John J. Schirger

About John

For over 30 years John has litigated high-stakes cases for both individuals and businesses. In recent years John has led efforts in plaintiff-side class actions against the life insurance industry resulting in four favorable jury verdicts and numerous substantial settlements exceeding $500 million in cash and $2 billion in settlement value including insurance policy benefits.

John concentrates his practice on complex business and commercial disputes and class actions. He maintains a national practice and has successfully handled cases in federal or state courts in over 20 states, has argued before federal and state appellate courts, and has represented parties in AAA and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitrations.

John has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America for Commercial Litigation, Insurance Litigation, and Mass Torts/Class Actions, ranked a Top 100 Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyer, named Best of the Bar by the Kansas City Business Journal, and nominated to the Power 30 List for Commercial and Consumer Litigation by Missouri Lawyers Media. After only five years of practice, John obtained an "AV" rating from long-standing law publisher Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating a lawyer can receive for competence and ethics.

Over the years John’s clients have included business owners, individuals and family members, investors including community banks and hedge funds, members of the Forbes 400, and Fortune 500 companies. John is known for his disciplined and thorough approach in cases, but also for being practical and creative in resolving disputes.

Before founding Schirger Feierabend LLC, John founded Miller Schirger LLC where he managed the firm and led the class action practice group which achieved significant results for its clients and generated over 80% of the firm’s historic revenues (2008-2023).

John is a native of Rockford, Illinois, and now lives in Mission Hills, Kansas with his wife Kathy. They have two adult daughters.

Business Litigation — Represented plaintiff in action on a guaranty related to a securities purchase. Defeated defendant's attempt to force the case to arbitration; affirmed on appeal.

Business Litigation – Represented defendant in alleged internet fraud case where plaintiff claimed $2.5 million in damages; favorable settlement reached for client shortly before trial.

Business Litigation – Represented defendant majority owner in minority shareholder dispute where plaintiff claimed $1.5 million in damages; case dismissed in favor of defendant after full evidentiary hearing and plaintiff elected not to appeal.

Business Litigation – Represented defendant IBM in alleged fraud case where plaintiff claimed $8.5 million in damages; summary judgment granted in favor of defendant on all counts and affirmed by the Eighth Circuit. 

Mass Torts (Environmental) Litigation – Represented defendant Beatrice Company in complex environmental case where plaintiff claimed $30 million in damages in connection with acquisition and divestiture of a foundry plant; summary judgment granted in favor of defendant on all counts and affirmed by Seventh Circuit.

Construction Litigation – Represented defendant steel contractor in lawsuit involving the construction of a power plant; defeated 90% of plaintiff’s claims and damages in week-long arbitration.

Construction Litigation – Represented plaintiff underground utility contractor in complex lien foreclosure lawsuit resulting in settlement the morning of trial where plaintiff received 100% of monies claimed.

Construction Litigation – Represented general contractor in dispute with surety concerning the construction of a food processing facility; favorable settlement reached for client without initiating lawsuit.

Class Action – Secured a nationwide $325 million cash settlement on behalf of 760,000 universal life insurance policyholders against State Farm Life Insurance Company. The settlement resulted from consolidating eleven class actions against State Farm that were litigated for more than six years in federal district courts in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Oregon, Texas, and Washington in which the plaintiffs alleged that State Farm systematically overcharged them for decades. The settlement is the largest known class action settlement paid by State Farm and the largest settlement reached in cost of insurance litigation. Rogowski v. State Farm Life Ins. Co., No. 4:22-cv-00203-RK (W.D. Mo.).

Class Action – Represented plaintiff class of policyholders in nationwide class action against The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company alleging life insurance policy overcharges including cost of insurance overcharges. Lincoln National agreed to settle the case by, among other things, issuing term life insurance certificates to a settlement class consisting of approximately 77,000 policy owners across 30 states. The term life insurance certificates had a total face amount of death benefits estimated at $2.25 billion, with a market value of approximately $171.8 million. Bezich v. The Lincoln Nat. Life Ins. Co., No. 02C01-0906-PL-73 (Allen Co, IN).

Class Action – Represented plaintiff in class action involving cost of insurance overcharges in life insurance policies. Case of first impression holding Class Action Fairness Act’s (CAFA) securities exception allowed alleged class action involving variable life insurance policy to proceed forward in state court; case was not subject to removal to federal court. Lincoln Nat'l. Life Ins. Co. v. Bezich, 610 F.3d 448 (7th Cir. 2010).

Class Action – Settled a nationwide class action lawsuit for $90 million cash on behalf of 120,000 policyholders asserting policy overcharges and claims for breach of contract against USAA Life Insurance Co. Spegele v. USAA Life Insurance Co., No. 5:17-CV-00967-OLG (W.D. Tex.).

Class Action – Secured a nationwide $65 million cash settlement on behalf of 450,000 universal life insurance policyholders asserting policy overcharges against State Farm Life Insurance Company. Niewinski v. State Farm Life Ins. Co., No. 2:23-cv-4159 (W.D. Mo.).

Class Action – Secured a nationwide $59.75 million cash settlement on behalf of 103,000 policyholders against John Hancock Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.) over alleged life insurance policy overcharges. Larson v. John Hancock Life Ins. Co., Case No. RG16 813803 (Superior Court of California, County of Alameda).

Class Action – After two hours of deliberations a Missouri federal court jury awarded $34.3 million to policyholders in a class action trial. The class action was brought on behalf of approximately 24,000 current and former policyholders against State Farm Life Insurance Company. The jury found that State Farm systematically overcharged its policyholders for 23 years. Vogt v. State Farm Life Insurance Co., No. 2:16-cv-04170-NKL, (W.D. Mo.). The case was affirmed on appeal and the United States Supreme Court refused to review the case. Vogt v. State Farm Life Insurance Co., 963 F.3d 753 (8th Cir. 2020), cert. denied, No. 20-1008, 2021 WL 1521013 (U.S. Apr. 19, 2021).

Class Action – Secured a statewide $56 million cash settlement on behalf of Missouri counties with populations of 10,000 or more that had ET-Plus guardrail end terminals on its roads. The lawsuit alleged theories of product liability and negligence against defendants Trinity Industries Inc. and Trinity Highway Products LLC. Jackson County, Missouri v. Trinity Industries, Inc. and Trinity Highway Products, LLC, No. 1516-CV23684 (Circuit Court of Jackson County, MO).

Employment Law and Litigation – Represented defendant manufacturer in dispute with former employee. Summary judgment entered in favor of defendant on all counts. Plaintiff elected not to proceed with an appeal.

Insurance Litigation – Represented plaintiff property-owner in direct action against property-casualty insurer involving risk of loss provision in purchase and sale agreement. Case settled through mediation shortly before trial where plaintiff recovered 125% of specified damages.

Mass Torts Litigation – Represented defendants nationwide in lead paint products liability cases; cases resolved through successful summary judgment practice or mediation.

Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Litigation – Represented widower and young children in personal injury and wrongful death case; obtained maximum recovery for clients under various insurance policies without initiating a lawsuit.

Products Liability Litigation – Represented plaintiff widow and family members in wrongful death case of husband/father involving a defective consumer product. Confidential settlement reached after minimal discovery.

Real Estate Litigation – Represented defendant owner/landlord in complex dispute with tenant; favorable settlement reached for client after successful trial.

Securities Litigation – Represented plaintiff Colorado Bank in dispute with its broker-dealer involving the marketing and sale of mortgage-backed securities. Confidential settlement reached for client resulting in substantial recovery. Within two weeks of finalizing the settlement, regulatory officials substantially upgraded the Bank's rating.

Securities Litigation – Represented plaintiff Texas bank in dispute with its broker-dealer involving the marketing and sale of mortgage-backed securities. Confidential settlement reached for client resulting in substantial recovery.

Securities Litigation – Represented individual investor in alleged ponzi scheme. Seven-figure settlement reached with broker/advisor; all invested funds were recovered for client.

Securities Litigation – Represented defendant broker/dealer in complex securities and commodities' ponzi scheme cases where plaintiffs claimed damages in excess of $100 million; after close of discovery, favorable settlements reached for client through mediation.

Unfair Competition and Deceptive Trade Practices Litigation – Represented defendant New York investment banking firm in commercial dispute involving alleged breach of nondisclosure agreement. Successful settlement reached for client after minimal discovery; client paid no money to Plaintiff.

Whistleblower Litigation – Represented defendant ConAgra Foods, Inc. in alleged civil false claims case where plaintiff claimed $1.2 billion in damages; summary judgment granted in favor of defendant on all counts.