Mary Rose Alexander serves as the global Chair of the Environmental Litigation Practice at Latham & Watkins. She has broad experience in complex commercial litigation, insurance, and environmental law. In particular, Ms. Alexander has tried matters concerning toxic torts, environmental matters, major industrial accidents, product liability/consumer fraud, insurance coverage, and other complex commercial matters.
She has particular proficiency in coordinating multi-state and multi-forum litigation and trial practice. Ms. Alexander has been named multiple times as one of the leading insurance lawyers in the US by Chambers USA, and was recently ranked for her work in Environment Litigation. She was recognized for her work in Environment: Litigation and Environment Regulatory by The Legal 500 US in 2017, and also recommended for Product Liability and Mass Tort Defense: Consumer Products in 2014. Ms. Alexander has been selected by her peers to be included in The Best Lawyers in America 2018 for her work in Environmental Law. In addition, she was recognized as a Local Litigation Star in the Benchmark Litigation Guide (Illinois) and in Benchmark Litigation's Top 250 Women in Litigation in 2017.
Ms. Alexander’s toxic torts and environmental litigation practice includes multi-plaintiff defense in numerous federal and state courts involving alleged exposure to chemicals, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), lead, metals, and solvents. Her practice includes defending clients in the most hostile jurisdictions through all aspects of the case including motion practice, case management, expert discovery, and trial. She has also represented clients in various high-stakes environmental matters in federal and state courts.
Ms. Alexander’s insurance recovery practice includes litigation and alternative dispute resolution of a wide variety of coverages and claims, including product liability, first-party property damage, business interruption, and environmental contamination. These lawsuits involve multiple claims in multiple forums against multiple parties.
Ms. Alexander has defended scores of clients in tort, contract, and insurance matters arising from industrial accidents. She has been involved for her clients in connection with industrial accidents at numerous facilities, including a power plant, an ice cream manufacturing facility, and an automotive supply manufacturing facility. These matters are being litigated in federal and state courts across the country.
Ms. Alexander's experience includes representation of:
- Nalco Company in class action and other litigation arising out of Gulf of Mexico 2010 oil spill
- Pipeline company in 400 plaintiff toxic tort litigation involving alleged drinking water contamination from accidental pipeline release
- Georgia-Pacific Corporation in CERCLA litigation involving the US$1.6 billion remediation of alleged PCB contamination in the sediments of the Fox River in Wisconsin; obtained summary judgment holding that the plaintiffs have no right to contribution and defendants are entitled to 100 percent recovery; 2012 trial on damages and arranger liability
- Kuhlman Electric Corporation in multi-plaintiff toxic tort personal injury suits pending in Mississippi state and federal court alleging injuries from PCBs, as well as in related indemnification and insurance litigation
- Chevron Corporation in toxic tort putative class acts on federal litigation involving alleged nuclear exposures
- General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems in CERCLA litigation involving Crab Orchard site
- Ford Motor Company in property insurance coverage litigation in Michigan state court involving fatal power plant fire and explosion; obtained summary judgment against Factory Mutual Insurance Company, secured property damage and business interruption coverage
- Wells Dairy in insurance coverage lawsuit involving property and liability insurance coverage for lawsuits relating to industrial explosion; obtained 2003 published decision by the US District Court for the Northern District of Iowa granting summary judgment for Wells Dairy on the duty to defend; separately secured property damage and business interruption coverage