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German Version of Bio

Austrian Honorary Consul Reinhold Krammer’s advice is sought by international-based companies, their U.S. subsidiaries, foreign governmental trade representatives and offices, and domestic entities. Rein assists foreign-based companies enter the U.S., expand their existing U.S. operations, and protect their corporate interests throughout the country, and correspondingly, the overseas parent company’s interests. Responsive and a resolute problem-solver, Rein is appreciated for the consistently high quality of his counseling and work product.

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Rein’s legal practice is concentrated mainly on international trade; business litigation and dispute resolution; contract negotiation and drafting, including agreements related to intellectual property, technology and product development, supply, licensing, sales and distribution; counseling companies on entering the U.S.; collection-related matters; collateral recovery; and protecting companies who have done or are doing business with customers who are distressed or have filed for bankruptcy protection. Rein has appeared pro hac vice in lawsuits, arbitration proceedings and mediations throughout the U.S. and overseas including France, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Delaware, California, Arizona and Florida. Whether Rein is involved in resolving a high-stakes dispute or negotiating a contract, he is known for delivering the requisite assurance to his clients that their matter will be handled efficiently and properly so that they can focus on their business.

A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and included in the Leading Lawyers’ Network as a “Leading Lawyer” in International Business, Trade Law and Commercial Litigation, Rein was appointed by the Republic of Austria as its Honorary Consul overseeing the States of Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin. Fluent in English and German, Rein’s industry experience is both broad and deep, and ranges from automotive and parts supply, bio/pharmaceutical, construction and consumer products; to electronics and semi-conductor, energy, equipment leasing and financing, food manufacturing/distribution and high-tech; to machinery and equipment, retail, distribution, sales and services, as well as transportation, warehousing, shipping and domestic and international trade.

Rein is a President’s Circle member of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, served as a Director and Officer of the International Trade Club of Chicago and of the Austria America Foundation, Inc., and is an Honorary Director of the American Friends of Austria and the German International School of Chicago. He is a frequent speaker and writer to and for governmental and international trade groups involved in and responsible for foreign direct investment and export related activities. Topics include commercial litigation, entry into and expansion in the U.S., and international trade.

REPRESENTATIVE INDUSTRIES

  • Automotive and Parts Supply
  • Bio/Pharmaceutical
  • Construction
  • Consumer Products
  • Electronics and Semi-Conductor
  • Energy
  • Equipment Leasing and Financing
  • Food Manufacturing and Distribution
  • High-Tech including Development, Software and E-Commerce
  • Machinery and Equipment including Machine Tools, Robotics, Lasers, Optics, Packaging, Construction and Metrology
  • Retail, Distribution, Sales and Services Industries
  • Transportation, Warehousing, Shipping, and Domestic and International Trade

Practice Areas

Education

  • DePaul University College of Law, J.D., 1993; Editor Law Review
  • University of Illinois, B.S., with honors, 1988

Admissions

  • Illinois
  • Michigan
  • U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas

Languages

  • German
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Experience

Experience

Obtained $1.8 million judgment in favor of an equipment supplier in breach of a contract claim against purchaser.

Prosecuted a claim and defended a counterclaim for a lens/optics designer/manufacturer against a camera/lens manufacturer/seller at a hearing before American Arbitration Association tribunal conducted in New York; New York related to claim for wrongful termination of Development Agreement; Arbitral Award found in favor of lens/optics designer/manufacturer and awarded over $3.9 million in damages; award paid in full.

Manufacturer representation of water purification equipment used in the fracking industry over a breach of licensing agreement before International Chamber of Commerce, International Court of Arbitration in Paris, France.

Represented a glass etching and cutting machinery supplier against a fortune 500 company alleging defective design and manufacture; resulted in purchaser keeping equipment and seller retaining payments made for equipment.

Tier II automotive supplier representation in recovering millions from a publicly traded Tier I supplier for unrecovered NRE and capital expenditures related to the wrongful termination of a blanket supply agreement; based upon resolution, supplier paid in full and parties continued business relationship.

Assisted a Tier II automotive supplier in a $3.1 million bankruptcy preference claim; supplier prevailed in obtaining a ruling that the default judgment should be overturned and ultimately convinced the plaintiff to dismiss the complaint altogether without the supplier having to return any of the alleged preferential payments.

Defended and settled various claims against a manufacturer of outdoor and indoor power tools, alleging defect in design, manufacture and warning.

Counseled clients in disputes over millions of dollars in unpaid receivables due from bankrupt or distressed suppliers and customers resulting in successful structured repayments.

Obtained the dismissal of a claim brought against a Tier I automotive supplier relating to a child's alleged exposure to lead brought home by the parent from a facility.

Defended a publicly traded manufacturer of industrial excavator equipment from indemnification claims from a subsequent reseller for substantial alleged consequential and other economic losses.

Supplier representation of a component used in the automotive industry in which the purchaser owed the supplier millions of dollars and asserted that the product was defectively manufactured; matter was settled favorably, whereby purchaser dismissed its claims and paid purchaser amounts due.

Prosecuted a trademark infringement claim against an infringer whereby the defendant ceased using trademark and was found liable for infringement.

Defended claims asserted against a supplier of marine diesel engines; the contract, warranty and fraud claims asserting millions of dollars in compensatory and punitive damages were settled upon terms favorable to the supplier.

Mediated and obtained a settlement favorable to a defendant manufacturer of printing presses in a $3 million 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.

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.

Counseled a creditor in work out and bankruptcy proceeding in which creditor was the main supplier and customer of debtor and in which creditor supported, in part, through guaranty, DIP financing.

Pursued an 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 a pump manufacturer before the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission regarding possible recall issues.

Recovered a printing press on behalf of a lessor that served as collateral for an equipment 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.

Assisted a manufacturer of plastic storage containers; obtained prompt repossession of plastic injection molds from the adverse party in Canada and settled and resolved the Canadian defendant's counterclaims without payment of any funds.

Represented an employer that suffered significant losses because of an employee's embezzlement of monies; successfully sought a freeze of the employee's assets that resulted in full restitution by the employee to the employer.

Obtained a $1.827 million judgment against a California-based entity on behalf of an equipment supplier.

Defended a German-based global manufacturer of precision measuring equipment in a patent infringement lawsuit filed by a direct competitor in the Northern District of Illinois.

Achieved complete dismissal of claims filed in arbitration against a U.S. subsidiary of a Korean Tier 1 auto supplier by its Tier 2 contractor.

Memberships

Memberships

American Bar Association
Austria America Foundation, Inc. - Honorary Director
Chicago Bar Association
Chicago Council on Global Affairs - President's Circle
German International School of Chicago - Honorary Director
Illinois State Bar Association
International Trade Club of Chicago - Former Director
Professional Activities
Legal Updates/Client Advisories
Is Your Company Prepared to Maximize Its Recovery in Your Customers' Upcoming Bankruptcies? Afterall Filings Are On the Rise
U.S. bankruptcies are on the rise. In the year ending September 2024, bankruptcies have increased by 16.2% (both individuals and…
Supreme Court Settles Long-Standing Circuit Split on Trademark Damages: Willful Infringement Is Not a Prerequisite for Awarding a Trademark Infringer's Profits
Earlier this year, in Romag Fasteners, Inc. v. Fossil, Inc., et al., the United States Supreme Court (the “Supreme Court”) unanimously…
U.S. Supreme Court Finds Overseas Service of Suits by Mail is Permitted
U.S. Supreme Court Finds Overseas Service of Suits by Mail is Permitted Summary The United States Supreme Court, in an unanimous decision…
Speaking Engagements
GACC Virtual Midwest and IHK Halle-Dessau: Sales Workshop, November 4, 2020
11.4.20
Co-Presenter to German American Chamber of Midwest on 10/13/2016 on "Due Diligence on M&A"
Remarks to Introduce Jim Schultz, CEO of Illinois Business and Economic Development Corp at State of Illinois Event at Hannover Fair, May, 2016
Presenter on U.S. Entry Strategy and Entity Formation to Netherlands Smart Cities Delegation sponsored by the Energy Coalition of Chicago – June 2, 2015
Contributor to Round-Table Discussion on "Law-Made in Germany" sponsored by German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest, Inc. – December 4, 2014
Presenter to U.S. Department of Commerce/Commercial Service, "Structuring and Negotiating International Sales Partner Agreements by Exporters" – September 10, 2014
Speaker at State of IL Office of Trade & Invest. Dept. of Commerce & Economic Opportunity's, "Latest Int'l Trade Policies, Missions & Available Services to Grow Your Business" September 10, 2014
Presenter for Roundtable Discussion hosted by State of Illinois, SBDC International Trade Center at ICNC, "International Sales and Distribution Agreements" – January 29, 2014
News
Frank J. Del Barto and Reinhold F. Krammer Admitted to Practice Law in Michigan
Frank J. Del Barto and Reinhold F. Krammer, Principals of Masuda, Funai, Eifert & Mitchell Ltd., have been formally admitted to practice…
Reinhold Krammer Spoke at GACC Midwest and IHK Halle-Dessau: Sales Workshop
On November 4, 2020, Reinhold F. Krammer, Principal in Masuda, Funai, Eifert & Mitchell, Ltd.’s Litigation Practice Group, spoke on the…
Jennifer Watson and Reinhold Krammer Authored an Article in the GACC Midwest Report
The article "Is a Joint Venture Preferable to a Merger/Acquisition?" is featured in the December 2019 German American Chamber of Commerce…
Reinhold Krammer Joined Over 90 International Colleagues from 31 Countries in Prague for Alliott Group's EMEA Conference
The conference, themed ‘Building a Future-Proof Professional Firm’, provided our professionals with insights into how they can become a…
Litigation Snapshot 2017
Highlighting a Few of our Litigation Practice Group Successes Bankruptcy: Equipment Supplier’s Victory Against Bankrupt Debtor, December…
Masuda Funai Hosts Networking Reception on "Smart Cities"
PRESS RELEASE CHICAGO - On June 5, 2017 Reinhold F. Krammer, Austrian Honorary Consul and Principal at Masuda, Funai, Eifert & Mitchell…
Masuda Funai Attends International Conference in Berlin on Tech Startups and Cross-Border Expansion
PRESS RELEASE CHICAGO - Reinhold Krammer and Thomas McMenamin from Masuda, Funai Eifert & Mitchell, Ltd. attended the Alliott Group's 2017…
Publications
Distinctions

Distinctions

  • Leading Lawyers, 2015-2024
  • Thomson Reuters Stand Out Lawyers, 2023
  • Recipient of the American Jurisprudence Prize in Torts