Judy L. Woods
Of Counsel
Office: Indianapolis
jwoods@kdlegal.com
p: 317-238-6338
f: 317-636-1507
m: 317-339-4751
Overview
Ms. Woods is an attorney in the firm's Litigation Practice Group. She focuses her practice on complex commercial and "bet the company" litigation, including antitrust, class actions, shareholder and corporate governance disputes, international and other contracts, finance disputes, fraud, RICO and other business disputes. Ms. Woods represents plaintiffs and defendants in arbitrations, trials, and appeals.
Ms. Woods has represented several financial institutions, holding companies, broker/dealers, accounting firms, manufacturers, private and publicly-traded businesses, and health care providers in complex litigation, involving mergers, asset transfers, transactions related to IPOs, the sale of stock, annuities, debentures or other securities, and corporate governance matters. Ms. Woods frequently advises companies and individuals with respect to competition and antitrust matters, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and antibribery matters, False Claims Act, financial regulatory and other compliance issues. Ms. Woods has also handled several large ERISA and discrimination matters (including issues of age, race, gender and religion) for a variety of organizations and companies. She represents religious organizations in First Amendment and other disputes.
Ms. Woods is a panelist for the American Arbitration Association and the International Center for Dispute Resolution, serving on the panels for large and complex, commercial, and consumer cases.
Experience
Representative Experience
- Advised numerous clients with respect to alleged antitrust and antibribery matters under federal and state laws and related compliance counseling.
- Defended class actions or similar multiparty litigation involving subprime and alternative lending transactions, banking services, initial public offerings (pharmaceuticals, technology/electronics), price fixing/employee poaching (transportation/trucking, ready mixed concrete, automotive, electronics, and health care services, paints and coatings), ERISA and pension disputes, pay day loan industry, life insurance (ERISA issues, sale of third party insurance contracts), corporate governance and breach of fiduciary duty claims (specialized manufacturing), among others.
- Assisted multiple clients in responding to third party claims and discovery requests in antitrust and class action matters (paints and coatings, capacitors, automotive parts, book and e-book publishing, pharmaceuticals)
- Responded to DOJ and FTC inquiries in all types of competition and antitrust matters (second level merger reviews, gun jumping, made in America disputes, and consumer complaints)
- Obtained dismissal with prejudice of all fraud related claims and dismissal of case as a discovery sanction in dispute involving international sale of manufacturing assets.
- Resolved alleged fraud and other claims in connection with sale of long term care facilities.
- Obtained successful settlements for officers or directors in numerous disputes involving alleged sale of unregistered securities or other breaches of state or federal securities laws and related breach of fiduciary duty claims.
- Obtained summary judgment on Section 1 and 2 Sherman Antitrust Act claims in dispute involving a health care practice and hospital merger and exclusive services agreements. This case involved extensive Daubert briefing at the trial and appellate levels.
- Assisted major international accounting firm and financial services providers in responding to regulatory inquiries of behalf of a national bank with respect to Patriot Act, alleged money laundering and related bank regulatory matters.
- Represented major international accounting firm and bank against RICO and fraud claims, obtaining partial summary judgments and/or favorable settlement of remainder of claims.
- Obtained summary judgment on various Constitutional and other claims in two school uniform cases; represented religious organizations in several disputes involving First Amendment issues.
Counsel Of Record In The Following
- Maislin Industries, U.S., Inc. v. Primary Steel, Inc., 497 U.S. 116 (1990)
- Buckhorn Inc. v. Orbis Corp., 618 Fed. Appx. 1000 (2015 WL 4038670) (Fed. Cir. 2015) (oral argument)
- Banco Del Atlantico, S.A. v. Woods, et al., 519 F.3d. 350 (7th Cir. 2008)
- Kochert v. Greater Lafayette Health Services, Inc. et al., 463 F.3d. 710 (7th Cir. 2006) (oral argument); cert. denied, 127 S.Ct. 1328 (2007)
- Indiana Civil Liberties Union v. O’Bannon, 259 F.3d 766 (7th Cir. 2001)
- Piscione v. Ernst & Young LLP, 171 F.3d 527 (7th Cir. 1999)
- Wade v. Hopper, 993 F.2d 1246 (7th Cir. 1993) (oral argument)
- Myers Industries, Inc. v. Schoeller Arca Systems, Inc., 171 F.Supp.3d 107 (S.D.N.Y. 2016)
- South Central Indiana School Trust v. Poyner, Slip Copy 2008 WL 11514951 (S.D. Ind. 2008)
- Derry v. Marion Community Schools, et al., Slip Op., 2008 WL (N.D. Ind. 2008) (oral argument)
- Bell v. Anderson Community Schools, Slip Op., 2007 WL 2265067 (S.D.Ind., 2007) (oral argument)
- Banco Del Atlantico, S.A. v. Stauder, et al., 2005 WL 1925830 (S.D. Ind. 2005)
- Kochert v. Greater Lafayette Health Services, Inc., et al., 372 F. Supp. 2d 509 (N.D. Ind. 2004) (oral argument)
- Team Scandia, Inc. v. Greco, 6 F. Supp. 2d 795 (S.D. Ind. 1998)
- Western Bulk Carriers (Aust.) Pty., Ltd. v. P.S. Int’l Inc., 164 B.R. 616 (S.D. Ind. 1994) (oral argument)
Indiana Supreme Court and Other Indiana Courts
- Presbytery of Ohio Valley, Inc. et al. v. OPC, Inc., et al., 973 N.E.2d 1099 (Ind. 2012) (oral argument)
- In re Thomsen, 837 N.E.2d 1011 (Ind. 2005)
- In re Hailey, 792 N.E.2d 851 (Ind. 2003)
- Livingston v. Fast Cash, U.S.A., Inc., 737 N.E.2d 1155 (Ind. 2001) (oral argument)
- Cincinnati Insurance Co. v. Wills, 717 N.E.2d 151 (Ind. 1999) (oral argument)
- Matthies v. First Presbyterian Church of Greensburg Ind., Inc., 28 N.E.3d 1109 (2015 WL 1573326) (Ind. App. 2015)
- Crider v. Crider, 15 N.E.3d 1042 (Ind. App. 2014) (appearance for intervening corporate parties)
- Presbytery of Ohio Valley, Inc. et al. v. OPC, Inc., et al., 940 N.E.2d 1188 (Ind. App. 2010) (oral argument), trans. granted by 973 N.E.2d 1099 (Ind. 2012)
- LHT Capital LLC v. Indiana Horse Racing Commission, 895 N.E.2d 124, 2008 WL 4663362 (Ind. App. October 23, 2008), reh’g denied; LHT Capital LLC v. Indiana Horse Racing Commission, 891 N.E.2d 646, 2008 WL 3102224 (Ind. App. 2008)
- Butcher v. Girl Scouts of Tribal Trails, 779 N.E.2d 946 (Ind. App. 2002)
- In re Remonstrance Appealing Ordinance Nos. 98-004, et al., 769 N.E.2d 622 (Ind. App. 2002)
- Fuehrer v. Storm, 737 N.E.2d 767 (Ind. App. 2000)
- Tyson v. State, 593 N.E.2d 1975 (Ind. 1992) (with Alan Dershowitz); Tyson v. State, 626 N.E.2d 682 (Ind. App. 1993); Tyson v. State, 619 N.E.2d 276 (Ind. App. 1993)
- Jackson v. DeFabis, 553 N.E.2d 1272 (Ind. App. 1990)
Professional Associations
- Litigation Counsel of America, Senior Fellow
- American Arbitration Association, Panel of Neutrals for Large and Complex Cases; Commercial Cases; Consumer Cases, 1994-present
- International Center for Dispute Resolution, Member, 2000-present
- 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, E-Discovery Pilot Program, Co-Chair Ethics Task Force, 2017-present
- St. Richard's Episcopal School, Board of Trustees, 2007-2012
- Indianapolis Opera, Board of Directors, 2009-2016 (President, 2014-2016)
- Indiana University School of Law, John S. Grimes Trust, Trustee, 1992-present
Awards & Recognitions
- Indianapolis Bar Association, Distinguished Fellow
- Indiana Commission for Women, Torchbearer Award Finalist, 2008, 2010
- Indiana Super Lawyers, 2003-2024
- Indiana Super Lawyers Top 25 Women Lawyers and Indiana Top 50 Lawyers, 2006-2013
- The Best Lawyers in America® 2009-2024
- The Best Lawyers in America® - 2020 & 2022 Litigation - Antitrust "Lawyer of the Year" in Indianapolis
- The Best Lawyers in America® - 2014 Professional Malpractice Law-Defendants "Lawyer of the Year" in Indianapolis
- The National Trial Lawyers Association - 100 Best Trial Lawyers, 2012-present
- Indiana Lawyer Leadership in Law - Distinguished Barrister, 2013
Seminars & Presentations
- Presenter, "Ethical Considerations in Drafting and Negotiating Contracts," National Business Institute, March 28, 2022
- Presenter and Panelist, “Ethics, Lawyer Liability, and the Corporate transparency Act,” joint presentation of the ABA Business Law Section and Professional Responsibility Committee, May 27, 2021
- Numerous other seminars and publications on civil trial and appellate practice, antitrust, class actions, ethics, compliance, and topics
Publications
- Indiana Practice, Volumes 7, 8 and 8A, Uniform Commercial Code, 2003, West Publishing; annual updates - 2004-2022
- Contributing Author, American Bar Association's State Consumer Protection Law Treatise, 2022
- Contributing Author, Indiana State Law Chapter of the American Bar Association's 2019 Review of Consumer Protection Law Developments (Second)
Credentials
Education
- J.D., cum laude, Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1987
- M.A. in Anthropology, Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, 1978
- B.A. in Anthropology, magna cum laude, Macalester College, St. Paul, Minnesota, 1974
Bar & Court Admissions
- Indiana, 1987
- Indiana Supreme Court, 1987
- U.S. Supreme Court, 1990
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, 2014
- U.S. Court of Appeals District of Columbia Circuit, 1992
- U.S. Court of Appeals 3rd Circuit, 2003
- U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit, 2008
- U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit, 1989
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, 1987
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, 1987
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, 2014
Practices & Industries
Practices
Industries
Beyond the Office
Cooking and Baking
Gardening
Photography
Insights
Education and School Law
New Threat on the Horizon for Schools, Colleges, and Universities: Class Action Lawsuits for Return of Tuition
April 19, 2020
Litigation
Q & A on Directors & Officers Insurance: Coverage for Liability due to COVID-19
April 5, 2020
Ms. Woods is an attorney in the firm's Litigation Practice Group. She focuses her practice on complex commercial and "bet the company" litigation, including antitrust, class actions, shareholder and corporate governance disputes, international and other contracts, finance disputes, fraud, RICO and other business disputes. Ms. Woods represents plaintiffs and defendants in arbitrations, trials, and appeals.
Ms. Woods has represented several financial institutions, holding companies, broker/dealers, accounting firms, manufacturers, private and publicly-traded businesses, and health care providers in complex litigation, involving mergers, asset transfers, transactions related to IPOs, the sale of stock, annuities, debentures or other securities, and corporate governance matters. Ms. Woods frequently advises companies and individuals with respect to competition and antitrust matters, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and antibribery matters, False Claims Act, financial regulatory and other compliance issues. Ms. Woods has also handled several large ERISA and discrimination matters (including issues of age, race, gender and religion) for a variety of organizations and companies. She represents religious organizations in First Amendment and other disputes.
Ms. Woods is a panelist for the American Arbitration Association and the International Center for Dispute Resolution, serving on the panels for large and complex, commercial, and consumer cases.
Representative Experience
- Advised numerous clients with respect to alleged antitrust and antibribery matters under federal and state laws and related compliance counseling.
- Defended class actions or similar multiparty litigation involving subprime and alternative lending transactions, banking services, initial public offerings (pharmaceuticals, technology/electronics), price fixing/employee poaching (transportation/trucking, ready mixed concrete, automotive, electronics, and health care services, paints and coatings), ERISA and pension disputes, pay day loan industry, life insurance (ERISA issues, sale of third party insurance contracts), corporate governance and breach of fiduciary duty claims (specialized manufacturing), among others.
- Assisted multiple clients in responding to third party claims and discovery requests in antitrust and class action matters (paints and coatings, capacitors, automotive parts, book and e-book publishing, pharmaceuticals)
- Responded to DOJ and FTC inquiries in all types of competition and antitrust matters (second level merger reviews, gun jumping, made in America disputes, and consumer complaints)
- Obtained dismissal with prejudice of all fraud related claims and dismissal of case as a discovery sanction in dispute involving international sale of manufacturing assets.
- Resolved alleged fraud and other claims in connection with sale of long term care facilities.
- Obtained successful settlements for officers or directors in numerous disputes involving alleged sale of unregistered securities or other breaches of state or federal securities laws and related breach of fiduciary duty claims.
- Obtained summary judgment on Section 1 and 2 Sherman Antitrust Act claims in dispute involving a health care practice and hospital merger and exclusive services agreements. This case involved extensive Daubert briefing at the trial and appellate levels.
- Assisted major international accounting firm and financial services providers in responding to regulatory inquiries of behalf of a national bank with respect to Patriot Act, alleged money laundering and related bank regulatory matters.
- Represented major international accounting firm and bank against RICO and fraud claims, obtaining partial summary judgments and/or favorable settlement of remainder of claims.
- Obtained summary judgment on various Constitutional and other claims in two school uniform cases; represented religious organizations in several disputes involving First Amendment issues.
Counsel Of Record In The Following
- Maislin Industries, U.S., Inc. v. Primary Steel, Inc., 497 U.S. 116 (1990)
- Buckhorn Inc. v. Orbis Corp., 618 Fed. Appx. 1000 (2015 WL 4038670) (Fed. Cir. 2015) (oral argument)
- Banco Del Atlantico, S.A. v. Woods, et al., 519 F.3d. 350 (7th Cir. 2008)
- Kochert v. Greater Lafayette Health Services, Inc. et al., 463 F.3d. 710 (7th Cir. 2006) (oral argument); cert. denied, 127 S.Ct. 1328 (2007)
- Indiana Civil Liberties Union v. O’Bannon, 259 F.3d 766 (7th Cir. 2001)
- Piscione v. Ernst & Young LLP, 171 F.3d 527 (7th Cir. 1999)
- Wade v. Hopper, 993 F.2d 1246 (7th Cir. 1993) (oral argument)
- Myers Industries, Inc. v. Schoeller Arca Systems, Inc., 171 F.Supp.3d 107 (S.D.N.Y. 2016)
- South Central Indiana School Trust v. Poyner, Slip Copy 2008 WL 11514951 (S.D. Ind. 2008)
- Derry v. Marion Community Schools, et al., Slip Op., 2008 WL (N.D. Ind. 2008) (oral argument)
- Bell v. Anderson Community Schools, Slip Op., 2007 WL 2265067 (S.D.Ind., 2007) (oral argument)
- Banco Del Atlantico, S.A. v. Stauder, et al., 2005 WL 1925830 (S.D. Ind. 2005)
- Kochert v. Greater Lafayette Health Services, Inc., et al., 372 F. Supp. 2d 509 (N.D. Ind. 2004) (oral argument)
- Team Scandia, Inc. v. Greco, 6 F. Supp. 2d 795 (S.D. Ind. 1998)
- Western Bulk Carriers (Aust.) Pty., Ltd. v. P.S. Int’l Inc., 164 B.R. 616 (S.D. Ind. 1994) (oral argument)
Indiana Supreme Court and Other Indiana Courts
- Presbytery of Ohio Valley, Inc. et al. v. OPC, Inc., et al., 973 N.E.2d 1099 (Ind. 2012) (oral argument)
- In re Thomsen, 837 N.E.2d 1011 (Ind. 2005)
- In re Hailey, 792 N.E.2d 851 (Ind. 2003)
- Livingston v. Fast Cash, U.S.A., Inc., 737 N.E.2d 1155 (Ind. 2001) (oral argument)
- Cincinnati Insurance Co. v. Wills, 717 N.E.2d 151 (Ind. 1999) (oral argument)
- Matthies v. First Presbyterian Church of Greensburg Ind., Inc., 28 N.E.3d 1109 (2015 WL 1573326) (Ind. App. 2015)
- Crider v. Crider, 15 N.E.3d 1042 (Ind. App. 2014) (appearance for intervening corporate parties)
- Presbytery of Ohio Valley, Inc. et al. v. OPC, Inc., et al., 940 N.E.2d 1188 (Ind. App. 2010) (oral argument), trans. granted by 973 N.E.2d 1099 (Ind. 2012)
- LHT Capital LLC v. Indiana Horse Racing Commission, 895 N.E.2d 124, 2008 WL 4663362 (Ind. App. October 23, 2008), reh’g denied; LHT Capital LLC v. Indiana Horse Racing Commission, 891 N.E.2d 646, 2008 WL 3102224 (Ind. App. 2008)
- Butcher v. Girl Scouts of Tribal Trails, 779 N.E.2d 946 (Ind. App. 2002)
- In re Remonstrance Appealing Ordinance Nos. 98-004, et al., 769 N.E.2d 622 (Ind. App. 2002)
- Fuehrer v. Storm, 737 N.E.2d 767 (Ind. App. 2000)
- Tyson v. State, 593 N.E.2d 1975 (Ind. 1992) (with Alan Dershowitz); Tyson v. State, 626 N.E.2d 682 (Ind. App. 1993); Tyson v. State, 619 N.E.2d 276 (Ind. App. 1993)
- Jackson v. DeFabis, 553 N.E.2d 1272 (Ind. App. 1990)
Professional Associations
- Litigation Counsel of America, Senior Fellow
- American Arbitration Association, Panel of Neutrals for Large and Complex Cases; Commercial Cases; Consumer Cases, 1994-present
- International Center for Dispute Resolution, Member, 2000-present
- 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, E-Discovery Pilot Program, Co-Chair Ethics Task Force, 2017-present
- St. Richard's Episcopal School, Board of Trustees, 2007-2012
- Indianapolis Opera, Board of Directors, 2009-2016 (President, 2014-2016)
- Indiana University School of Law, John S. Grimes Trust, Trustee, 1992-present
Awards & Recognitions
- Indianapolis Bar Association, Distinguished Fellow
- Indiana Commission for Women, Torchbearer Award Finalist, 2008, 2010
- Indiana Super Lawyers, 2003-2024
- Indiana Super Lawyers Top 25 Women Lawyers and Indiana Top 50 Lawyers, 2006-2013
- The Best Lawyers in America® 2009-2024
- The Best Lawyers in America® - 2020 & 2022 Litigation - Antitrust "Lawyer of the Year" in Indianapolis
- The Best Lawyers in America® - 2014 Professional Malpractice Law-Defendants "Lawyer of the Year" in Indianapolis
- The National Trial Lawyers Association - 100 Best Trial Lawyers, 2012-present
- Indiana Lawyer Leadership in Law - Distinguished Barrister, 2013
Seminars & Presentations
- Presenter, "Ethical Considerations in Drafting and Negotiating Contracts," National Business Institute, March 28, 2022
- Presenter and Panelist, “Ethics, Lawyer Liability, and the Corporate transparency Act,” joint presentation of the ABA Business Law Section and Professional Responsibility Committee, May 27, 2021
- Numerous other seminars and publications on civil trial and appellate practice, antitrust, class actions, ethics, compliance, and topics
Publications
- Indiana Practice, Volumes 7, 8 and 8A, Uniform Commercial Code, 2003, West Publishing; annual updates - 2004-2022
- Contributing Author, American Bar Association's State Consumer Protection Law Treatise, 2022
- Contributing Author, Indiana State Law Chapter of the American Bar Association's 2019 Review of Consumer Protection Law Developments (Second)
Education
- J.D., cum laude, Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1987
- M.A. in Anthropology, Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, 1978
- B.A. in Anthropology, magna cum laude, Macalester College, St. Paul, Minnesota, 1974
Bar & Court Admissions
- Indiana, 1987
- Indiana Supreme Court, 1987
- U.S. Supreme Court, 1990
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, 2014
- U.S. Court of Appeals District of Columbia Circuit, 1992
- U.S. Court of Appeals 3rd Circuit, 2003
- U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit, 2008
- U.S. Court of Appeals 7th Circuit, 1989
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, 1987
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, 1987
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, 2014
Practices
Industries
Insights
Education and School Law
New Threat on the Horizon for Schools, Colleges, and Universities: Class Action Lawsuits for Return of Tuition
April 19, 2020
Litigation
Q & A on Directors & Officers Insurance: Coverage for Liability due to COVID-19
April 5, 2020