Katie Maechler
Partner
Co-Chair of Tort & Product Liability Group
Overview
Katie Maechler focuses her practice on product liability litigation, and she has successfully represented major medical device manufacturers in federal and state courts throughout the country. Prior to joining Maslon in 2012, Katie worked at a private law firm in Texas where she represented clients in a variety of complex litigation matters, including business torts and breach of contract disputes.
Katie has experience defending federal preemption of claims involving FDA-approved medical devices and creating strategies for related litigation claims centered on medical device safety notifications and recalls. She has significant experience deposing fact witnesses and health care providers as well as deposing and defending medical, human factors, and technical experts. She has been instrumental in leveraging written discovery and deposition testimony to reduce and eliminate litigation risk by way of dispositive motions and alternative dispute resolution. Katie takes a strategic approach to her matters, and she works to negotiate early, reasonable settlement offers when possible and to aggressively defend each action when not.
Katie received her law degree, with honors, from The University of Texas School of Law in Austin, Texas, and her bachelor's degree, magna cum laude, from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. During law school Katie interned for the Honorable Priscilla Owen of the Texas Supreme Court, who now serves as a federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Experience
- Defend litigation related to various implanted and external medical devices for world-leading medical device company in state and federal courts (2012-present).
- Elizabeth Brunstad, et al. v. Medtronic, Inc., et al., 314-CV-00255 (W.D. Wisc.). Authored Rule 12(c) motion for judgment on the pleadings and supporting brief that resulted in early dismissal of plaintiffs' consumer protection claims arising under California and Wisconsin state statutes.
- In re American Medical Systems, Inc., CV-11-3933 (Hennepin County District Court, Minnesota). Defended thousands of consolidated state court actions alleging multiple tort theories against American Medical Systems related to female mesh products.
- Select Comfort Corporation v. The Sleep Better Store. LLC, No. 0:11-cv-00621-JNE-JSM (D. Minn.). Represented defendant in a trademark infringement/false advertising action involving specialty retail mattresses.
Honors
Recognized on Minnesota Rising Stars list as part of the Super Lawyers® selection process, 2020 (Minnesota Rising Stars is a designation given to only 2.5 percent of Minnesota attorneys each year, based on a selection process that includes the recommendation of peers in the legal profession.)