Scott W Hansen

Scott W. Hansen

Of Counsel

Milwaukee
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Scott W. Hansen is of counsel in Reinhart's Litigation Practice. His work primarily involves resolving complex disputes between businesses or between business and governments where a client's serious interests or ability to survive is at risk. Scott was named a "Leader in the Law" for successfully litigating some of the most complex and high-stakes civil cases in Wisconsin, and Chambers ranks him as a Tier One litigation attorney (2004-present). He has also received the following distinctions: Super Lawyers: since inception (Wisconsin Top 50 2009-2015); Best Lawyers: Litigation - Antitrust Lawyer of the Year; Antitrust and Franchise Law Lawyer of the Year (on multiple occasions); and Benchmark Litigation (Wisconsin Litigation Star). Scott was also named 2018 Lawyer of the Year by the Milwaukee Bar Association.

In addition to his legal practice, Scott publishes and teaches on a variety of topics such as persuasion in complex litigation, the benefits of mock juries, the use of financial experts in federal court, antitrust law, business torts, the Wisconsin Fair Dealership Law, federal and state civil procedure among other topics. Scott primarily serves clients in the following areas:

  • Manufacturers in a variety of industries from foods to chemicals to equipment and other durable goods
  • Health care providers and insurers
  • Financial service institutions

Education

  • J.D., University of Wisconsin Law School
  • B.S., University of Wisconsin-Madison (Economics)

Bar Admissions

Wisconsin

Court Admissions

  • United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth, Fifth, Seventh, Eighth and Ninth Circuits
  • Pro hac vice in Federal and State Courts of the following states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont and Virginia
Practices
Services

Matters

  • Won a record setting jury verdict on behalf of an industry-leading manufacturer of professional grade power tools in a patent infringement case that resulted in a $31 million judgment.
  • Successfully defended six of twenty defendants accused of forming an antitrust cartel to boycott and discourage use of plaintiffs' patented technology; all claims against them were dismissed with prejudice.
  • Won dismissal (affirmed on appeal) of nationwide antitrust, extortion and unfair compensation claims under federal and California law
  • Won an arbitration award rejecting trade secret claims by a former supplier to a major Wisconsin manufacturer
  • Won dismissal (affirmed on appeal) of claims that a bank negligently facilitated a Ponzi scheme that allegedly stole more than $100 million of investor funds
  • Won dismissal of litigation that alleged monopolization and attempted monopolization of the vision care insurance market
  • Won a no-liability decision for a motor vehicle manufacturer wrongfully accused of misappropriating trade secrets allegedly worth $250 million
  • Won summary judgment for a cleaning products manufacturer wrongfully sued by eight dealers who sought more than $200 million in damages and injunctive relief based on a long list of legal theories ranging from antitrust and unfair competition to bad faith, tortious interference, breach of contract and promissory estoppel
  • Won a no-liability decision for a large cocoa products manufacturer wrongfully accused of illegally terminating its exclusive Mexican distributor
  • Won dismissal of a class action complaint alleging the County of Milwaukee unconstitutionally used $200 million of surplus pension assets to fund new pension benefits for county workers.
Many of Scott's cases have resulted in reported decisions. Here are some examples: Antitrust
  • SD3 II LLC v. Black & Decker (U.S.) Inc., Nos. 16-2317, 16-2354, 2018 WL 1866994 (4th Cir. Apr. 19, 2018).
  • SD3, LLC and SawStop, LLC v. Black & Decker (U.S.), Inc., et al., No. 14-C-191, 2016 WL 6093488 (E.D. Va. October 18, 2016) (Summary judgment dismissing remainder of the SawStop case)
  • SD3, LLC v. Black & Decker (U.S.) Inc., No. 1:14-cv-191, 2014 WL 3500674 (E.D. Va. July 15, 2014), aff’d in part, rev’d in part, 801 F.3d 412 (4th Cir. 2015)
  • Orchard Supply Hardware LLC v. Home Depot USA, Inc., 967 F. Supp. 2d 1347 (N.D. Cal 2013) (Successfully dismissed a Milwaukee tool manufacturer from antitrust litigation alleging that it and another tool manufacturer conspired with The Home Depot to cease doing business with a competing retailer.)
  • Aspex Eyewear, Inc. v. Vision Service Plan, No. 11-15000, 2012 WL 1233009 (9th Cir. Mar. 1, 2012) affirming dismissal without leave to amend
Commercial Contract and Supply Disputes
  • Saratoga Liquor Co. v. Pernod Ricard SA, 2006 WL 208845 (W.D. Wis. Jan. 24, 2006)
  • Kaloti Enterprises., Inc. v. Kellogg Sales Co., 2005 WI 111, 283 Wis. 2d 555, 699 N.W. 2d 205 (Wis. 2005)
  • Custom Products Corp. v. Internet, 170 F. Supp. 2d 853 (E.D. Wis. 2001)
  • Ice Bowl v. Weigel Broadcasting Co., 14 F. Supp. 2d 1080 (E.D. Wis. 1998)
  • Jackson National Life Insurance Co. v. Graycliff Partners Ltd., 960 F. Supp. 186 (E.D. Wis. 1997)
  • Harley-Davidson Motor Co. v. Chrome Specialties, 173 FRD 250 (E.D. Wis. 1997)
Distribution and Franchise Disputes
  • Huntington Learning Centers, Inc. v. BMW Educ., LLC, No. 10-C-79, 2010 WL 1006545 (E.D. Wis. March 15, 2010)
  • Saratoga Liquor Co. v. Pernod Ricard SA, No. 2006CV000002, Business Franchise Guide (CCH) 13,312 (Wis. Cir. Ct. Douglas County filed April 6, 2006)
  • Saratoga Liquor Co. v. Pernod Ricard SA, No. 06-C-14-S, 2006 WL 208845 (W.D. Wis. Jan., 24, 2006)
  • Auto-Chlor System of Minnesota, Inc., et al. v. JohnsonDiversey, Inc., et al., 328 F. Supp. 2d 980 (D. Minn. July 19, 2004)
Racketeering and Fraud
  • Grad v. Associated Bank, N.A. No. 2010AP1461, 2011 WL 2184335 (Wis. Ct. App. June 7, 2011)
  • Stark Trading & Shepherd Investments International v. Falconbride Ltd., No. 05-C-1167, 2008 WL 153542 (E.D. Wis. Jan. 14, 2008)
  • Schimpf v. Gerald, Inc., 2 F. Supp. 2d 1150 (E.D. Wis. 1998)
Other Notable Matters
  • Appvion, Inc. et. al v. P.H. Glatfelter Company, et al, Case no. 08-C-16 (E.D. WI 2016). This case resulted in a $1.4 billion CERCLA cost recovery action, called by the Chief Judge the most complex case ever tried in the Eastern District of Wisconsin. (Numerous published decisions.)
  • Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation v. Snap-On Corporation, Case no. 14-CV-1296-JPS, 288 F. Supp. 3d 872 (E.D. Wis. 2017). Reinhart prevailed in a patent infringement trial that resulted in the largest jury verdict in the history of the Eastern District of Wisconsin. (Numerous published decisions.)
  • Stark Master Fund Ltd., et al v. Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Case no. 14-CV-689, 2019 WL 4644629 (E.D. Wis. Sept. 23, 2019). We secured a summary judgment dismissing a fraud and securities complaint over the failed $15 billion acquisition of Huntsman Chemical Company.

Honors & Affiliations

Honors

  • Eastern District of Wisconsin Bar Association "Judge Myron L. Gordon Lifetime Achievement Award" 2023
  • Milwaukee Bar Association "Lawyer of the Year" (2018)
  • Chambers Commercial Litigation – Tier One (2004-present)
  • Benchmark Litigation: Wisconsin Litigation Star
  • Best Lawyers in America "Lawyer of the Year (Litigation-Antitrust;  Franchise Law [multiple years])
  • Best Lawyers in America (Bet-the-Company Litigation; Commercial Litigation; Franchise Law; Litigation-Antitrust;  Litigation-Patent)
  • Super Lawyers: Wisconsin (2005-2023; Top 50 in 2006, 2009-2015)
  • America's Top 100 Bet-the-Company Litigators®
  • America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigators®
Affiliations
  • State Bar of Wisconsin (Litigation and Business Law Sections)
  • The Wisconsin Academy of Trial Lawyers
  • American Bar Association (Litigation, Antitrust and Franchise Sections)
  • Appointed by Milwaukee Circuit Court as Independent Special Prosecutor (2021)
  • Elected a Fellow of the Wisconsin Law Foundation
  • Elected to membership in the American Law Institute
  • Board of Visitors of the University of Wisconsin Law School (President, 2011 to 2016)
  • Thomas E. Fairchild Inns of Court (President, 2013-2019)
  • Eastern District of Wisconsin Bar Association (President, 2014-2015)

News & Insights

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Presentations

  • "From Transaction to Litigation: The Different Roles of Lawyers in Business Disputes," Business Law Society of the University of Akron Law School (February 9, 2021)