Lawyers / Professionals

 
Jennifer L. Cairns       
Partner
EQT Plaza
625 Liberty Avenue, 23rd Floor
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222-3142
T: 412.667.7913
F: 412.667.7903
jcairns@mcguirewoods.com
 

Ms. Cairns' practice is focused in the area of general civil litigation, with particular emphasis in products liability litigation. She defends cases involving complex scientific and medical issues in both the complex toxic tort and products liability areas. She has experience handling mass torts, class actions, MDL coordinated proceedings and multijurisdictional defense claims and issues, with a heightened level of experience in the pharmaceutical industry. Her practice includes the defense of both domestic and international manufacturers of products ranging from pharmaceuticals to forklifts. Moreover, she routinely counsels clients on risk management issues, including issues related to product labeling, warnings and instructions. Ms. Cairns' primary focus is to help companies protect and defend their valuable products and corporate branding.


Practices & Industries
Firm Management
  • Regional Chair, Women's Leadership Forum

Honors
  • Leadership Pittsburgh, Class XXVIII
  • Named a Pennsylvania Super Lawyers "Rising Star," 2011
  • Inaugural Recipient, Athena Young Professional Award, 2011
  • Named One of Pennsylvania's Most Powerful & Influential Women, National Diversity Council, 2011
  • Named One of Pittsburgh's "50 Finest," Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 2004
  • Numerous local/national accolades and recognition as a member of the Pittsburgh Passion Women's Full Contact Professional Football Team

Previous Experience
  • Associate, Eckert Seamans, LLC
  • Judicial Clerk, the Hon. Kate Ford Elliott, Superior Court of Pennsylvania

Articles
  • Featured in "Vocation/Avocation," Diversity & the Bar, March/April 2008
  • "Has Parental Consent Become a Dispensable Safeguard?" McGuireWoods Press Room, June 2007
  • Co-author, Two-part Installment, "Preemption Preamble: Landmark Legislation or Puff Piece?" Biotech Life Sciences Martindale.com Legal Articles, July 2007, Previously Published at McGuireWoods Press Room, September 2006

Speaking Engagements
  • "Managing Four Generations in the Workplace," Panelist, National Diversity Council, September 2011
  • "You Can't Be Everything to Everyone, But You Can Be a Leader," Bombardier's Women in Leadership Group, May 2011
  • "Establishing and Maintaining Credibility in the Workplace," Keynote Speaker, Women in Leadership Symposium, Sponsored by National Diversity Council, March 2011
  • "Perceptions of an Assertive Woman"; "Becoming a Person of Influence"; Pursuing Leadership Excellence," Panelist and Keynote Speaker, Women in Leadership Symposium, Sponsored by National Diversity Council, March 2011
  • "The Effect of Recent Preemption Decisions on the Defense of Consumer Fraud Claims in Drug and Device Litigation," Keynote Speaker, American Conference Institute (ACI), September 2008
  • "Litigation and PR Strategies to Respond to Drug Recalls," Keynote Speaker, Minority Corporate Council Association's Annual Conference, March 2008
  • "Conflict Resolution," Kiski Area Regional High School's Cavalier Leadership Council, January 2008
  • "E-Discovery and the Effects It Has Had Not Only in the Civil Litigation Context, but in the Bankruptcy Realm as Well," Allegheny County Bar Association's Bankruptcy Symposium, December 2007
  • "E-Discovery," Pennsylvania Bar Institute's Bankruptcy Institute, September 2007
  • "Conflict Resolution," University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's Leadership Academy, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, August 2007

Professional Affiliations
  • Allegheny County Bar Association
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association
  • Board Member, Executive Women's Counsel of Pittsburgh
  • Defense Research Institute, Trial Tactics Committee
  • Player/Management Team, Pittsburgh Passion Women's Full Contact Professional Football Team

Civic Affiliations
  • Mentor, Career Literacy for African American Youth Program (CLAAY)
  • Beating the Odds Foundation/Quarterbacks for Life
  • Passion for Life Foundation
  • Swim Coach, Allegheny County Special Olympics
  • Volunteer, Western Pennsylvania Humane Society and Animal Friends
 

EDUCATION

Syracuse University College of Law, Syracuse, New York, J.D., 2001

Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, B.A. Political Science, 1998

 
 

ADMITTED

Pennsylvania 2001

New Jersey 2001

U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania 2001

U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey 2001

 

PLACE OF BIRTH

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania