Liz Blackwell

  1. People /

Liz Blackwell

Liz Blackwell

Partner

  1. People /

Liz Blackwell

Liz Blackwell

Partner

Liz Blackwell

Partner

St. Louis

T: +1 314 259 2513

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Biography

Liz Blackwell has over twenty-five years of experience defending global manufacturers of consumer, industrial, agricultural, dietary supplement and food products in high profile litigation across the nation. Liz has broad experience litigating class actions, mass tort litigation involving large and small consolidations, as well as cases pending in multidistrict litigation (“MDL”) proceedings. She regularly defends clients against product defect and failure to warn claims, environmental and toxic exposure claims, nuisance claims, consumer fraud claims, false labeling and advertising claims, and claims for punitive damages at both the trial court and appellate level.

Liz’s litigation experience includes landmark cases, such as the $280 billion civil RICO case brought by the United States against the tobacco industry, the first medical monitoring class action tried to verdict, a multi-billion dollar health care cost-recovery lawsuit, and a mass consolidation of more than 1,200 individual plaintiffs' personal injury claims.

A member of the American Law Institute, Liz has served on national legal strategy teams for major consumer product manufacturers for many years. Clients frequently call upon her to develop legal strategy across an entire portfolio of litigation.  Liz has acted as lead legal issues and appellate counsel at trial in many cases, and has handled appeals in state and federal court in litigation spanning a wide range of issues.  Liz is regularly called upon to advise clients and develop briefing on complex issues including federal preemption, First Amendment protections, limitations on punitive damages, and federal jurisdictional issues. For many years, Liz served on the national punitive damages defense team for a major consumer product manufacturer.

Liz also serves in firm management, including as a member of the firm’s Board of Directors, as Co-Leader of the Firm's Food, Ag and Nutrition Mass Torts Team, and as Co- Chair of the firm's global LGBTQ* Lawyers Network and the U.S. LGBTQ+ Affinity Group. She is invested in helping to foster a positive and inclusive culture within BCLP. 

Areas of Focus

  • Food, Ag & Nutrition (Class Actions)

Civic Involvement & Honors

  • St. Louis Business Journal, Business of Pride Awards Honoree 2022
  • St. Louis Magazine, Power Issue 2021
  • Westminster College, Alumni Achievement Award 2019
  • Missouri Lawyers Media, Women’s Justice Awards Honoree 2019
  • St. Louis Business Journal, Most Influential Business Women Honoree 2018
  • Missouri Lawyers Weekly
  • Listed in Best Lawyers in America - Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions - Defendants, multiple years
  • Diversity Journal Women Worth Watching, 2012
  • Missouri Lawyers Weekly Up & Coming Award winner, 2011
  • St. Louis Business Journal 40 Under 40 Award Winner, 2009
  • American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri, Board of Trustees, Co-Chair, Event Committee, Legal Committee Member, 2015-Present, Volunteer Attorney, 2012
  • St. Louis Art Museum, Corporate Partnership Committee, 2015-Present, SLAM Underground Committee, 2015
  • Legal Advocates for Abused Women, Board of Directors, 2011-2012
  • Human Rights Campaign, Federal Club Member
  • Vanderbilt University, Commodore Recruitment Programs, Regional Interview Volunteer, 2008, 2014
  • Harvard Club of St. Louis

Professional Affiliations

  • American Law Institute, 2017-present
  • American Bar Association
  • Missouri Organization of Defense Lawyers
  • Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis, Committee Chair, 2008-2010

Admissions

  • Florida, 2012
  • Missouri, 1998
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Missouri
  • Court of Appeals, District Of Columbia

Education

Vanderbilt University, J.D., 1998

Harvard University, M.T.S., 1995

Westminster College, B.A., magna cum laude, 1993

Related Practice Areas

  • Class Actions & Mass Torts

  • Agtech & Biotech

  • Food, Ag & Nutrition (Class Actions)

  • PFAS Team

  • Food, Ag & Nutrition

  • Brownfields

  • Citizen Suits/NIMBY

  • Clean Air Act

  • Clean Water Law

  • Compliance Audits and Internal Investigations

  • Cost Recovery Litigation (Superfund/CERCLA and State equivalents)

  • Criminal Enforcement

  • Endangered Species (ESA)

  • Environmental Review (NEPA and State EIS laws)

  • Hazardous Materials Transportation (HMTA)

  • Hazardous Waste (RCRA)

  • Insurance Counseling

  • International Environmental Law

  • Oil Spills

  • Pesticides (FIFRA)

  • Reporting Requirements (EPCRA, CERCLA, Prop 65 and other state laws)

  • Safe Drinking Water (SDWA)

  • Solid Waste and Landfills

  • Toxic Substances Regulation (TSCA)

  • Transactional Work, Including SEC Disclosures

  • Underground Injection Control (UIC)

  • Water Rights

  • Wetlands

  • Mobile Source Emissions and Fleet Management

  • Financial Services

  • Catastrophic Accidents

  • Consumer Fraud

  • Consumer Products

  • Insurance (Class Actions)

  • Pharmaceutical & Medical Devices (Class Actions)

  • Pharmaceutical & Medical Devices (Mass Torts)

  • Food & Agribusiness

  • Class Actions

  • Business & Commercial Disputes

  • Environment

  • Mass Torts & Product Liability

  • Real Estate

  • Retail & Consumer Products

  • Healthcare & Life Sciences

  • Litigation & Dispute Resolution

Resources

Publications

  • Co-Author, “How Sugar Industry Documents May Impact Litigation,” Law 360, December 1, 2016
  • Co-Author, “Missouri Appellate Court Rejects ‘Ingredient List” Defense in Food Labeling Case,” Food Fight Blog, November 9, 2016
  • Co-Author, "Drug Companies’ First Amendment Right to Advertise Their Products for Off-Label Use: Avoiding a Phyrric Victory"; FOOD AND DRUG LAW JOURNAL, Volume 58:3, November 2002
  • Co-Author, "Medical Monitoring: The Erosion of Traditional Tort Law Concepts"; Dechert’s Mass Torts & Product Liability Newsletter, January 2002, Issue 9

 

Speaking Engagements

  • Panelist, Liberty & Justice: Sisters Under Siege, An Equity Panel, 13th Annual Midwest LGBTQ Rights Conference, March 1, 2018
  • “Examining the Science and Legal Landscape of Dicamba: Where We Are and What’s Ahead,” American Agricultural Law Association webinar, February 23, 2018
  • "Hot Topics in Mass Tort Litigation"; St. Louis Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel, September 2017
  • Moderator, LGBTQ Professional Women’s Panel, Washington University, April 2017
  • "The First Amendment and Consumer Protection"; National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) Fall Consumer Protection Seminar, St. Louis, Missouri, November 2, 2015

Related Insights

Awards
Jun 08, 2023
Legal 500 US 2023
News
May 04, 2022
BCLP Partner Named an Honoree for 2022 Business of Pride Award
News
Jun 16, 2021
BCLP Recovers More Than $1.2 Million for Client in Medicaid Audit Settlement
Insights
May 24, 2021
The New Mass Tort: Herbicides
Awards
Jan 28, 2021
BCLP Earns Perfect Score on HRC Corporate Equality Index 2021
Awards
Aug 20, 2020
The Best Lawyers in America© 2021
Awards
Aug 15, 2019
The Best Lawyers in America© 2020
Awards
Aug 15, 2018
The Best Lawyers in America© 2019