Cari K Dawson

Practice Areas

Complex litigation, with particular focus on defense of class actions, mass torts, and multidistrict litigation and pre-litigation counseling and crisis preparedness. Experienced strategist, coordinating counsel, and creative problem solver for corporations facing crises and reputational damage.

From litigation arising out of recalls and data breaches to challenges to clients’ use of artificial intelligence, Cari is regularly retained by major corporations to help them think strategically about minimizing liability exposure pre-litigation, winning cases on the merits, and resolving global legal issues through business-minded settlements. Cari regularly defends consumer protection, environmental, products liability, insurance, automotive, artificial intelligence, and privacy class actions.

Career

Co-Chair, firm’s Class Action & MDL Team. Served as lead class counsel defending Toyota in the Unintended Acceleration MDL, Mazda in the Takata Airbag MDL, Porsche in the Clean Diesel MDL, Home Depot in the Data Breach MDL, and Noramco and Tasmanian Alkaloids in the National Prescription Opiate MDL. One of National Law Journal’s “100 Most Influential Lawyers in America.”

Publications

Lecturer at Boston College School of Law and Northwestern Law School and author on defense of class actions, multidistrict litigation, and corporate crises. Chapter Creative Application of Rule 23(c)(4): How Issue Certification Interacts with the Requirements of Rule 23(b)(3) in “A Practitioner’s Guide to Class Actions” from the American Bar Association.

Education