Richard G. Howser
Partner
Mr. Howser is a senior partner at Clausen Miller P.C., specializing in various areas of casualty defense litigation. He joined the firm after graduating from Loyola Law School in 1977.
During his almost thirty years as a litigator, Mr. Howser has obtained extensive experience in most areas of casualty work, including products liability, toxic torts, medical malpractice, premises liability, construction, civil rights, employment, liability coverage, transportation, municipal liability and general negligence. He has concentrated heavily in complex litigation, and the cases he has handled often involved catastrophic injury such as quadriplegia, blindness, burn injury, amputation, brain injury and death, wherein verdict exposure was in the seven-figure range.
Mr. Howser has successfully tried cases in most casualty defense areas. He has tried several dozen jury cases to verdict, in both state and federal courts. He is a member of the Federal Trial Bar.
For almost thirty years, Mr. Howser has defended doctors, nurses and hospitals in medical malpractice cases. During that time, he has tried dozens of medical malpractice cases and defended hundreds of physicians. He has also defended many of the major hospitals in the Chicago area, including the University of Chicago Hospitals, Loyola University Medical Center, Michael Reese Hospital, Rush-Presbyterian–St. Luke’s Hospital and Children’s Memorial Hospital. Many of his trials have involved death and catastrophic injuries, such as permanent brain damage to infants. Additionally, Mr. Howser has defended numerous product manufacturers and sellers as well as construction companies. He has tried cases to verdict in those and other areas of practice.
Mr. Howser is a member of the Illinois Association of Defense Trial Counsel, the Defense Research Institute and the Tort & Insurance Practice Section of the American Bar Association. He is also a member of professional organizations that require extensive trial experience and demonstrate trial excellence, such as the Society of Trial Lawyers. Mr. Howser has an “AV” rating with Martindale-Hubbell indicating the highest ranking in legal ability and ethical standards as determined by his peers in the legal community. He has lectured on casualty litigation topics before various professional legal associations.
Education
- J.D. Loyola University, Chicago School of Law, 1977
- B.A. University of Illinois, 1973
Bar Admissions
- Illinois
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois including Trial Bar, 1977
Organization Affiliations
- Chicago Bar Association
- Illinois State Bar Association
- American Bar Association
- Defense Research Institute
- Illinois Defense Counsel
- Society of Trial Lawyers
