Overview
Katie Lencioni is a litigation partner in the Chicago office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Katie’s practice focuses on complex commercial litigation, along with antitrust and competition matters. She has litigated cases at both the trial and appellate stages in various state and federal courts, as well as in mediation. She served as trial counsel in a high-profile product liability case for 3M. After a two-week trial, the jury returned a unanimous verdict for the defense on all claims. As a result of the win, she was named runner up for “Litigator of the Week” by The American Lawyer. She was recently named Pro Bono Partner of the Year for her federal habeas work, overturning the wrongful conviction of a man accused of first-degree murder and sentenced to 100 years in prison.
Katie also represents and has successfully advised a number of hedge funds and private equity firms and their portfolio companies, including 3i, Citadel, GTCR, Summit Partners, TCV, Levine Leichtman Capital Partners, and Waud Capital, with respect to a wide range of issues, including M&A litigation, commercial and contract disputes, employment matters, third-party subpoenas, trade secret issues, and legal advice.
Katie is actively involved in the Firm. She participates in diversity initiatives, recruiting efforts, and the Women’s Leadership Initiative, where she formerly served as the co-chair.
Experience
Representative Matters
Breach Cases
- Sun-Air of Scandinavia A/S v. Jet Support Services, Inc.: Represent defendant and counter-claimant in case alleging fraudulent inducement and various breaches of contract, including improper termination of aircraft engine fleet maintenance agreements. Resulted in favorable settlement.
- In the Matter of Jeffrey Powell v. Adviser Investments, LLC et al: Represent Adviser Investments and related entities in two, post-acquisition lawsuits alleging fraud and breaches of contract.
- Ney v. 3i Group plc et al.: Represent all defendants in lawsuit alleging breach of oral $20 million contract. Achieved dismissal of case for all defendants.
- Ameriprise Captive Ins. Co., v. Audatex N. Am., Inc.: Represented Audatex, a company that provides vehicle-valuation software, in breach of contract dispute alleging Audatex owed an indemnification obligation. Achieved complete dismissal of case with prejudice.
- SWEPI LP v. Talisman Energy USA, Inc.: Represented Talisman, an upstream oil and gas company, in breach of contract case regarding a jointly owned pipeline in northern Pennsylvania. Resulted in favorable settlement.
- In re Alere-Abbott Merger Litigation: Represented Abbott in lawsuits associated with the Alere-Abbott merger agreement. Resulted in favorable settlement.
- The Boeing Company et al. v. KB Yuzhnoye et al.: Assisted in suit arising out of a failed Sea Launch joint venture. Court entered summary judgment on Boeing’s claims against joint venture partners.
Antitrust Cases
- Mosaic Health, Inc. v. Sanofi-Aventis U.S., LLC et al.: Represent Eli Lilly in putative class action lawsuit alleging price fixing related to 340B discounts under federal and state laws. Achieved dismissal of the case twice and received a shout-out for The American Lawyer Litigation Daily’s “Litigator of the Week” as a result.
- In re Blue Cross Blue Shield Antitrust Litigation: Represented Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Triple-S Salud, Wellmark, and Hawaii Medical Service Association in multiple consolidated class actions (and related actions) challenging the structure of the Blue Cross Blue Shield system under the antitrust laws. Achieved favorable settlement with respect to the subscriber-side of the action.
- Recovery Village at Umatilla LLC v. Florida Blue et al.: Represented intervenor Blue Cross Blue Shield Association in breach of contract, unjust enrichment, and conspiracy case challenging payments by Blue Plans to out-of-network provider. Resulted in favorable settlement.
Trials
- Whitfield v. Abbott Laboratories et al: Trial counsel for Abbott in product liability case alleging preterm infant formula causes necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and seeking $6 billion in damages. Achieved unanimous, complete defense verdict, following a 5-week, 12-juror trial in St. Louis. Trial team was named “Litigator of the Week” as a result of the win.
- Kelley v. 3M: Represented 3M in a plaintiff-pick bellwether trial alleging that 3M’s Combat Arms Earplug was defective and caused her to suffer hearing damage. Won a unanimous, complete defense verdict following a two-week, eight-person jury trial.
- Towers v. Brannon: Represented federal habeas petitioner in ineffective assistance of counsel claim and evidentiary bench trial. Won habeas grant for client who was wrongfully convicted and sentenced to 100 years in prison for first-degree murder. Represent same client in subsequent state-court proceedings.
- Laws v. Apollo Insurance Co.: Represented pro bono client in small claims property damage case. Co-chaired jury trial in Illinois state court and won judgment in favor of client.
Other
- Sha-Poppin Gourmet Popcorn LLC v. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A et al.: Represented Ruth’s Chris in CARES Act lawsuit alleging unjust enrichment related to Paycheck Protection Program funds. Achieved dismissal of case.
- U.S. v. SuperValu, Inc.: Trial counsel to SuperValu and Albertsons in false claims act qui tam case alleging that pharmacies misrepresented their usual and customary price. Won summary judgment in favor clients.
Clerk & Government Experience
Judicial ExternHonorable Cecilia M. AltonagaUnited States District Court for the Southern District of FloridaSummer 2013
Prior Experience
Teach For America, Baltimore Corps 2010, Teacher in Baltimore City Public Schools
Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Summer Associate
More
Thought Leadership
Seminars
Facing and Managing the Client, Cartel & Antitrust Litigation Defense Conference, June 2022
Lawyers Getting Into Hot Water: Recent Sanctions and Disciplinary Cases — Digital Discovery Violations, Federal Bar Association (Chicago Chapter), May 2016
Recognition
Recognized in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch for Commercial Litigation, 2024–2025
Recognized as “Litigator of the Week” by The American Lawyer Litigation Daily for Abbott Representation in Baby Formula Trial, November 8, 2024
Received a “Litigator of the Week” shout out by The American Lawyer Litigation Daily for Eli Lilly Representation in Antitrust Case, February 9, 2024
Received a “Litigator of the Week” shout out by The American Lawyer Litigation Daily for Pro Bono Habeas Work, September 16, 2022
Recognized as “Litigator of the Week” by The American Lawyer Litigation Daily for 3M Representation in Earplug Trial, April 15, 2022
PILI Fellow, The John Marshall Law School Pro Bono Clinic
Memberships & Affiliations
Big Sister, Big Brothers Big Sisters Workplace Mentoring Program
Board Member, Teach For America Chicago-Northwest Indiana Auxiliary Board
Mentor, Kirkland & Ellis Women’s Mentorship Program with Northwestern Law School
Credentials
Admissions & Qualifications
- 2015Illinois
Courts
- United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
Languages
- English
- Spanish
Education
- University of Virginia School of LawJ.D.2015
Order of the Coif
Virginia Bar Association Family Law Book Award
Managing Editor, Virginia Law & Business Review
- Johns Hopkins UniversityM.S., Education and Urban Educationsumma cum laude2012
- University of FloridaB.S., Journalism; B.A., Political Sciencesumma cum laude2010
Anderson Scholar of High Distinction in Political Science
College of Journalism and Communications Excellence in Writing