Mary Rose Alexander > Latham & Watkins LLP > Chicago, United States > Lawyer Profile

Latham & Watkins LLP’s environmental litigation practice is a leader in the US, with extensive experience in key legal and regulatory matters such as climate change, air and water quality, toxic torts, and energy law. It is recognized for its cutting-edge, diverse expertise, advising clients on significant issues at both federal and state levels. Its litigation team is known for handling high-profile environmental disputes for major corporations, including General Dynamics. Its strength is further enhanced by the addition of former senior US government official Janice M. Schneider , in Washington DC and Thomas Pearce, in New York, who offer invaluable insights into regulatory and legislative matters. Mary Rose Alexander , a prominent trial lawyer, represents Fortune 500 companies in complex litigation, including product liability, class actions, toxic torts, and environmental cases, with a proven track record in multi-state, multi-plaintiff cases. Robin M. Hulshizer specializes in toxic torts, greenwashing claims, and Superfund cost recovery. Alexander and Hulshizer both sit in the Chicago office. Also of note is Stacey VanBelleghem , in Washington DC, who has experience with the Clean Air Act and the Endangered Species Act.

Praised as ‘incredibly talented and knowledgeable’, the product liability and mass torts practice at Latham & Watkins LLP is well known in the market for representing and defending high-profile clients in complex, high-stakes litigation, handling mandates such as personal injury, tortious interference, consumer class actions, and public nuisance cases. The practice’s clients span a wide array of industries, including pharma, tech, and software companies, medical devices, consumer products, and environmental matters. Recent significant cases for the firm include securing a major victory for Apple in a class action with the potential for multi-billion dollars in damages, representing Clorox in a pioneering public nuisance case involving 10 major companies, and successfully defending Philip Morris in a global litigation which centered on billion-dollar recoupment claims. Boston based Gwyn Williams leads the practice, handling multi-defendant and class action cases in state, federal, and appellate courts. Her expertise spans retail products, pharmaceuticals, and financial services. Williams also advises on risk management, product warnings, and corporate liability assessments. Washington DC based Christine G. Rolph, the former global co-chair of the practice, specializes in representing clients in a diverse range of matters, including environmental and chemical litigation and defending major casino corporations. Mary Rose Alexander , managing partner of the Chicago office, specializes in multi-plaintiff and multi-state litigation, often representing Fortune 500 companies particularly in the energy and chemical sectors.

Latham & Watkins LLP is active in high profile product liability and mass tort mandates, having advised clients in the energy and natural resources sector in matters relating to risk management and defense of nationwide litigation. Chicago-based managing partner Mary Rose Alexander is skilled in representing clients in commercial litigation and trials involving toxic torts, environmental matters and industrial accidents, and is a nationally recognized trial lawyer, having representing Fortune 500 companies in high-stakes litigation in multiple jurisdictions across the US. Situated in New York, Gary Gengel  is a key name.

The international arbitration practice at Latham & Watkins LLP routinely handles complex arbitrations across a number of practice areas, with experience in antitrust, employment, insolvency, and securities litigation work. Leading tech and pharma companies, as well as banks rely on the expertise of the practice, notably including Sinovac Biotech and Telefónica S.A. Orange County-based Michele Johnson leads the team, with knowledge of securities class actions, shareholder derivative litigation, and post M&A litigation. In Chicago, Sean Berkowitz and Mary Rose Alexander  are key names. Raghav Bajaj joined the Austin office from Haynes and Boone, L.L.P.  in August 2024.