Heather L. Weakley

As national counsel in medical device multi-district litigation cases, Ms. Weakley has extensive experience in supervising and managing voluminous attorneys from comprehensive electronic document productions through significant trial preparation. She is also local counsel regarding asbestos litigation for a Fortune 500 company which has an international presence. She has first and second-chaired several jury trials with the potential for multi-million dollar awards resulting in successful verdicts, hung jury or favorable resolutions. She has spoken at Fortune 500 company meetings on national litigation strategies. 

Ms. Weakley's construction practice concentrates on representing contractors and subcontractors in construction defect litigation.

Ms. Weakley maintains a general civil litigation practice in wrongful death, catastrophic injuries, burn injuries, sports, amusements, fairs and festivals. Her practice also focuses on asbestos litigation, having obtained numerous summary judgments, settlements, and successful verdicts in this area on behalf of her clients. She handles and supervises cases from inception through case evaluations, settlement negotiations and trials. She has first-chaired and successfully defended several trials, including insurance fraud jury trial, general liability jury trial and bench trial.

        
        Significant Verdicts and Settlements

• 2010 – Obtained dismissal for amusement ride operator in a wrongful death suit.
• 2010 – Successfully mediated significant injury lawsuit with more than half a million dollars in special damages for a defendant festival wherein negligent supervision was alleged.
• 2009 – First-chaired almost three week jury trial for large cardiovascular equipment manufacturer filed by plaintiffs claiming manufacturing and design defects in medical device which caused significant injury to plaintiff. After jury deliberated for only three and a half hours, they decided unanimously for the defense.
• 2009 – Resolved case on first day of trial. Plaintiff heir contended her husband died from mesothelioma which she claimed was caused by exposure to asbestos containing products manufactured by numerous defendants. Represented only remaining defendant.
• 2008 – After two months of a jury trial, with several defendants remaining, case successfully resolved for client with potential for multi-million dollar defense verdict. Plaintiff alleged he was diagnosed with mesothelioma caused by exposure to asbestos-containing products manufactured by defendants.
• 2007 – Successfully resolved sexual harassment lawsuit filed by former employee against a large Los Angeles area hospital.
• 2007 – Second-chaired landslide jury trial lawsuit between two property owners in Hollywood Hills. Unanimous defense verdict in fifteen minutes after a three week trial.
• 2007 – Second-chaired wrongful death jury trial wherein plaintiff heirs claimed decedent died of asbestos-containing products while in the Navy. Hung jury with two alleged asbestos-containing product manufacturers remaining. On retrial, represented only remaining defendant and in less than one day, jury awarded a unanimous defense verdict.
• 2007 – Successfully mediated a product liability lawsuit with multi-million dollar potential defending a extruder manufacturer due to plaintiff being severely burn when using extruder.
• 2005 – Successfully resolved a sexual harassment lawsuit against the president of an aluminum manufacturing company filed by a former employee.
• 2001-2005 – Favorably resolved and obtained summary judgments for voluminous lawsuits filed against a latex glove manufacturer by hundreds of plaintiffs alleging allergies to latex gloves in national multi-district litigation cases.
• 2001 – Successfully resolved potential multi-million dollar lawsuit filed against a dairy processing plant by an independent contractor who suffered severe burns when performing work at the processing plant.
• 2000 – Successfully defended and mediated lawsuit filed against property owner and manager for the death of a money courier when he was shot and killed by robbers in lobby of their commercial building.
• 1999 – First-chaired a bench trial filed against an owner of a large fast food chain by proving plaintiff committed fraud.
• 1999 – Awarded defense verdict by jury against plaintiffs who committed fraud.
• 1998 – Obtained summary judgment in favor of defendant premises owner in a matter involving a plaintiff being electrocuted and having a limb amputated.