MICHELLE RAMIREZ represents clients in their most important trial and litigation matters. Michelle focuses her practice on the defense of companies in product liability and mass torts, commercial litigation and disputes, and class action litigation in state and federal courts, including multi-district litigation (MDL). Michelle has significant experience coordinating and leading litigation strategy across multiple proceedings. In this regard, Michelle is well-versed in all phases of litigation in both state and federal court, and counsels clients at every stage, from case management and discovery strategy through fact and expert witness depositions, mediation, jury exercises, and trial.
Representative matters include:
- National counsel and coordinating counsel for a major medical device company in high-profile product liability litigation concerning a Class III medical device. Michelle was a trial team member for the first bellwether case, which resolved shortly before trial.
- Trial counsel for a pharmaceutical company in a series of product liability actions in state and Federal court involving challenges to a life-saving medication, including failure to warn, fraud, and design defect claims.
- Defense counsel for a leading distributor in a multi-million dollar breach of contract dispute.
- Defense counsel for a major pharmaceutical company in a breach of contract dispute.
- Defense counsel for a medical device manufacturer in product liability litigation in state court involving antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
- Counsel for a major pharmaceutical company in an antitrust MDL where plaintiffs claimed a “sham” citizen petition had been filed with FDA.
- Member of a trial team involving alleged chemical exposure and birth defects leading to a defense verdict in the Circuit Court of Cook County for a manufacturing client.
Michelle’s leadership and relationships with her clients have earned her recognition by Euromoney LMG, Law360’s 2020 “Rising Stars” report, Bloomberg Law’s 2022: They’ve Got Next: The 40 Under 40,” and Benchmark Litigation’s 2022 “40 & Under List.” In addition, Michelle was part of the team recognized by The Am Law Litigation Daily as “Litigators of the Week” for a June 2020 Illinois Supreme Court reversal ordering the dismissal of 160 out-of-state plaintiffs.
Michelle also maintains a robust pro bono practice, with a focus on trials and evidentiary hearings:
- Michelle currently represents an Alabama Death Row inmate as part of Sidley’s Capital Litigation Project and recently led a trial team in support of the client’s petition for post-conviction relief at a week-long evidentiary hearing.
- Michelle represented an 80-year-old man in a successful effort to petition for compassionate release based on the client’s serious medical deterioration.
- Working with the National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC), Michelle was part of a team that prevailed in three separate habeas corpus lawsuits and obtained the release of three individuals with underlying medical conditions held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at the Jerome Combs Detention Center in Kankakee, Illinois amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Michelle was also part of a team that successfully obtained asylum for a young Central American immigrant who fled his home country because of persecution. Michelle was responsible for several witnesses at the evidentiary hearing, including expert witnesses.
- Michelle has tried numerous cases in municipal court for pro bono clients and obtained several bench trial verdicts in breach of contract disputes.
Prior to joining the firm, Michelle represented survivors of domestic violence in a variety of civil litigation matters and evidentiary hearings in state court, including emergency and temporary orders of protection, divorce, child custody hearings, and contested child support litigation. Prior to law school, Michelle was an eighth grade English teacher at a public school in Las Vegas, Nevada through Teach For America.