Elizabeth P.Kessler (Liza)

Partner-in-Charge Columbus

Columbus + 1.614.281.3852

Liza Kessler has more than 25 years of experience in complex litigation including multijurisdictional cases and class actions. She defends manufacturers of products such as medical devices, vehicles, paints, and chemicals in cases involving disease causation and economic damage models. Liza has led joint defense teams and her experience covers matters involving scientific, technological, and medical issues with claims in consumer fraud, false advertising, breach of contract, strict liability, public and private nuisance, medical monitoring, duty to warn, and preemption.

Liza defended Sherwin-Williams from claims of injury from lead paint exposure in public nuisance lawsuits and served as lead trial counsel for R.J. Reynolds, including as trial counsel where the jury returned a complete defense verdict after less than an hour deliberating. She serves as lead lawyer for a global retailer in consumer class action litigation and lead counsel in a mortgage services class action. She also was lead counsel in a full defense win in a toxic tort case alleging health damage from environmental exposure to specialty chemicals. Liza was a trial team member in a $2 billion class action that was named a "Top Defense Wins of the Year" by The National Law Journal.

Liza is Partner-in-Charge of the Columbus Office. Her community involvement includes serving on the Columbus Partnership and as chair of the John Glenn Columbus International Airport Board. She was also appointed by the governor to the Ohio Board of Regents and the Board of Trustees for The Ohio State University.

Experience

  • Cardinal Health acquires rights to Lymphoseek® from Navidea BiopharmaceuticalsJones Day advised Cardinal Health in its acquisition of Navidea Biopharmaceuticals' rights to Lymphoseek® in North America for lymphatic mapping, lymph node biopsy, and the diagnosis of metastatic spread to lymph nodes for the staging of cancer.
  • Abercrombie & Fitch resolves purported class action related to promotional gift cardsJones Day client Abercrombie & Fitch Co. resolved a purported class action of all Ohio citizens who received certain promotional gift cards that expired.
  • Abercrombie & Fitch obtains summary judgment in nationwide class actionAbercrombie & Fitch Stores, Inc., represented by Jones Day, obtained a favorable summary judgment in a nationwide class action lawsuit.
  • Hollister obtains dismissal of putative nationwide class action on forum non conveniens groundsJones Day represented Abercrombie & Fitch and its affiliate, Hollister Co., in a putative nationwide class action of Hollister customers.
  • Central Ohio Cardiology Group resolves lawsuit with health care systemOn behalf of Heart Specialists of Ohio, Inc. and its individual member physicians, Jones Day successfully resolved breach of contract claims on favorable terms in a case filed against the former central Ohio independent cardiology group by OhioHealth Corporation.
  • Abercrombie defeats putative class action under California's UCL and CLRAJones Day defended Abercrombie & Fitch in a case alleging that Abercrombie's gift card redemption policies violated California's Unfair Competition Law and Consumer Legal Remedies Act.
  • Hollister defeats class certification in gift card caseJones Day represented Hollister Co., in a putative class action filed under California's Consumer Legal Remedies Act.
  • R.J. Reynolds wins jury verdict in Weick ''Engle progeny'' lawsuitJones Day successfully represented R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company in the latest "Engle progeny" lawsuit to reach a jury verdict.
  • Brown & Williamson obtains dismissal with prejudice following grant of bifurcated trial on limitations defenseJones Day obtained a dismissal with prejudice from plaintiff shortly before trial for Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation in a long running product liability case pending in the Central District of California.
  • Tobacco industry wins 2nd Circuit reversal of certification and ultimate dismissal of 50 million member $800 billion RICO fraud class actionJones Day represented R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company and Brown & Williamson Holdings, Inc. as lead counsel in a nationwide class action seeking reimbursement for allegedly misleading consumers by labeling cigarettes as "light."
  • Sherwin-Williams wins preliminary injunction decision in first case invalidating contingency fee agreement on due process groundsThe Court of Common Pleas (Lucas County, Ohio) dismissed the City of Toledo's lawsuit against a group of former manufacturers of lead pigment and lead paint, including Jones Day client, The Sherwin Williams Company.
  • Additional Speaking Engagements

    • August 24, 2017
      Jones Day Women in IP Speaker Series: Women in the Courtroom
    • October 14, 2010
      2010 Speaker Series: Litigation Roundup