Michelle T.Della Guardia

Michelle Della Guardia is a seasoned trial lawyer. She represents some of the world's largest consumer goods, pharmaceutical, and medical device companies in high-stakes complex civil litigation across the United States. Michelle has been a leading member of more than a dozen trial teams in cases tried to verdict and achieved several defense verdicts as second-chair trial counsel.

Michelle co-led the defense and delivered closing argument in a wrongful death case in which the plaintiff sought more than $60 million in damages. After 3½ weeks of trial, the jury found for the defense on all claims, including design defect, negligence, conspiracy, and punitive damages.

Michelle has tried cases that are "first of their kind" in a jurisdiction and routinely litigates novel legal issues. She has experience with alternative trial structures, including consolidated and bifurcated proceedings, and with class actions and multidistrict litigation.

Michelle is involved in every stage of litigation. Through meticulous investigation and targeted depositions and discovery, Michelle focuses on preparing each case for trial. Her attention to detail and to the facts of each case has led to the discovery of dispositive evidence and to favorable resolutions for clients.

Leveraging her background in chemistry, Michelle masters, simplifies, and translates medical and technical issues for juries. She uses this skillset when working with physicians, engineers, and scientists to develop case themes and prepare them to testify effectively, and when challenging opposing experts.

Michelle serves on the Firmwide Lawyer Training Committee and as faculty in National Institute of Trial Advocacy programs.