Jay
Eaton

Jay Eaton was a member of the firm's Litigation practice area, practicing in complex commercial, environmental, and anti-trust litigation and class actions in federal and state courts. He has retired from the practice of law.

Martindale-Hubbell

AV Preeminent

 

The Best Lawyers in America®

2010-2018

 

Benchmark Leading Litigation Attorneys

2009-2015

U.S. Army War College

National Security Seminar, 2009

 

American Bar Association

House of Delegates, 2002-2006

 

Iowa State Bar Association

  • President, 1999-2000
  • Board of Governors, 1992-2000
  • Jury Instructions Committee, 1993-1998
  • Federal Practice Committee, 2008-2014
  • Litigation Section Council, 2012-2014
  • Environmental and Natural Resources Law Section Council, 1994-1998
  • Trade Regulation Section Council, 1990-1992
  • Trade Regulation Committee, 1982-1987

 

Iowa State Bar Foundation

Fellow

 

Polk County Bar Association

  • President, 1992-1993
     
  • Board of Directors, 1989-1997

Following is a list of representative cases, alphabetically by type of claim:

 

3M (Minnesota, Mining and Manufacturing Company), Paige Williams; All Iowa Vending, Inc. v. 3M, No. LACV032291 (Iowa Dist. Ct.). Antitrust price fixing class action.

 

Aventis, S.A., Aventis Animal Nutrition, S.A., Aventis Animal Nutrition, Inc., and Aventis CropScience USA; Farmers Coop. Elevator Co. v. Akzo Nobel, Inc., No. LACV 035453 (Iowa Dist. Ct.). Antitrust price fixing class action.

 

Bayer Corporation; Anderson Contracting, Inc. v. Bayer AG, No. CL95959 (Iowa Dist. Ct.). Antitrust price fixing class action.

 

Tanabe Seiyaku Co., Ltd. and Tanabe U.S.A., Inc.; Farmers Coop. Elevator Co. v. Akzo Nobel, Inc., No. LACV 035453 (Iowa Dist. Ct.). Antitrust price fixing class action.

 

Agriprocessors, Inc.; Salazar v. Agriprocessors, Inc., No. 2:07-cv-1006 (N.D. Iowa). Class and collective action under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

 

Catholic Health Initiatives; Nebraska Heart Hospital, LLC v. The Weitz Co., LLC, No. CI 09-2061 (Neb. Dist. Ct.). Complex construction disputes against general contractor and subcontractors.

 

Giese Construction Company; Nuckoll’s Concrete Servs., Inc. v. Giese, No. LACV 305818 (Iowa Dist. Ct.). Complex sale and purchase of businesses, real estate and uncompleted construction contracts in progress.

 

Giese Counstruction Company; Martin Marietta Aggregates of Iowa, Inc. v. Pedersen, No. 16375-0697 (Iowa Dist. Ct.). Contracts, fraud and mining operations.

 

Grinnell College; Advanced Techs. Corp. v. Grinnell Coll., No. LA 908 (Iowa Dist. Ct.). Complex construction disputes involving eight parties, including architect, construction manager, several general contractors and owner.

 

City of West Des Moines; West Des Moines v. The Hanson Co., No. CL00083828 (Iowa Dist. Ct.). Construction and performance of fire station. 

 

AgriProcessors, Inc.; AgriProcessors, Inc. v. City of Postville, No. LACV 023460 (Iowa Dist. Ct.). Contract rescission and violation of open meeting statute.

 

Vincent Metals; Vincent Metals v. Curran V. Nielsen Co., Inc., No. 56161 (Iowa Dist. Ct.). Complex contract claims involving 18 parties regarding construction and failures of laser laboratory facility.

 

Allied Mutual Insurance; Rieff v. Evans, No. CE 35780 (Iowa Dist. Ct.). Special independent counsel for derivative class action claims involving misappropriations, fraud and breach of fiduciary duty.

 

The Trane Co.; Dealership and franchise disputes.

 

AgriProcessors, Inc.; United States EPA v. AgriProcessors, Inc., No. 2:04-CV-01050-LRR (N.D.Iowa). Environmental enforcement action (CWA, CAA, EPCRA, RCRA and NRD claims).

 

Citizens First National Bank; United States EPA v. Citizens First Nat'l Bank as Trustee. Environmental enforcement action (Superfund).

 

AgriProcessors, Inc.; City of Postville v. AgriProcessors, Inc., No. EQC023385 (Iowa Dist. Ct.). Environmental discharge (NPDES permit) claims.

 

Amoco Oil Company; State of Iowa v. Amoco Oil Co. (over 100 filed actions). UST environmental contamination cases; global settlement with Iowa.

 

Chevron Corporation; State of Iowa v. Chevron Corp. (over 30 filed actions). UST environmental contamination cases; global settlement with Iowa.

 

Mooresville Pharmacy, LLC; Mooresville Pharmacy, LLC, et al. v. Medicap Pharmacies, Inc., No. 4-08- cv-195 (S.D. Iowa). Franchise and fraud claims.

 

Salsbury Chemicals, Inc.; Quad City Mech., Inc. v. Salsbury Chems., Inc., No. EQCV027046 (Iowa Dist. Ct.). Fraud and construction contract litigation.

 

Grundy Mutual Insurance; State of Iowa v. Grundy Mutual Insurance. Government investigation and enforcement proceeding.

 

Marshalltown Company; Marshalltown Trowel Co. v. Walton Tool Co., No. 4-98-cv-90565 (S.D.Iowa); Marshalltown Trowel Co. v. Wallboard Tool Co., No. 4-99-cv-90696 (S.D.Iowa). Intellectual property, patent and trademark infringement claims.

 

Ideal Instruments, Inc.; Ideal Instruments, Inc. v. Rivard Instruments, Inc., No.3:05-cv-3079 (N.D.Iowa). Intellectual property, patent infringement.

 

BP America, Inc.; City of Galva v. Amerada Hess Corp., No. 4:03-cv-90663 (S.D.Iowa). Products liability class action.

 

Teledyne Continental Motors, Inc.; Crowley v. The New Piper Aircraft Corp. and Teledyne Cont'l Motors, Inc., No. LALA002464 (Iowa Dist. Ct.). Product warranty, tort and misrepresentation claims.

 

Climax Molybdenum Co.; Boley v. Climax Molybdenum Co., No. 3-97-cv-80163 (S.D.Iowa). Tort and personal injury claims from toxic industrial smokestack emissions by 41 plaintiffs.

 

Clear Lake Bank & Trust Co.; Clear Lake Bank & Trust Co. v. Olk (Iowa Dist. Ct.). Professional liability (accounting malpractice), fraud and breach of loan contracts.

 

Gaylor Engineering; Siouxland Energy & Livestock Coop. v. Gaylor , No. CO2-4033MWB (N.D.Iowa). Professional liability (engineering malpractice) in design and construction management of ethanol plant.

 

Stephen R. Grubb Construction, Inc.; Myers v. Top Drawer Dev., L.L.C., No. CL90134 (Iowa Dist. Ct.). Complex toxic mold, personal injury and contract claims involving 13 parties.

Covenants Against Competition in Franchise Agreements, Third Edition, ABA Forum on Franchising, 2012 (chapter author)

 

OVERVIEW

Jay Eaton was a member of the firm's Litigation practice area, practicing in complex commercial, environmental, and anti-trust litigation and class actions in federal and state courts. He has retired from the practice of law.

RECOGNITION

Martindale-Hubbell

AV Preeminent

 

The Best Lawyers in America®

2010-2018

 

Benchmark Leading Litigation Attorneys

2009-2015

PROFESSIONAL & COMMUNITY AFFILIATIONS

U.S. Army War College

National Security Seminar, 2009

 

American Bar Association

House of Delegates, 2002-2006

 

Iowa State Bar Association

  • President, 1999-2000
  • Board of Governors, 1992-2000
  • Jury Instructions Committee, 1993-1998
  • Federal Practice Committee, 2008-2014
  • Litigation Section Council, 2012-2014
  • Environmental and Natural Resources Law Section Council, 1994-1998
  • Trade Regulation Section Council, 1990-1992
  • Trade Regulation Committee, 1982-1987

 

Iowa State Bar Foundation

Fellow

 

Polk County Bar Association

  • President, 1992-1993
     
  • Board of Directors, 1989-1997

Significant Cases

Following is a list of representative cases, alphabetically by type of claim:

 

3M (Minnesota, Mining and Manufacturing Company), Paige Williams; All Iowa Vending, Inc. v. 3M, No. LACV032291 (Iowa Dist. Ct.). Antitrust price fixing class action.

 

Aventis, S.A., Aventis Animal Nutrition, S.A., Aventis Animal Nutrition, Inc., and Aventis CropScience USA; Farmers Coop. Elevator Co. v. Akzo Nobel, Inc., No. LACV 035453 (Iowa Dist. Ct.). Antitrust price fixing class action.

 

Bayer Corporation; Anderson Contracting, Inc. v. Bayer AG, No. CL95959 (Iowa Dist. Ct.). Antitrust price fixing class action.

 

Tanabe Seiyaku Co., Ltd. and Tanabe U.S.A., Inc.; Farmers Coop. Elevator Co. v. Akzo Nobel, Inc., No. LACV 035453 (Iowa Dist. Ct.). Antitrust price fixing class action.

 

Agriprocessors, Inc.; Salazar v. Agriprocessors, Inc., No. 2:07-cv-1006 (N.D. Iowa). Class and collective action under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

 

Catholic Health Initiatives; Nebraska Heart Hospital, LLC v. The Weitz Co., LLC, No. CI 09-2061 (Neb. Dist. Ct.). Complex construction disputes against general contractor and subcontractors.

 

Giese Construction Company; Nuckoll’s Concrete Servs., Inc. v. Giese, No. LACV 305818 (Iowa Dist. Ct.). Complex sale and purchase of businesses, real estate and uncompleted construction contracts in progress.

 

Giese Counstruction Company; Martin Marietta Aggregates of Iowa, Inc. v. Pedersen, No. 16375-0697 (Iowa Dist. Ct.). Contracts, fraud and mining operations.

 

Grinnell College; Advanced Techs. Corp. v. Grinnell Coll., No. LA 908 (Iowa Dist. Ct.). Complex construction disputes involving eight parties, including architect, construction manager, several general contractors and owner.

 

City of West Des Moines; West Des Moines v. The Hanson Co., No. CL00083828 (Iowa Dist. Ct.). Construction and performance of fire station. 

 

AgriProcessors, Inc.; AgriProcessors, Inc. v. City of Postville, No. LACV 023460 (Iowa Dist. Ct.). Contract rescission and violation of open meeting statute.

 

Vincent Metals; Vincent Metals v. Curran V. Nielsen Co., Inc., No. 56161 (Iowa Dist. Ct.). Complex contract claims involving 18 parties regarding construction and failures of laser laboratory facility.

 

Allied Mutual Insurance; Rieff v. Evans, No. CE 35780 (Iowa Dist. Ct.). Special independent counsel for derivative class action claims involving misappropriations, fraud and breach of fiduciary duty.

 

The Trane Co.; Dealership and franchise disputes.

 

AgriProcessors, Inc.; United States EPA v. AgriProcessors, Inc., No. 2:04-CV-01050-LRR (N.D.Iowa). Environmental enforcement action (CWA, CAA, EPCRA, RCRA and NRD claims).

 

Citizens First National Bank; United States EPA v. Citizens First Nat'l Bank as Trustee. Environmental enforcement action (Superfund).

 

AgriProcessors, Inc.; City of Postville v. AgriProcessors, Inc., No. EQC023385 (Iowa Dist. Ct.). Environmental discharge (NPDES permit) claims.

 

Amoco Oil Company; State of Iowa v. Amoco Oil Co. (over 100 filed actions). UST environmental contamination cases; global settlement with Iowa.

 

Chevron Corporation; State of Iowa v. Chevron Corp. (over 30 filed actions). UST environmental contamination cases; global settlement with Iowa.

 

Mooresville Pharmacy, LLC; Mooresville Pharmacy, LLC, et al. v. Medicap Pharmacies, Inc., No. 4-08- cv-195 (S.D. Iowa). Franchise and fraud claims.

 

Salsbury Chemicals, Inc.; Quad City Mech., Inc. v. Salsbury Chems., Inc., No. EQCV027046 (Iowa Dist. Ct.). Fraud and construction contract litigation.

 

Grundy Mutual Insurance; State of Iowa v. Grundy Mutual Insurance. Government investigation and enforcement proceeding.

 

Marshalltown Company; Marshalltown Trowel Co. v. Walton Tool Co., No. 4-98-cv-90565 (S.D.Iowa); Marshalltown Trowel Co. v. Wallboard Tool Co., No. 4-99-cv-90696 (S.D.Iowa). Intellectual property, patent and trademark infringement claims.

 

Ideal Instruments, Inc.; Ideal Instruments, Inc. v. Rivard Instruments, Inc., No.3:05-cv-3079 (N.D.Iowa). Intellectual property, patent infringement.

 

BP America, Inc.; City of Galva v. Amerada Hess Corp., No. 4:03-cv-90663 (S.D.Iowa). Products liability class action.

 

Teledyne Continental Motors, Inc.; Crowley v. The New Piper Aircraft Corp. and Teledyne Cont'l Motors, Inc., No. LALA002464 (Iowa Dist. Ct.). Product warranty, tort and misrepresentation claims.

 

Climax Molybdenum Co.; Boley v. Climax Molybdenum Co., No. 3-97-cv-80163 (S.D.Iowa). Tort and personal injury claims from toxic industrial smokestack emissions by 41 plaintiffs.

 

Clear Lake Bank & Trust Co.; Clear Lake Bank & Trust Co. v. Olk (Iowa Dist. Ct.). Professional liability (accounting malpractice), fraud and breach of loan contracts.

 

Gaylor Engineering; Siouxland Energy & Livestock Coop. v. Gaylor , No. CO2-4033MWB (N.D.Iowa). Professional liability (engineering malpractice) in design and construction management of ethanol plant.

 

Stephen R. Grubb Construction, Inc.; Myers v. Top Drawer Dev., L.L.C., No. CL90134 (Iowa Dist. Ct.). Complex toxic mold, personal injury and contract claims involving 13 parties.

Speeches & Publications

Covenants Against Competition in Franchise Agreements, Third Edition, ABA Forum on Franchising, 2012 (chapter author)