Our Attorneys

Position: Member
E-Mail jmcginness@simmonsperrine.com
115 3rd Street SE, Suite 1200
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401-1266

Phone 319-366-7641
Fax 319-366-1917
vCard

Jeff McGinness is a native of Iowa City, Iowa and is one of only four undefeated 4-time Iowa high school state wrestling champions. As an undergraduate at the University of Iowa, Jeff was a member and captain of the wrestling team, becoming a two-time NCAA champion under Coach Dan Gable. Although being ranked on the Olympic ladder for the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Jeff elected to hang up his wrestling shoes and focus on his graduate studies at the University of Iowa College of Law. Jeff graduated in 2001 with distinction.

Jeff is currently a member/partner in the Cedar Rapids office of Simmons Perrine Moyer Bergman PLC, where he has practiced since 2007. Jeff is engaged in civil litigation, trial, and appellate practice in state and federal courts. Jeff counsels and litigates for clients on matters related to contracts, health care, products liability, intellectual property, personal injury, construction disputes, commercial disputes, fiduciary duty, professional liability and director and officer liability. Jeff’s practice focuses on resolving disputes for local, national and international clients, both in and out of court. Jeff has successfully tried multiple cases to verdict, practiced in state and federal appellate courts, and represented clients in mediation and arbitration proceedings. Through his judicious management of discovery and successful pretrial negotiations, Jeff has shielded companies from adverse verdicts and substantial settlements, either saving or recovering for his clients hundreds of millions of dollars. As an advisor, Jeff works with his clients to devise business strategies to help minimize litigation risks. Jeff also serves as recruiting partner for Simmons Perrine.

Prior to joining Simmons Perrine, Jeff was an associate at the law firm of Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon, one of Chicago's largest law firms. While at Wildman Jeff was similarly involved in civil litigation, with emphasis in the areas of toxic torts, medical malpractice and drug and medical device litigation. A large percentage of Jeff’s time was spent defending class action and mass tort claims for companies such as Honeywell International, Inc., Koppers Inc., Beazer East, Inc., Aristech Chemical Corporation, and Wyeth. During his time at Wildman Jeff also served on the firms Recruiting Committee.

Specialties
Professional Liability Defense Jeff represents physicians, medical professionals, hospitals and their professional liability insurance carriers in medical malpractice cases. During his career, he has been involved in the successful defense of many health care providers in trials throughout Illinois and Iowa.

Products Liability, Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Litigation Jeff has represented manufacturers, distributors and retailers in relation to the design, manufacture, marketing and distribution of their products throughout the United States. These cases have included claims involving four wheelers, handguns, asbestos, fast food, industrial equipment, economizers, pharmaceuticals and medical devices such as defibrillators, silicone gel breast implants, latex gloves, and oral and implantable contraceptives.

Plaintiffs and Personal Injury Litigation Jeff represents injured parties in tort, commercial, contract and employment actions. He has prosecuted and defended personal injury and wrongful death claims involving auto accidents, premises liability, carbon monoxide, farm machinery accidents, drowning, swimming pools, assault, defamation and dram shop claims.

Commercial Litigation, Business Torts and Intellectual Property Jeff represents clients in a wide variety of commercial disputes, prosecuting or defending claims such as breach of contract, real estate litigation, partnership disputes, lease disputes, breach of warranty, misappropriation of trade secrets, antitrust, interference with business advantage, insurance bad faith, fraud, false advertising, copyright, trademark, trade secrets, shareholders' derivative actions, stock agreements, breaches of fiduciary duty, covenants not to compete, collection actions and unfair competition. He also has experience in obtaining and defending against claims for emergency relief, including temporary restraining orders and preliminary injunctions, along with related specialized procedures at the trial and appellate court levels.

Environmental Law and Mass Torts Jeff has represented chemical, oil and heavy manufacturing companies in toxic exposure cases across the United States in individual or mass tort cases and putative class actions. He has defended claims involving industrial solvents, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, coal tar, coal tar pitch, creosote, pentachlorophenol, chromated copper arsenate (“CCA”), trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene, coke oven emissions, benzene, toluene, and asbestos.

Construction Law Practice Jeff pursues and defends clients’ rights in construction disputes and has litigated several construction related claims through jury trials, injunction proceedings, bench trials, arbitrations and meditations. His practice has included a wide variety of construction claims on behalf of design professionals, general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, corporate and institutional owners as well as individuals. These matters seek various equitable and/or monetary relief including injunctions, specific performance, money judgments, declaratory judgments, evictions, quieting title, foreclosures, reformation, and rescission.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Jeff McGinness elected to Iowa City School Board

On September 13, 2011, Jeffrey K. McGinness was elected to a four-year seat on the Iowa City Community School Board. The Iowa City Press-Citizen's article on the election is available here.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Gazette Profiles Law Firm Technology

The May 15, 2011 edition of The Gazette contained an article discussing technology in the legal profession. The firm's Jeff McGinness was extensively quoted in the article. He discussed Simmons Perrine Moyer Bergman's use of the iPhone, trial presentation and voice recognition software, and implementation of a document management system.

Monday, June 28, 2010

Jeff McGinness selected into Leadership for Five Seasons Program

Jeff McGinness has been named a member of the 2011 class of the Leadership for Five Seasons program. Leadership for Five Seasons is a program sponsored by the Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce. It is designed to prepare emerging and existing leaders in the Cedar Rapids area to be community trustees. The 2011 class will be the program's 28th class.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Jeff McGinness graduates from Leadership Iowa program

Jeff McGinness recently completed the Leadershiop Iowa program, a program of the Iowa Association of Business and Industry (ABI) Foundation. Leadership Iowa is a statewide, premier issues-awareness program. The program is designed to instill passion in current and emerging leaders while fostering a high level of civic engagement. Please see the full announcement from Leadership Iowa.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Jeff McGinness helps to clarify Mississippi statute of limitations law

A recent decision by the Mississippi Supreme Court involving the appeal of a toxic tort case clarifies that the time limit for bringing a cause of action begins to run when the plaintiff discovers the injury, or the date of diagnosis, not upon discovery of the injury and its cause.
At his previous firm, Jeff McGinness served as lead pleadings and appellate brief author in a series of cases stemming from the 100-year-plus operation of a railroad treatment plant in Grenada, Mississippi. Plaintiffs were comprised of more than 1000 individuals allegedly injured by exposure to treatment chemicals. The decision by the Mississippi Supreme Court follows a similar opinion issued by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals where Mr. McGinness likewise served as primary brief author.

The cases are:
Angle v. Koppers, Inc., 2010 Miss. LEXIS 273 (Miss. May 27, 2010)
Barnes ex rel. Barnes v. Koppers Inc., 534 F.3d 357 (5th Cir. 2008)

Thursday, April 01, 2010

Jeffrey K. McGinness Obtains Defense Verdict in Jury Trial Against Henry County Health Center

On Wednesday, March 31, 2010, a Henry County jury returned a defense verdict in favor of the firm's client, Henry County Health Center. Plaintiff alleged HCHC was negligent in maintaining its premises and, as a result, she tripped, fell, and suffered a fractured kneecap requiring two surgeries. Plaintiff sought nearly $118,000 in damages for past medical expenses and lost wages, as well as past and future pain and suffering and loss of function. After less than 2 hours of deliberations the jury found that HCHC was not negligent. Jeff McGinness represented the defendant on behalf of the firm. The case was Judith Stephenson vs. Henry County Health Center, Docket No. LALA011015.

This is the second jury victory by Jeff in the last 6 months. Previously he obtained a plaintiff's verdict in a car accident case tried in Muscatine County in December 2009. That case was Matthew Bowers v. John Crump, Docket No. LACV018515.

Wednesday, January 06, 2010

Firm Welcomes New Members

Simmons Perrine Moyer Bergman PLC is pleased to announce that Matt Adam, Bob Hatala, Amanda D'Amico, Jake Koller, Jeff McGinness have become Members of the firm.