Focus Areas
- Product Liability
- Commercial Litigation
- Employment Litigation
- Section 1983 Litigation
- General Litigation
Erica functions at the highest level to meet the intensity of the cases that she litigates. She is an aggressive advocate who seeks the best possible outcome at every stage of a case. She also collaborates with clients and crisis management teams to neutralize negative press or other unfavorable developments that could damage a client's business, reputation, or litigation strategies.
Product Liability
Erica litigates product liability cases involving a wide range of products, including medical devices, tobacco products, consumer goods, prescription or non-prescription drugs, pesticides, and other agrochemicals. Erica litigates manufacturing defect, defective design, and failure to warn cases. She handles single and multiple plaintiff product liability cases, multi-district litigation proceedings, and class actions.
Expert Witnesses
Expert witnesses can make or break a product liability case. Erica is adept at developing expert witnesses and coaching them to deliver compelling trial testimony, particularly neurologists, epidemiologists, cardiologists, and pulmonologists. Erica is equally adept at working with experts to simplify complex medical and scientific concepts for a judge’s or jury's ease of understanding during trial.
Commercial Litigation
Erica handles business disputes and commercial litigation. She understands that a litigation strategy is only viable if it aligns with the client’s business needs. Because of her deep strategic thinking, strong litigation experience, and ability to anticipate business needs, Erica is trusted to litigate sensitive, high-risk, or complex commercial disputes.
Employment Litigation
Erica litigates a wide range of complex, serious, and high-stakes labor and employment claims, including:
- Whistleblower Allegations
- Data breaches
- Defamation
- Retaliation
- Race, Age, Sex, Disability, National Origin, and Personal Appearance Discrimination cases
Erica also handles mediations, arbitrations, and other proceedings before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the National Labor Relations Board.
Section 1983 Litigation
Erica has significant experience defending Section 1983 cases alleging excessive and deadly force by the police in violation of the Fourth, Fifth, and Eighth amendments to the United States Constitution. Erica's Section 1983 experience also includes claims for the wrongful death or abuse of children under the care or custody of a government agency. She has litigated a variety of other Section 1983 claims, including false imprisonment, false arrest, and improper search and seizure cases. Erica recognizes that Section 1983 litigation triggers trauma, grief, and intense media scrutiny. She manages the cases with the necessary sensitivity, respect, and empathy.
Erica has the superior skills and experience necessary to litigate either side of a Section 1983 case. She has first-hand knowledge of how defendants respond to Section 1983 lawsuits, particularly the resources leveraged and defenses asserted. Erica also knows what theories of liability are immune to those defenses and what external pressure plaintiffs should exert to weaken a defendant. Erica is uniquely positioned to use this insight to achieve exceptional results in litigation.
General Litigation
Erica recognizes that clients may face unexpected general types of litigation or threats of lawsuits different from the claims they reasonably expect. Erica is strategically positioned to handle such "one-off" cases. While in public service and in-house counsel, Erica handled unanticipated litigation or unforeseen legal risks on a day-to-day basis. Leveraging this exceptional talent, Erica will work with you to diffuse conflict and avoid litigation through the most effective and efficient means available. She will not shy away from aggressive courtroom advocacy if necessary and appropriate to best protect you.