Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP > Seattle, United States > Firm Profile

Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings

Dispute resolution > E-discovery Tier 1

Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP aids major multinational clients in the full range of discovery and pre-litigation issues, and has a strong reputation in bet-the-company mass tort, multidistrict, and class action litigation. The firm’s large team of attorneys, analysts, project managers and technology experts positions the firm as a leader in both offensive and defensive discovery. Patrick Oot, based in Washington DC, co-leads the team alongside Denise Talbert, in Kansas City. Oot is highly experienced in pre-trial litigation and government investigations, and has led responses to demands by the SEC, DOJ, and state attorneys general offices. Talbert covers the full range of discovery matters, including preservation, organization, review, and production, with a history of supporting clients in a broad variety of industries. Also key are Jason Ward, who is experienced in coordinating large-scale document reviews and productions, information governance expert Jeremiah Winkler, and litigator Gabe Egli, whose practice is focused on product liability. Ward, Winkler, and Egli all work from the Kansas City office. Associate Adam Shoshtari, in DC, is a name to note.

Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: automotive/transport Tier 2

Drawing upon a ‘superior depth of knowledge’ within the auto industry, both in terms of emerging liability theories and products/emerging technologies, Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP‘s California-centered practice is well-positioned to represent automotive companies across a wide range of product liability, class actions and consumer fraud claims. Displaying ‘a willingness to invest in client relationships’, the team has established longstanding relationships with high-profile manufacturers, including Volvo, Kia and Honda, regularly picking up work in some major national class action disputes. The team has also effectively moved with the market and has deep knowledge of the ever increasing technological advances in the sector, including as it relates to highly autonomous vehicles. Consequently it is very adept at dealing with expert witnesses and at explaining complex scientific/technological issues with clarity to juries. As part of her broad product liability expertise, Orange County-based Janet Hickson often handles work in the auto space and has achieved successes for clients in dispositive motions as well as at a final trial stage. Dividing his time between Los Angeles and San Francisco, Frank Kelly  has had considerable success over the years in the Californian courts, as well as further afield across a range of high-stakes product liability matters, including in the defense of automotive manufacturers accused of causing catastrophic injury and wrongful death. In San Francisco, Amir Nassihi  has developed deep expertise handling class action matters throughout the litigation continuum and along with Hickson and Kansas City-based trial lawyer Robert Adams , heads up the overarching automotive and machinery litigation team.

Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: consumer products (including tobacco) Tier 2

Leveraging the expertise of lawyers spread throughout the firm’s national footprint of offices, Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP is well-positioned to represent manufacturers across a wide range of product liability disputes, including a significant volume within the automotive space. Other areas of sector expertise include work for food/beverage and tobacco companies across litigation and regulatory matters impacting their businesses. Key to the firm’s success in these areas, is the work of Kansas City-based partner Katie Gates Calderon , who as well as her litigation prowess, also provides expert counselling advice to clients to ensure compliance with the regulatory strictures laid down by the USDA and FDA. Hildy Sastre regularly tries cases for product manufacturers throughout the country, particularly within the pharma sector, and is noted for her ability to effectively distil complex scientific information into persuasive themes for jurors. William Geraghty  co-heads the product liability team alongside Sastre and Calderon, and is particularly effective at trying cases within the pharmaceutical, auto and tobacco sectors. The vastly experienced Kenneth Reilly has deep product liability experience and has, throughout his career, tried many cases for tobacco manufacturers in single and multiple plaintiff disputes nationwide. All named practitioners are based out of Miami unless otherwise indicted.  

Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: pharmaceuticals and medical devices Tier 2

Leveraging the expertise of product liability lawyers spread throughout the country, including in key offices centered in Miami and Kansas City, Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP often acts as regional or national counsel in large-scale class actions and MDLs, in which it regularly achieves favorable outcomes for clients as a result of aggressive discovery, at a pre-trial motion stage or in trial. Often working alongside the firm’s unique cadre of in-house research analysts, the trial team is very effective at handling cases with complex technical and scientific information. Miami-based trial lawyer Hildy Sastre  is very effective at conveying complex technical information to juries and is a popular choice among clients to represent them in high-stakes bellwether cases and cases of first impression. Sastre co-heads the team alongside Miami-based trial lawyer William Geraghty  and Kansas City-based practitioner Katie Gates Calderon , who as part of their wide-ranging product liability also regularly handle work in the pharma and medical device sector.

Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: toxic tort Tier 2

Headed from Kansas City by David Erickson, Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP‘s ‘professional and attentive’ environmental and toxic tort litigation team has a strong national reputation defending clients from a range of industries, including chemicals, energy, pharmaceuticals and mining, against personal injury and property damage caused by groundwater and surface water contamination, as well as in the context of workplace exposure. Leveraging a deep understanding of the medical and environmental science, as well as strategic expertise at a procedural level, the firm has a long track record of success throughout all phases of the litigation continuum whether through preliminary injunction, summary judgment, trial or appeal. Many of the group are also extremely well-versed across myriad federal and state environmental statutes, including Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and CERCLA, handling private and government enforcement actions but also in the context of regulatory compliance.      

Media, technology and telecoms > Cyber law (including data privacy and data protection) Tier 3

Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP’s privacy and data security practice chaired by Al Saikali is known for its ransomware incident response, compliance strategies regarding uses of data, and privacy litigation often concerning BIPA class actions. Saikali, based in Miami, is a key advisor for clients when it comes to mitigating cybersecurity risks and is experienced in dismissing state wiretap lawsuits against companies that use session replay technologies on their websites. Kansas City-based Colman McCarthy assists clients with state data breach notification laws, while Camila Tobón in Denver assists clients with data protection compliance, cyber risk preparedness and information governance. Associate Josh Hansen, based in Denver, focuses on privacy and data security risks as part of technology transactions.

Labor and employment > Labor and employment disputes (including collective actions)