Mary Elizabeth Gately is the co-head of the DC office's litigation group. Her practice focuses on class actions and other complex litigation in the fields of product liability, commercial litigation, construction, intellectual property, employment discrimination, and the First Amendment.
Ms. Gately serves on the Hiring Committee and Pro Bono Committee in the Washington, DC office.

Representations include

• Liaison counsel for defendants in multi-district product liability class action litigation arising out of the 2007 recall of pet food involving allegations of melamine tainted wheat gluten from China. In re Pet Food Recall Litigation, MDL 1580 (D.N.J.).
• Lead counsel for pet food manufacturer in class actions alleging unfair and deceptive trade practice violations, including Made in the USA claims.
• Counseling of manufacturer of meat products and pet food treats related to consumer protection claims for product labeling and advertising.
• Representation of pharmaceutical client in multi-district product liability class actions involving hormone therapy drugs.
• Representation of doctor in administrative appeal of Office of Management and Budget suspension of doctor's treatment of Medicaid and Medicare patients.
• Representation of steel manufacturer in toxic tort action in Phoenix, including representation in personal injury and wrongful death actions and medical monitoring and property damage class actions.
• Representation of League of Arab States in garnishment actions in federal court.
• Representation of international media company in contract dispute with Norwegian distributor of electronic news service.
• Representation of Danish fashion industry client in trademark infringement case.
• Representation of an educational testing company in a copyright dispute with a test preparation company.
• Representation of doctor in administrative appeal of Office of Management and Budget suspension of doctor's treatment of Medicaid and Medicare patients.
• Representation of a large religious organization in a variety of actions in state and federal courts, including arbitration of construction disputes and mechanics liens disputes, wrongful death and personal injury lawsuits, First Amendment lawsuits, breach of contract lawsuits, entitlement to tax exemptions and counseling on governance issues, tax issues, and low-income and senior citizen housing issues.
• Representation of a power company in a $12 million breach of contract action against lessee of turbines in arbitration.
• Representation of a technology company in an $8 million lease and construction dispute in Virginia state court.
• Representation of female employees of DC Department of Corrections in a sexual harassment class action lawsuit against the District of Columbia. After obtaining class certification, Ms. Gately participated in the seven-week jury trial, appeal, and class relief phases. The case was settled recently for $8 million and other injunctive relief.

Admissions

• District of Columbia
• Virginia
• United States Supreme Court
• All Virginia federal and state courts
• All Washington, DC federal and state courts
• United States District Court for the District of Maryland

Memberships

• Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights & Urban Affairs
• American Bar Association
• District of Columbia Bar Association
• Virginia Trial Lawyers Association

Publications

• Co-author, "How Not to Get Burned by Unscrupulous Subcontractors," White Collar Crime Fighter (July 2002)

Seminars

• "Trial Advocacy Faculty," EPA Trial Advocacy Institute (1995 - present)