Affiliations

• Women’s Bar Association of the District of Columbia
• American Forensic Association (Lifetime Member)

Representative Engagements

• Secured order striking class allegations in nationwide class action alleging gender discrimination in pay.
• Ongoing trial and appellate court representation in several class action lawsuits alleging gender discrimination in pay and promotions.
• Ongoing representation in EEOC pattern-or-practice and private plaintiff lawsuits alleging race discrimination in hiring and promotions.
• Ongoing representation in FLSA collective action alleging wage and hour violations.
• Representation in multidistrict litigation proceeding including multiple overlapping class actions alleging violations of state and federal laws regarding classification of workers as independent contractors.
• Representation in multidistrict litigation proceeding including multiple overlapping class actions, personal injury, and state Attorney General lawsuits alleging failure to warn of dangers of prescription drug.
• Representation in several personal injury trials alleging failure to warn of dangers of prescription drug
• Representation in several settled class action lawsuits alleging defect in automobiles sold by various manufacturers.
• Helped secure dismissal of class action complaint filed in state court on the grounds that plaintiff had not stated a claim for relief. The court found that plaintiff’s economic loss theory did not state a compensable injury because she did not allege that the prescription drug at issue had been ineffective, did not allege any personal injuries, and her allegation that she paid more for the drug than she should have was too speculative to support relief.
• Researched and drafted law and evidentiary motions on behalf of pharmaceutical company in numerous state court personal injury trials that resulted in a defense verdicts.
• Secured transfer of numerous cases involving allegedly dangerous prescription drug to federal MDL, including class actions, personal injury cases, and cases brought by state attorneys general and other government entities.
• Helped obtain denial of certification of class action against automobile manufacturer involving claims that company misled customers about the size of the radiators installed in the customers’ trucks. Also successfully defended company in plaintiff’s appeal to state supreme court.
• Drafted briefing to secure approval of a settlement of automotive class action with over 6 million class members.
• Drafted briefing to establish an MDL proceeding to conduct coordinated pretrial proceedings in cases alleging that users of defendant’s contact lens solution caused personal injury.
• Helped secure dismissal of an adversarial proceeding in bankruptcy case for investment manager clients whose customers held bonds that plaintiff’s alleged were issued to fund a transaction designed to avoid asbestos liability.
• Advised investment bank on Department of Education regulatory matters in connection with their underwriting of initial public offering of stock for company that owns for-profit colleges around the country.
• Regularly represents, on a pro bono basis, incarcerated persons and individuals and organizations seeking to protect civil liberties.

Reported Cases

• Scott v. Family Dollar Stores, No. 3:08cv540, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4669 (W.D.N.C. Jan. 13, 2012) (Striking class allegations and the denying motion to amend complaint in nationwide class action sex discrimination lawsuit)

Publications

• Co-Author, “SCOTUS Argument On The CAFA,” The Workplace Class Action Blog (January 8, 2013)
• Co-Author, “The EEOC Wins A Round In Its Discovery Tug-Of-War In EEOC v. Freeman,” The Workplace Class Action Blog (December 24, 2012)
• Co-Author, “How Rigorous Is The 'Rigorous Analysis' Requirement?,” Law 360 (November 27, 2012)
• Co-Author, “Supreme Court Hears Oral Argument in Comcast v. Behrend,” One Minute Memo, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (November 5, 2012)
• Co-Author, "Second Circuit Rejects The EEOC's Broad Injunction Requests," The Workplace Class Action Blog (October 21, 2012)
• Co-Author, “The Next Big SCOTUS Rule 23 Ruling?,” The Workplace Class Action Blog (August 30, 2012)
• Co-Author, “The EEOC Gets Knocked Out Of The Ring,” The Workplace Class Action Blog (August 14, 2012)
• Co-Author, “EEOC Holds Meeting On Its Strategic Enforcement Plan - But Did It Listen?,” The Workplace Class Action Blog (July 18, 2012)
• Co-Author, "What Happens In New Jersey Stays In New Jersey: Court Rejects Nationwide Class Claims Brought Under New Jersey law," The Workplace Class Action Blog (April 3, 2012)
• Co-Author, “Use of Expert-Driven Formulas in Doling Out Over $128 Million in Class Action Remedies,” The Workplace Class Action Blog (March 18, 2012)
• Co-Author, “How Rolls-Royce Relates To Wal-Mart,” Law 360 (April 22, 2011)
• Co-Author, “Disparate Impact Case Turns On Battle of the Experts,” The Workplace Class Action Blog (December 14, 2011)
• Co-Author, “Second Circuit Finds Release Limit Application of Fair Pay Act’s Retroactivity Provisions,” The Workplace Class Action Blog (December 6, 2011)
• Co-Author, “Another Post-Dukes Decision Spells Doom For the “Subjective Discretion” Theory of Classwide Discrimination,” The Workplace Class Action Blog (October 15, 2011)
• Co-Author, “Fifth Circuit Opines On Class Action Fee Awards,” The Workplace Class Action Blog (August 15, 2011)
• Co-Author, “Reading Tea Leaves From the SCOTUS Ruling in Haliburton,” The Workplace Class Action Blog (June 8, 2011)
• Co-Author, “Seventh Circuit’s Ruling on Class Certification in Sex Discrimination Case Could Impact Supreme Court’s Upcoming Decision in Dukes v. Wal-Mart,” The Workplace Class Action Blog (April 7, 2011)
• Co-Author, “Eleventh Circuit Instructs District Courts to Make Tough Decisions on Experts in Rule 23 Certification Rulings,” The Workplace Class Action Blog (March 24, 2011)
• Co-Author, “The Federal Judicial Center’s New Forms For Class Action Notices,” The Workplace Class Action Blog (December 13, 2010)
• Co-Author, “Responder Worker September 11 Class Action Settlement Becomes Effective,” The Workplace Class Action Blog (November 21, 2010)
• Author, “The Strategic Defense Initiative: Symbolic Containment of the Nuclear Threat” (1992)

Accolades

• Recipient of the American Forensic Association Distinguished Service Award (1997)