Sarah Donnell is a litigation partner in the Chicago office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. She represents clients across a wide variety of industries in various types of complex litigation matters, with a particular focus on products liability and multidistrict litigation (MDL).
Experience
Representative Matters
Products Liability
In re Juul Labs Marketing & Products Liability Litigation. Counsel in MDL and related state cases brought by Attorney Generals alleging personal injury, economic damages and public nuisance related to e-cigarette product and marketing.
In re Heparin Products Liability Litigation (MDL) (N.D. Ohio; Ill. Cir. Ct.). Represented Baxter Healthcare Corporation in consolidated multidistrict products liability litigation and coordinated state-court proceedings involving manufacture of allegedly contaminated heparin products. MDL court granted summary judgment motions on several categories of claims, resulting in dismissal or favorable settlement of hundreds of claims. Served as trial counsel in state court case, which resulted in a full defense verdict. Prevailed on multiple appeals before Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Counsel in various other products liability cases for clients in pharmaceutical, medical device and agricultural science industries.
Antitrust
LifeWatch Services, Inc. v. BCBA et al. (E.D. Pa.). Represented Blue Cross & Blue Shield Association in case alleging antitrust violations by medical device company. Prevailed on motion to dismiss, affirmed on before Third Circuit Court of Appeals.
In re Blue Cross Blue Shield Antitrust Litigation (N.D. Ala.). Represented Blue Cross & Blue Shield Association in MDL alleging antitrust violations.
Other Litigation
Atlantic Specialty v. BCBS Kansas et al (D. Kan.). Represented Blue Cross & Blue Shield Association in subrogation matter. Prevailed on motion to dismiss.
Confidential Litigation. Represented a major multinational healthcare company in shareholder derivative litigation.
North Miami Beach General Employees Retirement Fund v. Parkinson, et al. (N.D. Ill.). Represented Baxter Healthcare Corporation in shareholder derivative litigation.
S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc. v. Morris, et al. (Wis. Cir. Ct.). Represented consumer products company as plaintiff in fraud and state RICO action arising out of scheme involving corporate fraud and kickbacks against company. Part of trial team that obtained then-largest jury verdict in Wisconsin history. Prevailed on appeals to Wisconsin Court of Appeals and Wisconsin Supreme Court.
Canadian National v. Harrison (N.D. Ill.). Represented CEO and new employer in non-compete dispute with former employer.
Clark Realty v. Falls at Marina Bay. Represented real estate organization as plaintiff in breach of contract matter. Member of arbitration team that obtained multimillion-dollar verdict for client after a five-week hearing.
Experience with various restructuring-related litigations for clients such as Whiting Petroleum Corporation.
Clerk & Government Experience
Law ClerkHonorable Julia Smith GibbonsUnited States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit2004–05
Prior Experience
Janssen Pharmaceutica, A Johnson & Johnson Company (June 1999–June 2001), Business Information Analyst
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Credentials
Admissions & Qualifications
2004Illinois
Courts
United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
Education
Northwestern Pritzker School of LawJ.D.magna cum laude2004
Order of the Coif
Arlyn Miner Book Award for Legal Writing
Executive Editor, Northwestern University Law Review
Dartmouth CollegeA.B., Geography; Applied Mathematics Minormagna cum laude1999