Rein F. Krammer, Vice Chair of the firm's Litigation Practice Group, defends and prosecutes a diverse range of businesses across most industries in simple and complex lawsuits in federal and state courts throughout the United States. His expertise is at both the trial and appellate levels, as well as before mediation tribunals and arbitration neutrals. Mr. Krammer, a Certified Public Accountant, also provides business counseling to clients.
Mr. Krammer's diverse commercial litigation practice includes representing small and mid-sized U.S., Asian and European businesses. His experience includes commercial contract disputes; disputes involving distressed and bankrupt suppliers and purchasers; fraudulent and deceptive practices claims; sale of goods disputes; equipment leasing claims; warranty claims; creditor rights and bankruptcy; product liability claims; supplier, distributor, dealer and sales representative disputes; accounting disputes; secured transactions; repossession and replevin actions; product recall campaigns; and general commercial and UCC law.
As a CPA and counselor, Mr. Krammer assists clients dealing with and collecting from distressed and bankrupt suppliers and purchasers; and in drafting, reviewing and negotiating agreements and sales documentation, including brochures and other sales literature; terms and conditions of sale and purchase; warranty programs; product recalls; security, lease, consignment, bailment and licensing agreements; and distributor, dealer, and sales representative agreements. He counsels and assists business clients in developing litigation risk management programs that minimize exposure to uncollectible receivables, disputes and costly claims.
Mr. Krammer is a frequent speaker and conducts seminars and lectures to business management, as well as plant and field personnel, on federal and state law and regulation compliance issues, ways in which companies can reduce exposure to lawsuits, and strategies to effectively resolve disputes prior to litigation. He recently served as a featured panelist on the topic of bankruptcy and dealing with distressed suppliers and purchasers at a German American Chamber of Commerce event, and authored an article in the May/June 2009 issue of German American Trade magazine.
Counseled clients in disputes over millions of dollars in unpaid receivables due from bankrupt or distressed suppliers and customers resulting in successful structured settlements.
Defended and settled various claims against manufacturer of outdoor and indoor power tools, alleging defect in design, manufacture and warning.
Defended manufacturer of industrial excavator equipment from indemnification claims from subsequent reseller for substantial damages including those involving economic losses.
Obtained dismissal without prejudice of claim brought against tier one automotive supplier relating to child's alleged exposure to lead brought home by parent from facility.
Prosecuted trademark infringement claim against infringer whereby defendant ceased using trademark and was found liable for infringement.
Mediated and obtained settlement favorable to defendant manufacturer of printing presses in $3,000,000 preference claim involving complicated international transactions based upon letter of credit and documents against payment. Also contested solvency and asserted defenses of contemporary exchanges, new value, and ordinary course of business.
Represented a creditor in work out and bankruptcy proceeding in which creditor was main supplier and customer of debtor and in which creditor supported, in part, through guaranty, DIP financing.
Successfully pursued insurance company which claimed subrogation rights under credit card insurance policy, resulting in $1.9 million payment to decedent's estate relating to Kentucky airline crash.
Represented manufacturer of pumps before U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission regarding possible recall issues.
Successfully tried and defended a purchaser of material handling bags against the supplier. Convinced trier of fact that subject bags were defective and, as a result, the amounts claimed from supplier were not due.
Successfully recovered for a lessor a printing press that served as collateral for an equipment lease. Lessee, who defaulted under the lease, claimed that the press was defectively designed and manufactured and, therefore, had no obligation to make payments under the lease. A settlement was reached whereby the lessee returned the equipment to the lessor, agreed to pay significant amounts to the lessor and released its claims asserting defective design and manufacture.
Represented a supplier of a component used in the automotive industry. The purchaser owed the supplier millions of dollars. Purchaser asserted that the product was defectively manufactured. Successfully argued that purchaser's design of the product that was provided to supplier for manufacturing purposes was defective and not supplier's manufacturing process. Matter was thereafter settled favorably, whereby purchaser dismissed its claims and paid purchaser amounts due.