Mary Eileen Reilley is a founding partner of Krieg, Keller, Sloan, Reilley & Roman LLP. Formerly a partner with Bronson, Bronson & McKinnon, she was Chair of its Product Liability and Toxic Torts Practice Group in Los Angeles from 1985 to 1992, and firmwide Chair from 1993 through 1996. She has extensive trial experience in state and federal courts and for 29 years has defended, both nationally and regionally, catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death cases for many corporate defendants. Mary's clients include manufacturers, distributors, premises owners, contractors, security services providers, and others. She also advises domestic and foreign manufacturers on preventive product liability measures, risk management issues, and coordinated litigation strategy.

Notable Engagements

Following are examples of matters Mary has handled.

• U.S. National Coordinating Counsel for one of Taiwan's largest manufacturers of recreational equipment.


• Regional counsel for various forklift manufacturers in friction asbestos litigation.


• Regional counsel for product manufacturer in silica cases.


• Regional counsel for the largest security transportation company in the world.


• Represented the leading manufacturer of pressure relief devices in mass tort litigation (in excess of 40,000 plaintiffs) arising out of a toxic chemical release in Richmond, California. Preliminary reports alleged our client was the target defendant; obtained dismissal of all claims for a mutual waiver of costs.


• Represented a high-pressure airless paint sprayer manufacturer in two design defect personal injury lawsuits involving severe hand injuries. Defense verdicts in both cases.


• Represented the world's largest printing press manufacturer in a design defect case brought by a plaintiff who lost four fingers on his major hand. Defense verdict after a two-week jury trial.


• Represented a general aviation aircraft manufacturer in three wrongful death actions. One was tried for nine weeks in federal court in Orlando, Florida and another was tried for one week in federal court in Los Angeles, California. Both resulted in defense verdicts. The other was a case of admitted liability and was tried in state court on damages only.


• Represented a major aircraft manufacturer in a lawsuit involving 87 consolidated wrongful death actions arising from a mid-air collision. Non-suit granted for defendant.


• Represented aircraft manufacturer in a wrongful death case. Defense verdict after a four-week jury trial.


• Represented insurance company in a first party bad faith lawsuit. Defense verdict after a one-week trial.


• Defended forklift operator in a personal injury action related to a construction accident. Defense verdict after a two-week jury trial.


• Has represented product manufacturers in hundreds of cases involving a wide variety of products including airplanes, helicopters, lawnmowers, chain saws, forklifts, printing presses, carpet tufting equipment, meat grinders, cigarette lighters, step ladders and bicycles, and covering the entire spectrum of injuries (severe burns, brain damage, amputations, para and quadriplegia), many of which included punitive damages claims.

Publications

• Co-Author, "Recent Developments in Aviation Law" (1980)

Teaching and Speaking Engagements

• "Product Liability Law & The American Legal System," American Chamber of Commerce, Taipei, Taiwan (November 1996)


• "Federal Tort Reform," Product Liability Seminar, Hong Kong (November 1995)


• "Federal Tort Reform," Product Liability Seminar, Taipei, Taiwan (May 1995)


• "Litigation in Aviation," Moderator, ABA Section of Tort and Insurance Practice, San Francisco (1994)


• Panelist, Sixth Annual IAWA Conference, Washington D.C. (1994)


• Instructor, Women's Trial Advocacy Clinic sponsored by ATLA, San Francisco (1986)


• "Jurors' Perceptions in Aviation Cases," Assistant Panel Moderator, Litigation Section, ABA Annual Convention, San Francisco (1981)

Education

• University of California, Boalt Hall School of Law, J.D. (1979)
• University of Santa Clara, B.A., magna cum laude (1976)

Admitted to Practice

• California (1979)

Professional Affiliations and Activities

• American Bar Association
• State Bar of California
• Defense Research Institute
• Bar Association of San Francisco
• Leadership California 1994
• Founding Member of International Aviation Women's Association (IAWA)
• Named a Super Lawyer in a survey published in San Francisco Magazine for the last five years.
• Program Chairman, Seventh Annual IAWA Conference, Paris, France, (October 1995)