Courtney Shytle is an accomplished trial lawyer with more than two decades of experience representing defendants in class action, complex business, and product liability litigation. Her experience includes guiding publicly-traded and private companies in the consumer products, energy, and retail sectors through complex civil litigation, including class actions, multi-state pattern litigation, business and contract disputes, business torts, product liability, premises liability, toxic torts, and internal investigations in state and federal court.
As trial counsel, Courtney manages individual, multistate, and class action litigation involving multiple matters and law firms. Her experience includes conducting internal investigations in response to regulatory inquiries and individual and class action matters, developing an appropriate and effective narrative for her client, managing discovery, and preparing corporate witnesses and experts to maximize the ability to recognize and create opportunities to achieve optimal settlements, or to press for resolution through trial on behalf of her clients.
Courtney is admitted to practice in both North Carolina and South Carolina. Prior to private practice, Courtney was a law clerk to the Honorable Karen J. Williams of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
Experience
- Representation and defense of energy company in high-exposure premises liability case.
- Representation and defense of product manufacturer in state and nationwide class actions alleging a defect in company’s flagship product.
- Representation and defense of product manufacturer in creation of bankruptcy trust and trust distribution processes; ongoing representation advising Trust and client on claim process and related technical issues.
- Representation and defense of automotive manufacturer in all aspects of defense of Takata inflator litigation.
- Representation and defense of retail business against Lanham Act and Unfair Trade Practices Act claims.
- Representation of professional consultant in breach of contract matter.
- Representation of construction business in copyright-related and breach of contract action.
- Representation and defense of American multinational retail corporation in a premises liability/sexual assault case that garnered national media exposure.
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University of South Carolina School of LawJD
cum laude, Order of the Wig and Robe, Member, South Carolina Law Review
1994 -
University of South CarolinaBA
magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa
1991
Member, American Bar Association
Member, Defense Research Institute
Member, South Carolina Women Lawyers Association
Member, South Carolina Bar Association
- Speaker, Using Contracts to Avoid Problematic Jurisdictions and Unfavorable Law, April 29, 2021
- Hon. Karen J. Williams, U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit, 1996-1998
- North Carolina
- South Carolina
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina
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Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants 2020-2024; Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Defendants, 2021-2024, Woodward/White, Inc.
Named “Lawyer of the Year,” Charlotte, Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, Best Lawyers, 2023
Selected for inclusion in “Legal 500 United States,” Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Actions – Automotive/Transport – Defense; Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Actions – Consumer Products – Defense; Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Action – Defense: Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices; Product Liability, Mass Tort and Class Actions – Toxic Tort – Defense; 2022
- Author, Using Contracts to Avoid Problematic Jurisdictions and Unfavorable Law, Class Action Countermeasures, May 24, 2021