Erin McCloskey Maus
In addition to her disputes work, Erin is a trusted advisor to clients on complex supply chain management and compliance issues. She helps companies assess and mitigate risks across their operations, guiding them through crisis management, product safety investigations, regulatory notifications, corrective action plans, and government investigations, including before the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Erin's extensive experience also involves litigating and advising on related commercial issues, including contract disputes, warranty and indemnification claims, and Uniform Commercial Code issues. Her deep understanding of both the legal and business aspects of these matters makes her a valued partner to many leading global companies.
Erin joined Venable in 2022 and quickly assumed key leadership roles, including joining the Venable Foundation board to help award grants to Chicago nonprofits and serving as the Chicago chair of the firm's Pro Bono Committee. She is deeply committed to advancing access to justice and pro bono legal work, an area where she has made significant contributions throughout her career. For nearly 20 years, Erin served on the governing board of the Center for Disability & Elder Law (CDEL), a nonprofit providing free legal services to low-income seniors and people with disabilities. In recognition of her outstanding leadership and long-term service, she was named a director emeritus of CDEL. In 2011, Erin was honored with the Chicago Bar Foundation's prestigious Edward J. Lewis II Pro Bono Award for her unwavering dedication to pro bono work.
Erin is also a champion for women in the legal profession. As a member of Venable's WAVe Committee (Women at Venable), she represents the firm's Chicago office, where she has spearheaded initiatives aimed at supporting the growth and success of women attorneys. Under her leadership, the office has implemented mentoring programs, business development efforts, and social events designed to help women attorneys build their networks and advance in their careers. Erin believes that as the firm continues to grow, it is vital to ensure that women associates are equipped with the tools and opportunities they need to flourish in leadership roles.
Related Practices
Experience
Representative Matters
- Trial team for a U.S. poultry processor in an alleged wrongful death product liability case arising from an outbreak of food-borne illnesses
- Trial team for a foreign manufacturer in multidistrict litigation pending in New Orleans and against multiple state class actions involving an allegedly defective home construction product. Also advised client on recall, government investigation, and compliance-related issues
- Arbitration team for international commercial dispute related to global product recall expenses for automotive component
- Trial team for injunction proceedings on behalf of a U.S. manufacturer in a commercial dispute involving technology and equipment warranty claims and fraudulent draws on dozens of letters of credit
- Obtained for a consumer electronics manufacturer early dismissal of a federal consumer fraud class action stemming from alleged product defects
- Defended a supplier of home building products against individual and class actions for alleged product defects
- Defended a global manufacturer of a children’s toy against a wrongful death lawsuit stemming from a house fire
- Defended a global manufacturer of furniture products against multiple wrongful death lawsuits stemming from a large furniture warehouse fire
- Defended U.S. and European industrial barrel refurbishers against a mass tort state class action lawsuit alleging environmental contamination
- Resolved a commercial dispute between Hong Kong and U.S. corporations involving warranty issues and Articles 2 and 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code
Insights
Credentials
Education
- J.D. Loyola University Chicago School of Law 1999
- B.S. Cornell University 1996
Bar Admissions
- Illinois
Court Admissions
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
- Illinois Supreme Court
Professional Memberships and Activities
- Member, American Bar Association, Litigation Section
- Member, Chicago Bar Association
Recognition
- Chicago Law Bulletin Media, Women in Law Honoree, 2026
- Crain's Chicago Business, Notable Women in Law, 2026
- Chicago Law Bulletin Media, Women in Law Honoree, 2024
- Legal 500, Dispute Resolution - Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Action - Defense: Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices, 2024