Tanisha focuses her practice on commercial litigation, particularly financial services and banking litigation. She represents banks and other financial institutions in disputes involving complex financial products and instruments.
Tanisha has experience in all phases of litigation in state and federal court, including drafting trial and appellate court briefs and motions, negotiating settlements, preparing and deposing expert and lay witnesses, and participating in trial teams.
Prior to joining McGuireWoods, Tanisha’s litigation practice focused on commercial litigation with an emphasis on consumer fraud, products liability, employment agreements, business and real estate contracts, and intellectual property matters. In her appellate practice, she worked on appeals before the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, and appellate and supreme courts in Illinois, California and Mississippi. Those appeals involved certification of class actions, products liability, consumer fraud, personal injury, statutory damages caps and theories of agency. Tanisha also has experience in labor and employment defense and civil rights matters.
While attending Harvard Law School, Tanisha was a student attorney with the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau, the nation’s oldest student legal services organization, providing legal aid and assistance to all persons or associations, regardless of socio-economic standing. While earning her undergraduate degree, she studied legal history at the University of Cambridge (Cambridge, England) as part of a Summer Study Abroad Program.
Experience
- Represented a major retailer before the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on the constitutionality of Mississippi’s statutory cap on noneconomic damages. The 5th Circuit ruled in favor of the retailer and upheld the cap on damages.
- Defended the city of Chicago and 23 police officers in a multimillion-dollar civil rights violation allegation. Wrote two of three motions for summary judgment which resulted in full dismissal. After appeal and partial remand, participated in trial team representing the city and seven remaining officers in a three-week jury trial before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
- Negotiated and settled a vendor services payment case that enabled client to sustain operations of nine nursing homes by saving $400,000, and establishing a manageable payment plan.
- Represented a major retailer before the Illinois Supreme Court on whether trial and appellate courts erroneously ruled that Illinois law, rather than Michigan law, applied to products liability suit. Court ruled in favor of client without oral argument.
- Settled a financial securities matter for an institutional banking client. Discovered a discrepancy in claimant’s documents that created an advantage in negotiations; eliminated arbitration and expert report fees, and settled for one-third of the claim.
- Acted as the village attorney for a Chicago suburb and advised the mayor and the board of trustees on all aspects of litigation concerning the municipality and collective bargaining agreement negotiations.
- First-chaired a six-person jury trial for a Midwest-based natural gas company in a case involving property damage resulting from a traffic accident, resulting in a unanimous verdict in favor of the client who was awarded 100% of the damages alleged.
- Illinois
- North Carolina
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
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Named to “NAWL Rising List,” National Association of Women Lawyers, 2022
Selected for inclusion into the North Carolina Pro Bono Honor Society, 2020
Named to “Illinois Rising Stars,” Business Litigation, Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters, 2011-2014
Recognized as an “Outstanding Young Lawyer” by Chicago Magazine, 2012-2013
Named to the “Hot List,” Lawyers of Color, 2013
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Harvard Law SchoolJD
Sub-Citer, Harvard Negotiation Law Journal
2004 - The University of KansasBA2001
Member, Mecklenburg County Bar Association, 2017
President, Black Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago Scholarship Foundation, 2012-2013; Board of Directors Member, 2011-2012
Member, Black Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago, 2004–2014
Host Committee Member, Chicago Foundation for Women, 2010-2011
Member, Cook County Bar Association, 2004-2014
Member, Chicago Bar Association, 2004-2014
Member, American Bar Association, 2004-2014
Member, National Bar Association, 2004–2014
Member, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.
- Speaker, "KYC/AML Regulatory Update: Why Does My Bank Keep Asking Me for All of These Documents and Information", New Developments in Tax and Wealth Planning, October 14, 2021
- Panelist, University of Illinois School of Law Women’s Law Association, 2008, 2009
- Panelist, Illinois Harvard Law Alumni Association Career Day, 2007, 2010