Katherine defends pharmaceutical and heavy equipment companies in complex, bet-the-company, and multi-district litigation, handling cases ranging from mass torts involving tens of thousands of plaintiffs to massive nationwide recalls. She has experience serving as national, regional, local, and specialty counsel, including serving as national science and expert counsel in complex product liability matters. Katherine has successfully briefed and argued summary judgment motions for clients on a variety of issues, including global issues of lack of product defect, no causation, and Daubert, resulting in the abrupt and final dismissal of thousands of cases. An avid team player, Katherine often collaborates with counsel in other jurisdictions using the “virtual law firm” model.
A seasoned litigator with more than two and a half decades of experience, Katherine partners with clients to understand their goals and determine the appropriate approach, regularly exploring options short of trial, including pre-suit settlement, creative market-business solutions, and dispositive motion practice. As a trial lawyer, she has defended clients as a first chair in both bench and jury trials, including a jury trial in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, which resulted in a defense verdict for two professionals facing career-damaging claims including negligence, fraud, and deceptive consumer sales.
In addition to her product liability practice, Katherine defends prominent individuals who face difficult, unwanted litigation. She understands the emotionally-charged and potentially reputation-damaging nature of these types of civil suits and draws on her background in journalism and public relations to develop effective strategies to defend claims and minimize potential fallout.
Katherine is committed to pro bono work. She has accepted civil pro bono appointments in state and federal courts, primarily in the area of adult guardianships or fraud in transactions involving adults with diminished capacity.
