Daniel K. Cray

Daniel K. Cray

Daniel K. Cray is a founding member and of-counsel at Cray Huber.  He has extensive trial experience in state and federal courts throughout the United States, having been admitted pro hac vice in over 25 separate venues. He holds an “AV Preeminent” attorney rating received from the peer rating system of Martindale Hubbell, and has been recognized by his peers in several state and national publications including Who’s Who Legal Product Liability Defense and Who’s Who Legal Life Sciences.  Mr. Cray has over 40 years of experience in the supervision, preparation and trial of complex tort and commercial litigation, concentrating in catastrophic loss cases.  He has served as national trial and coordinating counsel for national and international product manufacturers and sellers.  He has also defended the reputations of professionals at trial and in administrative hearings.  Mr. Cray’s presentations at legal and business conferences span a wide array of topics including professional liability and products liability, jury trial innovations, limiting damages and preventative law techniques.  Mr. Cray received his juris doctorate from the University of Illinois School of Law.

Attorney Rating and Recent Honors

  • Illinois Super Lawyer
  • Rated “AV” (highest rating) through the peer rating system of Martindale-Hubbell
  • Rated AV Preeminent Judicial Edition by Martindale-Hubbell
  • Illinois Leading Lawyer:  Products Liability Defense Law & Toxic Torts Defense Law
  • Fellow-American College of Trial Lawyers
  • Who’s Who Legal:  Life Sciences
  • Who’s Who Legal:  Product Liability Defense

Admissions

  • Illinois State Bar
  • United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
  • United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois
  • United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois
  • United States District Court for the Colorado District
  • United States Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit

Admissions Pro Hac Vice

Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia and Wyoming.

Education

  • University of Illinois School of Law, Champaign, IL, J.D.
  • Illinois State University, Normal, IL. Double Major in Psychology and Political Science. Graduated with Highest Honors
  • DePaul University, Chicago, IL, Mediator Training:  40-hour certificate course

Professional Associations

International Association of Defense Counsel

  • IADC Board of Directors, 2010-2013
  • Chair, Centennial Planning Committee, 2014-2020
  • Chair, IADC Trial Academy Committee, 2010-2014
  • Chair, Regional Membership for Midwest Region, 2009-2015
  • Chair, IADC Northern Illinois Membership Committee, 2009-2015
  • Director, IADC Trial Academy, Stanford University School of Law, July 25-31, 2009
  • Director, IADC Regional Satellite Trial Academy, Loyola University School of Law, September 19-20, 2008
  • Member, IADC Headquarters Task Force, 2008
  • Director-Elect, Trial Academy, 2007-2008
  • Chair, General Convention Committee, 2005-2006
  • Chair, Class Action & Multi-Party Litigation Committee, 2004-2005
  • Vice Chair, Alternative Dispute Resolution, 2004-2005
  • Vice Chair, Drug & Medical Devices Committee, 2003-2005
  • Vice Chair, Product Liability Committee, 1998-1999
  • Trial Academy Faculty, Boulder, Colorado, July 2000
  • Masters of Advocacy, 2001-2003
  • Member of Product Liability, Aviation, Class Action and Multi-Party litigation, Business Litigation, Professional Liability, and Toxic Tort Committees

Defense Research Institute

  • Steering Committee of the DRI 2001 Annual Meeting
  • Steering Committee of the Drug and Medical Devices Committee
  • Member, Trial Tactics and Techniques, Product Liability, Drug & Medical Devices and Professional Liability Committees
  • Member, DRI  Corporate Counsel Roundtable

Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel

  • Board of Directors, 2001-2006
  • Fall Conference Committee, 1998-2003

DuPage County Bar Association

  • Judicial Candidate Evaluator, 1999-2001

Publications and Presentations

  • “Life Care Plans,” The Gavel Grub Club webinar, February 18, 2022.
  • “Stop the Madness:  Fighting the Insanity of Rising and Unreasonable Medical Costs in Litigation,” The Gavel National Conference VI, Palm Beach, FL, January 17-19, 2022.
  • “The Power of a Successful Mock Trial,” The Gavel National Conference V, Key Largo, FL, May 18-21, 2021.
  • “Mold Claims 101,” The Gavel at GuideOne Insurance Claims Symposium, November 2, 2020.
  • “Flimflam of Life Care Plans,” The Gavel National Conference IV, Palm Beach, FL, January 20-22, 2020.
  • “Distracted Driving:  Law and Science,” co-presented at The Gavel National Conference III, Boca Raton, FL, January 21-23, 2019.
  • “Distracted Driver Liability,” Presentation of accredited course to CCMSI, Lisle, IL, September 20, 2018.
  • “Ethical Decision Making,” Presentation to Walmart-Claims Management, Inc., Rogers, AK, July 25, 2018.
  • “Why Can’t I Be More Successful at Mediation?” CLM 2018 Annual Conference, Houston, TX, March 14-16, 2018.
  • “EMRs & Lawsuits:  the Good, the Bad and the Ugly,” 2018 ProAssurance Risk Resource Conference, Las Vegas, NV, March 5-7, 2018.
  • “Exit Strategies – Succession Planning with a Purpose,” IADC Mid-Year Meeting, La Quinta, CA, February 12, 2018.
  • “The Anatomy of a Successful Mediation,” The Gavel National Conference II, general session panelist, Boca Raton, FL, January 15-17, 2018.
  • “The Reptile Theory – Cutting off the Head of the Snake:  How the Defense Can Effectively Combat Plaintiffs’ Reptile Tactics in Litigation,” CHRMS Law Day, Chicago, IL, November 17, 2017.
  • “How to Negotiate with a Pro Se Plaintiff,” The Gavel Inaugural Conference:  The Art of Negotiating, Boca Raton, FL, June 13, 2017.
  • “Motions for Change of Venue,” subchapter within the Defense Counsel Training Manual, International Association of Defense Counsel, Third Edition (2016).
  • “The Anatomy of a Successful Mediation,” CLE/CE training session at XL Catlin, Exton, PA, January 28, 2016.
  • “Latest Efforts at Pushing the Diacetyl Envelope:  Association to Causation to Alternatives,” 2013 FETTI Conference, Chicago, IL, September 26, 2013.
  • “Winning at Mediation,” Berkley Life Sciences, Chicago, IL, May 16, 2012.
  • “Effective Negotiations or Winning at Mediation,” Chartis, Jersey City, NJ, June 24, 2011.
  • “Popcorn Lung Litigation:  Past, Present and Future,” Emerging and Environmental Claims Managers Association, Captiva Island, FL, May 12, 2011.
  • “Playing Nice in the Sandbox,” ProAssurance Attorney Education Seminar, Hilton Hotel, Lisle, IL, September 29, 2010.
  • Diacetyl Litigation Speaking Engagement:  Resolute Management, Inc. Mid-Atlantic Division, Philadelphia, PA, September 16, 2010.
  • “From the Exam Room to the Courtroom,” ProAssurance Education Seminar, Deerfield, IL, October 2008.
  • “All Things Electronic, E-Discovery-Records,” ProAssurance Education Seminar, Lisle, IL, October 2008.
  • “Skillful Mediation,” Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education, 12/06, 12/07.
  • “Apology without the Liability,” ProAssurance Education Seminar, Oakbrook, IL, September 2005.
  • “Sexual Torts Seminar,” Moderator, Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel, Chicago, IL, November 2004.
  • “Economic Loss Testimony,” IDC Fall Conference, Champaign, IL, September 27-28, 2002.
  • “Spoliation in E-Discovery:  Counseling the Practitioner,” DRI E-Discovery Conference, Chicago, IL, June 13-14, 2002.
  • “Expert Witness Testimony:  Can We Stop the Charlatans?” IDC Mold Seminar, Chicago, IL, May 16, 2002.
  • “Reimportation and Its Risks,” For the Defense, Defense Research Institute, June 2001.
  • “Crisis Management,” IDC Fall Seminar, Oakbrook, IL, September 15, 2000.
  • “Advocacy and Geographic Discrimination,” DRI Annual Meeting, New York, NY, October 9, 1999.
  • “The IDC Monograph:  Defending Product Liability Cases in Illinois after the Best Decision,” IDC Quarterly, Fourth Quarter, 1998.
  • “Telemedicine:  New Cause for Concern,” IDC Fall Seminar, Lake Geneva, WI, September 10, 1998.
  • “An Insurer’s Right of Reimbursement for Non-Covered Claims,” IADC Annual Meeting, LaJolla, CA, July 6, 1998.
  • “Communicating Complex Medical Issues to a Jury,” DRI Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD, November 8, 1997.
  • “Outside Counsel Options,” NAII Roundtable, Memphis, TN, September 10, 1997.
  • “Duty to Warn under the Restatement (Third) of Torts-Product Liability,” IADC Annual Meeting, Hamilton, Bermuda, July 12, 1997.
  • “Counseling the Practitioner:  Confidentiality Laws,” IADC Annual Meeting, Hamilton, Bermuda, July 11, 1997.
  • “Total Case Management,” Midwestern Claims Symposium, Itasca, IL, May 15, 1997.
  • “Healthcare in the New Millennium,” Case Managers Association, Memphis, TN, May 1, 1997.
  • “Advanced Direct and Cross-Examination of the Expert Witness,” Visiting Trial Advocacy Instructor, University of Illinois College of Law, Champaign, IL, November 1, 1996.
  • “Federal Preemption Monograph,” IDC Quarterly, August 1996.
  • “Confidentiality Laws and Their Legal Ramifications,” St. Joseph Hospital, Springfield, IL, July 12, 1996.
  • “Effect of Criminal Pleas and Convictions on Related Civil Litigation,” DuPage Bar Association Seminar, February 15, 1996.
  • Motions to Remove:  Defense Counsel Training Manual 1995, International Association of Defense Counsel.
  • “Closing Arguments – Demonstration,” DRI Trial Techniques Seminar, Chicago, IL, November 9, 1995.
  • “Removal to Federal Court:  Old Concerns and New Pitfalls,” DuPage Bar Brief (Bar Journal 3/95).
  • “The Runaway Verdict – Identifying Its Causes and Preventing Its Occurrence,” DRI Damages Seminar, Las Vegas, NV, March 17, 1995.
  • “Controlling Punitive Damages in Personal Injury Cases,” DRI Damages Seminar, Las Vegas, NV, March 16, 1995.
  • “A Step Backward:  Illinois’ Continued March Away from Equitable Apportionment,” DuPage Bar Brief (Bar Journal 7/93).