Benjamin W. Hulse joined Blackwell Burke P.A. as a partner in June 2010. Before joining the Firm, Mr. Hulse was a partner in the

litigation practice group at Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Chicago.  He has represented corporate clients in a diverse array of matters, including

jury trials, class actions, antitrust litigation, and appeals in state and federal courts throughout the country.

Before entering private practice, Mr. Hulse served as a law clerk to the Honorable James B. Loken, United States Court of Appeals for

the Eighth Circuit.  He is admitted to the bars of the Supreme Courts of Illinois and Minnesota; the U.S. District Courts for the District of Minnesota, the Northern and Central Districts of Illinois, and the Eastern and Western Districts of Wisconsin; and the U.S. Courts
of Appeals for the First, Second, Third, Seventh, and Eighth Circuit.

• University of Chicago Law School (J.D., 2002) with Honors, Order of the Coif; Managing Editor, The University of Chicago Law

Review; John M. Olin Student Fellow in Law and Economics
• Harvard University (A.B., Social Studies, 1999), magna cum laude

• CM Dukes v. ExxonMobil: Jury trial for ExxonMobil in South Carolina state court. Directed verdict granted on three of four counts;

complete defense verdict on remaining count.

• ExxonMobil Dealer Disputes: Represent ExxonMobil in several putative class actions and individual dealer disputes in New York,

Florida, Michigan, Texas, and New Jersey. Summary judgment granted in Michigan, New York, and Florida cases; class certification

in Texas case reversed by Texas Supreme Court. New Jersey cases pending.

• NES Rentals Consumer Class Action: Represented NES Rentals Holdings in putative consumer class action seeking restitution of

all amounts paid by customers for limited damage waivers. Complaint dismissed with prejudice at pleadings stage.

• ABN AMRO: Represented ABN AMRO in putative class action derivative suit seeking $60 million in lost profits and separate suit

against individual directors and ABN AMRO on vicarious liability theory. Claims in derivative suit dismissed with prejudice at pleading

stage. Claims in individual action against directors and ABN AMRO dismissed on summary judgment; Illinois appellate court affirmed,

and Supreme Court of Illinois denied leave to appeal.