Baltimore, MD (August 1, 2012) - Benchmark Litigation has selected Venable's Kathleen Hardway and Christina Lee Gaarder as Top 250 Female Litigators in America. This new publication, a supplement to the annual Benchmark Litigation, focuses on the leading female lawyers in litigation nationwide as selected from extensive client and peer interviews conducted by Benchmark’s editorial team. According to Benchmark Litigation, the recognition "aims to celebrate the contributions made by top female litigators to the market and highlight the valuable work you do in the courtroom."
Ms. Hardway is a partner in Venable's Products Liability and Mass Torts Practice Group. For more than ten years, she has represented pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers in state and federal courts nationwide. She has also represented chemical and consumer products manufacturers in personal injury cases, and has represented premises owners and property managers in mold exposure, "sick building" and lead paint cases. She has managed all aspects of medical device cases involving allegations of wrongful death or serious injury, including expert development; factual analysis and development of the company case; expert, corporate, and fact witness depositions; motions practice; and pre-trial preparation. She has had primary responsibility for expert and scientific development in the fields of biomedical engineering, human factors engineering, pediatric neurology, pediatric psychology, pediatric cardiology, nursing, toxicology and forensic pathology.
Ms. Gaarder is a litigation partner with fifteen years' experience in defending pharmaceutical, automotive and other general products liability litigation. In addition, she has handled significant commercial litigation matters. She has trial experience in both state and federal courts, and appellate experience in the Maryland Courts of Special Appeals, the Maryland Court of Appeals, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. She has considerable experience in representing clients in both the pre-trial stages of litigation as well as in trial and has tried both jury and non-jury cases in state and federal court.
"Kathleen and Christina deserve this recognition from Benchmark Litigation by virtue of their relentless and successful work on behalf of clients," said Sally Bryan, Chair of the Product Liability and Mass Torts Practice Group. "They understand their clients' needs and their businesses and protect both. We are very proud of them and of the honor Benchmark has bestowed on them."
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