Margaret M. Toohey

Margaret Toohey collaborates with clients, experts, and foreign-qualified co-counsel to get results in complex, cross-border disputes. She handles "bet-the-company" cases, including class actions and multibillion-dollar claims, on both the plaintiff and defense sides.

Margaret's practice centers on disputes involving mining, manufacturing, construction, global commodities contracts, and pharmaceuticals. She has extensive experience handling force majeure and business interruption claims, including claims related to plant accidents, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the conflict in Ukraine and sanctions against Russia. She also litigates cases involving climate change, environmental contamination (air, soil, and groundwater), manufacturing and design defects, and alleged violations of unfair competition law.

Margaret has taken more than one dozen matters to final hearings on the merits, including multiple weeks-long hearings. Her international arbitration experience includes disputes under the AAA, CPR, ICAC, ICC, ICDR, and LCIA rules, applying U.S., EU, Brazilian, Italian, Russian, Spanish, and Swiss substantive laws (among others). Her cross-border litigation experience includes parallel group litigation across multiple continents and Section 1782 discovery taken in five circuits for use in the largest trial in English legal history. Margaret has first- or second-chaired dozens of depositions, direct- and cross-examined witnesses, and is experienced at working with fact and expert witnesses throughout the life of a case.

Equal parts advocate and advisor, Margaret frequently counsels clients on navigating commercial challenges and minimizing the risk of disruptive lawsuits. She also maintains an active pro bono practice, securing asylum on behalf of political dissidents.

Margaret's civic engagement includes serving on the Young Professional Committee of EDWIN's Restaurant & Leadership Institute.