leader in the legal profession.  He previously served as a co-chair of the Products Liability Committee of the Litigation Section of the American Bar Association, and as the co-chair of the Environmental and Mass Torts subcommittee.  He currently serves as a Division Director of the Section of Litigation of the American Bar Association.  He is a Past President of the Maryland Chapter of the Federal Bar Association.  He has presented numerous programs on products-liability issues, punitive damages, and trial advocacy.  Mr. Isbister is a founder and program chair of the nine annual National Institutes on Class Actions presented by the American Bar Association.  In 2004, Mr. Isbister was elected for membership to the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel.

Outside his professional practice, he has been an active volunteer and leader in community affairs.  He has served on the governing boards of Johns Hopkins Medicine and Howard County General Hospital (Chair).  He was previously on the boards of the Howard County Police Foundation, Leadership Howard County, and the United Way.  He is also a member of the Board of Visitors of the University of Maryland School of Law.

Bar Admissions
Maryland, 1977
District of Columbia, 1979
U.S. District Court District of Maryland, 1978
U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit, 1985

Education
University of Maryland School of Law, Baltimore, Maryland, 1977 J.D. Law Review:  Maryland Law Review, 1976 - 1977
With Honors

University of Maryland, Baltimre, MD, USA B.S.
With High Honors

Published Works

• Environmental Dispute Handbook (Chapter Author), 1991