Ann Elizabeth Sternhell Blackwell

Liz represents consumer product manufacturers in high-stakes product liability litigation in state and federal courts across the country. She is vice chair of the firm's Mass Tort group and a member of the firm's Consumer Products and Appellate practices.

Liz spent nearly 20 years defending tobacco industry clients at trial in high-profile litigation across the nation, including the $280 billion civil RICO case brought by the United States, state attorneys general actions alleging deceptive advertising, the first medical monitoring class action tried to verdict, a multi-billion dollar health care cost-recovery case, and a mass consolidation of more than 1,200 individual plaintiffs' personal injury claims. She has defended tobacco industry clients against false labeling and advertising claims, targeted marketing claims, content-based speech regulations and court-ordered compelled speech in many cases, at both the trial court and appellate level.

She has served on national legal strategy teams for major consumer product manufacturers for many years. She is regularly called upon to advise clients and develop briefing on complex federal preemption, First Amendment and punitive damages issues in complex product liability litigation. Liz served on the national punitive damages defense team for a major consumer product manufacturer for many years, and has served as lead legal issues and appellate preservation counsel at trial in many cases. She also has significant experience developing strategies for removing cases to federal court.

Liz serves on the firm's Litigation Associate Review Committee and coaches summer associate mock trial teams. She has served on the firm's Compensation Committee, Nominating Committee, and Associates Committee.