Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP > Kansas City, United States > Firm Profile

Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings

Dispute resolution > E-discovery Tier 1

The data and discovery strategies practice at Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP showcases particular strength in providing advice on discovery issues in areas including mass tort, multidistrict and class action litigation. Patrick Oot leads the team out of the Washington DC office and is the key contact for issues about information governance, data privacy and discovery practices in technology issues. Kansas City based Jason Ward is thoroughly knowledgeable of the full array of document reviews and productions, Gabe Egli regularly represents clients in the pharmaceutical sector, and Jeremiah Winkler is a specialist in litigation. Associate Adam Shoshtari is located in Washington DC and is often engaged in product liability litigations. Denise Talbert  retired in 2023. In January 2024, Los Angeles-based consumer class action expert Michael Shortnacy joined the team from King & Spalding LLP.

Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: automotive/transport Tier 1

Appreciated for its ‘thoughtful approach’ and ‘excellent judgment on how to handle overall case strategy’, Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP has a strong reputation among leading automotive companies across a range of product liability class actions and MDL. Much of this work is led from its California offices, where the team has developed notable expertise in cases alleging traditional product defects, as well as an increasing volume of mandates involving autonomous driving systems. ‘Highly skilled’ San Francisco-based litigator Amir Nassihi has secured favorable results for clients at trial and the appellate level through persuasive argument of issues issues including personal jurisdiction challenges and class waiver arbitration clauses. Also based in San Francisco, Amy Alexander, who joined the firm in September 2023 from Gordon & Rees, enhances its already strong reputation in issues facing autonomous vehicles, joining the ranks of expert litigators including Frank Kelly and Amy Maclear. Orange County-based Janet Hickson and Los Angeles-based Michael Mallow (who is ‘very creative in developing strategies to defeat class actions‘) co-head the overarching automotive and machinery litigation team, while the arrival of numerous accomplished litigators from Herzfeld & Rubin, P.C., including Michael Gallub and Homer Ramsey, enhances the firm’s ability to handle mandates from its New York office.

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

Product liability work accounts for a significant volume of dispute resolution-focused firm Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP‘s docket of work, with the firm excelling in representing manufacturers across a range of consumer products. Many of the cases are high-profile class actions and MDLs, with the firm often securing national and regional leadership roles. William Geraghty has exceptional advocacy skills and has tried cases in state and federal courts involving a range of consumer products, including tobacco. As a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, Kenneth Reilly has been heavily involved in defending the tobacco industry in class actions, while Kansas City-based Katie Gates Calderon, who excels in product liability litigation, also has deep regulatory expertise within the food and beverages space, regularly counseling clients on FDA and USDA compliance. Hildy Sastre co-heads the product liability team alongside Geraghty and Gates Calderon and is noted for her trial skills in particular. All named practitioners are based in Miami unless otherwise noted.

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

With litigation informing the majority of workflow for the firm as a whole, Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP has deep insight into the strategic and procedural steps best suited to gaining an advantage for defendants in high-profile disputes. In the context of life sciences-related product liability, the team combines this core litigation prowess with deep subject matter prowess and substantive law knowledge to good effect, regularly working alongside the firm’s dedicated group of research analysts to provide an edge which often sees the firm prevail at an early stage in proceedings. Both based in Miami, William Geraghty  and Hildy Sastre are experienced trial lawyers, with both regularly taking the lead in high-profile bellwether cases in an a MDL setting.

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

Drawing upon the firm’s acclaimed overarching trial skills and also benefiting from enhanced toxic tort and environmental subject matter expertise, following a number of key hires in recent years, including in its Missouri stronghold, Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP continues to gain traction in the market, handling private and government-initiated cases involving toxins affecting air, land, groundwater and surface water. The firm has a ‘strong understanding of scientific and technical issues’, as well as forming the basis of many of the firm’s motion successes, regularly striking out the testimony of opposition expert witnesses. Kansas City-based litigator Brent Dwerlkotte is particularly adept at handling litigation involving complex scientific issues related to chemicals; he has been at the forefront of many of the firm’s highest-profile MDLs and class actions regarding alleged damage caused by PFAS contamination. Also based in Kansas, Dave Erickson has vast experience at handling class action and toxic tort litigation as well as environmental regulatory issues, including work relating to Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act proceedings. A ‘strategic thinker’ with ‘tonnes of trial experience’, Adam Miller  in St Louis co-heads the team alongside Erickson following the recent retirement of Mark Anstoetter .

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

Relied upon by clients ‘for thoughtful and nuanced advice‘, Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP‘s privacy and data security practice handles incident response matters, compliance strategy development, risk management, and privacy litigation. Al Saikali heads the team from Miami, bringing privacy litigation expertise with specific experience in wiretap lawsuits. Colman McCarthy, based in Kansas City, leads the team’s incident response work, including overseeing forensic investigations and assistance with regulator inquiries. Camila Tobón ‘offers extraordinary levels of partner engagement and knowledge’, assisting clients with data security compliance, AI governance and information governance from Denver. In Chicago, Matthew Wolfe chairs the firm’s biometric privacy practice, particularly experienced with class actions in the sector. Jonathan Wilson, senior counsel based in Washington DC, acts as a member of the firm’s incident response task force, including directing third-party forensic investigations.

Media, technology and telecoms > Technology transactions Tier 4

Praised for its ‘excellent practical experience’, the Seattle-based technology department at Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP illustrates key strengths in tech commercialization matters, particularly those involving nanotechnology and AI products. The practice is collectively led by Amy Ragen, Kevin Swan, and Bart Eppenauer. Ragen is reputed for her know-how in the structuring of contracts for the SaaS and hardware procurement, while Swan advises clients on complex distribution arrangements and open-source issues and Eppenauer concentrates on cloud and software licensing transactions. Jake Ragen handles data privacy and cybersecurity concerns in addition to advising on the registration of domain names.

Insurance > Advice to insurers