Elizabeth Raines focuses her practice on the defense, mitigation, and resolution of complex and high-exposure disputes for corporations. Whether in Texas or across the country, she collaborates with clients, colleagues, and experts to determine the most effective path to a favorable outcome. Her favorite aspect of complex litigation is the opportunity to learn from and work with teams of talented individuals and experts to solve difficult problems.
Elizabeth advises clients, develops strategy, and resolves disputes based on more than 20 years of experience in national, regional, and local litigation, including jury trials in federal and state jurisdictions. She has served in leadership roles for mass tort litigation and on national and regional trial teams.
Background
Her experience spans disputes involving commercial, employment, insurance, intellectual property, and tort claims. For 20-plus years, she has worked with clients in the automotive, aviation, commercial and residential property management, energy, fitness, hospitality, medical device, pharmaceutical, recreational product, tobacco, and toy industries. She particularly enjoys tackling medical, scientific, and technical issues with experts in the field to determine how to effectively present these concepts in the context of a case.
Representative Experience
Product Liability and Toxic Tort
Defense verdict for seller of orthopedic devices in a multi-plaintiff jury trial.
Jury found plaintiff 96% at fault in a catastrophic injury case against manufacturer, distributor and seller involving alleged failure to warn and design defects.
Member of national trial team that obtained defense verdicts for manufacturer and supplier in jury trials of mesothelioma cases.
Representation of motor vehicle and component part manufacturers in catastrophic injury, death and property damage cases involving alleged design or warning defects (2001-2012).
Representation of medical device companies in multijurisdictional litigation and individual cases involving alleged design or manufacturing defects or failure to warn. Products include orthopedic implants and hardware, cardiac stents, infusion pumps, and defibrillators.
Representation of pharmaceutical companies in multijurisdictional litigation and individual cases involving psychiatric and hormone therapy medications and of national retail pharmacy in case of alleged acetaminophen poisoning from prescription pain medication.
Representation of asbestos-containing product manufacturers in Texas asbestos MDL and in jurisdictions including California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
Representation of stone supplier in silica litigation.
Commercial
Less than 10% of claimed damages awarded and multiple claims denied by the jury in a commercial aviation case involving breach of contract and product liability claims.
Representation of pharmaceutical company in litigation involving contractual and business tort claims arising from asset purchase agreement.
Representation of pharmaceutical company in intellectual property litigation.
Opposing damages expert excluded under Daubert in a breach of contract case involving alleged defective products.
Traumatic Brain Injury
Jury assessed 15% fault to plaintiff and awarded less than 15% of requested actual and punitive damages in an electrical injury case.
Coverage
After a bench trial, court found coverage due to client’s organization under a directors and officers policy for substantial jury verdict in employment case.
ERISA
Federal court granted ERISA plan insurer’s summary judgment motion, finding denial of a death benefit in a case of prescription pain medication overdose was not an abuse of discretion under the terms of the policy.
Federal court granted ERISA plan insurer’s summary judgment motion on plaintiff’s claim that when the insurer calculated an offset and an overpayment of disability benefits based on plaintiff’s receipt of SSDI, income taxes paid on SSDI benefits should have been subtracted.
Related Services
Publications & Speaking Engagements
Education, Admissions & Activities
Education
Southern Methodist University
J.D., 2000
Southern Methodist University
B.A., 1990
English
History
Bar Admissions
Kansas
2002
Missouri
2001
Texas
2000
Court Admissions
United States District Court of Missouri
Eastern and Western
United States District Court of Kansas
Northern, Eastern, Southern, Western
United States Court of Appeals
Tenth Circuit
United States District Court of Texas
Northern
Professional and Community Activities
International Law Review Association
Managing Editor
Dallas Bar Association
Defense Research Institute
Election Protection Volunteer
IADC Trial Academy Graduate
Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association
Leadership Academy Graduate
Midwest Innocence Project Pro Bono Service
Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers
Board Member, Amicus Committee Chair
Ross T. Roberts Inn of Court
Trial Academy Graduate
Texas High School Mock Trial Competition
Volunteer Judge