Richard A. Walker

Partner | Chicago Office

Antitrust | Aviation and Space | Commercial | Insurance | Product Liability | Reinsurance | Trials and Appeals

Richard A. Walker handles trial and appellate matters in all state and federal courts in addition to directing litigation outside the United States. His practice covers all areas of aviation litigation; antitrust litigation; insurance and reinsurance coverage litigation; and litigation of commercial disputes. Mr. Walker reads and speaks fluent Spanish and French and speaks conversational Italian. He often works with overseas clients and has handled matters originating from many African, Asian European, and Latin American countries.

Mr. Walker has over three decades of experience representing domestic and foreign air carriers, aerospace product manufacturers, aircraft lessors, third parties, insurers and reinsurers in aviation litigation arising from the following losses:

  • Sriwijaya Air 182 – Air Crash over the Java Sea on January 9, 2021
  • Canadian Helicopters Sikorsky S-92A – Incident near Halifax on July 24, 2019
  • Lion Air 610 – Air Crash over the Java Sea on October 29, 2018
  • Eurocopter AS350 – Mid-air collision at La Rioja, Argentina on 9 March 2015
  • Indonesia AirAsia 8501 – Air Crash over Java Sea on December 28, 2014
  • Malaysia Airlines 370 – Air Crash over the Southern Indian Ocean on March 8, 2014
  • Tatarstan Airlines 363 – Air Crash at Kazan, Russia on November 17, 2013
  • Airblue 202 – Air Crash near Islamabad, Pakistan on July 28, 2010
  • Afriqiyah 771 – Air Crash near Tripoli, Libya on May 12, 2010
  • Air France 447 – Air Crash over the Mid-Atlantic on June 1, 2009
  • Atlasjet 4203 – Air Crash near Isparta, Turkey on November 30, 2007
  • Adam Air 574 – Air Crash over Makassar Strait near Sulawesi, Indonesia, January 1, 2007
  • Aero Tropics 765 – Air Crash at Lockhart River, QLD, Australia on May 7, 2005
  • Lion Air 583 – Air Crash at Surakarta, Indonesia on November 30, 2004
  • China Airlines 642 – Air Crash at Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok Airport on August 22, 1999
  • Fine Air – Air Crash near Miami International Airport on August 7, 1997
  • Federal Express MD-11 – Air Crash at Newark, New Jersey on July 31, 1997
  • Federal Express DC10 – In flight fire near Newburgh, New York on September 5, 1995
  • USAir 427 – Air Crash near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on September 8, 1994
  • Northwest Airlink 5719 – Air Crash near Hibbing Minnesota on December 1, 1993
  • Copa 201 – Air Crash near Tecuti, Panama on June 6, 1992
  • United Airlines 585 – Air Crash near Colorado Springs, Colorado on March 3, 1991
  • United Airlines 232 – Air Crash at Sioux City, Iowa on July 19, 1989
  • Northwest Airlines 255 – Air Crash near Detroit Metropolitan Airport on August 16, 1987

Other complex litigation matters:

  • In re Air Cargo Shipping Services Antitrust Litigation
  • Freight Forwarder Surcharge Antitrust Litigation
  • Reinsurance coverage dispute from $100 million fire loss at Seclin, France on June 15, 1991

Reported Decisions

  • In re Air Crash over the Southern Indian Ocean on March 8, 2014, 352 F.Supp.3d 19 (D.D.C. 2018)
  • Siswanto v. Airbus Americas, Inc., 2016 WL 7178459 (N.D. Ill. 2016)
  • Harp v. Airblue, 879 F.Supp.2d 1069 (C.D. Cal. 2012)
  • In re Air Crash over the Mid-Atlantic on June 1, 2009, 760 F.Supp.2d 832 (N.D. Cal. 2010)
  • Excess Ins. Co. v. Factory Mut. Ins. Co., 3 N.Y.3d 577 (N.Y. 2004)
  • Excess Ins. Co. v. Factory Mut. Ins. Co., 2 A.D.3d 150 (N.Y. App. Div., 1st Dept. 2003)
  • Excess Ins. Co. v. Factory Mut. Ins. Co., 726 N.Y.S.2d 666 (N.Y. App. Div., 1st Dept. 2001)
  • Allendale Mut. Ins. Co. v. Excess Ins. Co., Ltd., 992 F.Supp. 278 (S.D.N.Y. 1998)
  • Allendale Mut. Ins. Co. v. Excess Ins. Co., Ltd., 992 F.Supp. 271 (S.D.N.Y. 1997)
  • Allendale Mut. Ins. Co. v. Excess Ins. Co., Ltd., 970 F.Supp. 265 (S.D.N.Y. 1997)
  • In re Air Crash at Detroit Metropolitan Airport (Dodds), 976 F.Supp. 1076 (E.D. Mich. 1997)
  • Barrett v. United Airlines, Inc., 1994 WL 419637 (N.D. Ill. 1994)
  • Cheng v. United Airlines, Inc., 1995 WL 42157 (N.D. Ill. 1995)
  • In re Air Crash at Detroit Metropolitan Airport, 791 F.Supp. 1204 (E.D. Mich. 1992)
  • In re Air Crash Disaster at Sioux City, Iowa, on July 19, 1989, 780 F.Supp. 1207 (N.D.Ill.,1990)