Heather focuses her practice on litigation, including asbestos and toxic tort matters. As a seasoned litigator, she is adept at managing high-volume dockets and in serving as the frontline defender on key depositions, motions, trials, and appeals.

Heather has extensive experience in counseling and defending clients including automotive manufacturers, HVAC corporations, and building and construction material manufacturers in asbestos litigation. She represents Fortune 500 automotive companies, both nationally and locally. She is well-versed in handling product liability and asbestos cases in both federal and state courts, and coordinates and manages these complex tort matters, through trial and appeal.  She has also represented a group of approximately 80 subcontractors in the World Trade Center litigation pending in the Southern District of New York, arising out of the World Trade Center Disaster site rescue, recovery, and debris removal operations. Most recently, she successfully defended a six-week mesothelioma trial in New York County and four-week mesothelioma trial in Los Angeles County.

Presently, Heather also serves as a Discovery Liaison for the New York City Asbestos Litigation docket, collaborating closely with the Special Master, co-defendants, and plaintiffs’ counsel. She also serves as national supervisory counsel for an automotive friction defendant, where she coordinates defense strategy, providing indispensable support to clients and local counsel in litigation management and case strategy development.

Heather has recently joined the DRI Asbestos Litigation Committee. DRI, or the Defense Research Institute, is an international membership organization of attorneys defending the interests of business and individuals in civil litigation. This committee provides members with the most current and reliable scientific, medical, and legal information to develop strong defense strategies.

Heather earned her J.D. from Tulane University Law School. During her time in law school, Heather interned with the U.S. Army JAG Environmental Litigation Division. Additionally, she honed her skills as a student attorney at the Tulane Environmental Law Clinic.

Heather holds a B.A. in English from the University of Delaware. She spent a year abroad specializing in English Literature at St. Catherine’s College, Oxford University.

Heather lives in Brooklyn, and is an avid hiker and swimmer.

Professional & Civic Involvement

  • DRI
    • Online Programming Chair, Asbestos Litigation Committee
  • New York State Bar Association
  • Board Member and Vice-Chair, Brooklyn Treble Choir, 2011 – present

Practice Highlights

Representative Matters

  • Secured a 9-3 defense verdict in a mesothelioma jury trial in Los Angeles County, CA, where the plaintiff alleged asbestos exposure from automobile brakes during three decades as a tire installer and mechanic. After a three-week trial and less than a day of jury deliberations, the jury found that the alleged exposure was not a substantial factor in causing the plaintiff’s illness, rejecting a more than $50 million damages claim.
  • Secured a significant trial defense win for a major automotive client in a challenging mesothelioma case, successfully reducing a $57 million claim to a net zero award under New York’s post-verdict set-off rules, with no punitive damages awarded.

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