Moira H. Pietrowski

Shareholder
Akron
222 South Main Street
Suite 400
Akron, OH 44308
P 330.849.6761
F 330.376.4577
P 330.849.6761 | F 330.376.4577



Overview

Moira defends consumer and industrial product manufacturers – food-flavoring producers, food suppliers, cosmetics companies, auto manufacturers, household appliance makers, and more – against complex product liability claims and litigation, including product liability, toxic tort, fire litigation, and general negligence. Her clients range from in-house counsel and executives, the owners of retail premises, to claims representatives for the insurance industry.

For more than 20 years, Moira has acted as national counsel for a leading flavoring company in diacetyl and butter-flavoring litigation and related matters. She also serves as Ohio counsel for a major cosmetic company in talc litigation and regularly defends other companies in personal injury cases involving asbestos exposure and contamination from fires, spills, releases, and other toxic substances.  In addition, Moira’s general negligence practice consists of defending food poisoning, premises, and accident cases that often involve catastrophic injuries.

Clients appreciate Moira’s ability to understand the issues rapidly, assess the risks, and propose a plan of action to resolve them with minimal disruption to their business. In one case, Moira was retained to defend a large public entity client about an accident involving a catastrophic injury. In addition to obtaining a favorable result in the case, Moira worked with her client by implementing policies and procedures that would dramatically reduce the number and severity of accidents in the future. Although this work was above and beyond the scope of her retention, Moira is always looking for ways to add value to her client relationships, and was pleased to provide additional value to the company. 

As a former Division I athlete, Moira draws on the lessons learned on the basketball court in her legal practice: teamwork, commitment, planning, and flawless execution. A tireless worker, she is laser-focused on helping her clients meet their business and financial objectives through aggressive advocacy.

Experience
  • Serve as national counsel for manufacturer of food-flavoring products in hundreds of toxic tort cases involving allegations that chemicals inhaled during manufacturing process caused significant injury to more than 200 employees
  • Serve as regional counsel for manufacturer of food-flavoring products in more than 30 personal injury cases alleging lung injuries
  • Serve as Ohio counsel in talc litigation for major cosmetic company
  • Defended cosmetic company in personal injury case with favorable mediated outcome  where Plaintiff claimed exposure to toxic chemicals in fragrance spray
  • Defended food supplier in numerous food-poisoning cases involving allegations of salmonella
  • Served as national coordinating counsel for insurer in all mass tort litigation (silicosis and asbestos)
  • Defended auto manufacturer in asbestos litigation in numerous cases
  • Defended a large local company in a lawsuit involving allegations of chemical exposure due to a defective/malfunctioning furnace motor and obtained favorable outcome
  • Represented a large local company in a lawsuit involving release of halon gas alleged to cause permanent, respiratory damage
  • Defended manufacturer of wastewater treatment facility products in complex case involving local public entity
  • Defending putative consumer class action against an energy company involving allegations of odors affecting numerous homeowners
  • Obtained a dismissal in a premises case involving a local community center involving serious injury
  • Represented an oil-and-gas-well operator in federal court against allegations of negligent drilling and fracking and obtained favorable result
  • Handled fire litigation for a major household appliance company which involved serious injuries and resulted in favorable Daubert rulings and summary judgment
  • Defended a major retailer in lawsuit alleging house fire due to electric consumer product
Services

Industries

Education

  1. The John Marshall Law School, J.D.
    • cum laude
    • John Marshall Law Review, Staff Editor
  2. Northwestern University, B.A., Political Science

Credentials

Bar Admissions
  1. Illinois
  2. Ohio
Court Admissions
  1. U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio
  2. U.S. District Court, Southern District of Illinois
  3. U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio

Recognitions

  • BV Distinguished® rating, Martindale-Hubbell® (2017)
  • Ohio Super Lawyers magazine (2009-2011)

Affiliations

Professional Affiliations
  • USLAW Network, Board of Directors (2023 – present)
  • Ohio State Bar Association
  • Akron Bar Association
  • Akron Law Library Association
Community Affiliations
  • Weaver Industries, Board of Directors
  • Walsh Jesuit High School Senior Experience, Past Sponsor
  • Volunteers for Youth, Past Member
  • Youth Basketball Coach

Insights

  1. Alerts
    Ohio Appellate Court Holds Hazardous Material Transportation Act Does Not Preempt Ohio Products Liability Act (Feb 8, 2024)
    New Lawsuit Tests Whether Best-in-Class Safety Technology is New Standard of Care (Apr 6, 2020)
    Supreme Court of Ohio Tolls Litigation Deadlines and Timelines (Mar 29, 2020)
    New Ohio Law Tolls Statutes of Limitations and Deadlines in Civil Lawsuits Due to COVID-19 (Mar 27, 2020)
    Ohio Appeals Court Remands Case to Trial Court for Assessment of "Reasonableness" in Delay of Repairs to Well (Dec 2, 2015)
  2. Articles
    Best Practices in Mass and Toxic Torts - Today's General Counsel (April 2021)
    Fracking - The Hot New Area of Litigation and Regulation (Apr 1, 2012)
  3. Presentations
    "Handling Experts: Daubert Motion Practice and Cross Examination Techniques" - DRI Litigation Skills Seminar (February 2023)
    "Diacetyl & Flavoring Litigation: The Origin, the Current Status, and the Future of the Litigation" - Private Client (2018)
    “Product Recalls and Crisis Management: How to Protect Your Company" - Panelist, USLAW Network Conference (2016)
    "When Things Go South: Managing Crisis in the Attorney-Client Relationship" - Panelist, USLAW Network Conference (2016)
    “Lifting the Fog – Defending Punitive Damage Claims” - Moderator, USLAW Network Conference (2014)

Overview

Moira defends consumer and industrial product manufacturers – food-flavoring producers, food suppliers, cosmetics companies, auto manufacturers, household appliance makers, and more – against complex product liability claims and litigation, including product liability, toxic tort, fire litigation, and general negligence. Her clients range from in-house counsel and executives, the owners of retail premises, to claims representatives for the insurance industry.

For more than 20 years, Moira has acted as national counsel for a leading flavoring company in diacetyl and butter-flavoring litigation and related matters. She also serves as Ohio counsel for a major cosmetic company in talc litigation and regularly defends other companies in personal injury cases involving asbestos exposure and contamination from fires, spills, releases, and other toxic substances.  In addition, Moira’s general negligence practice consists of defending food poisoning, premises, and accident cases that often involve catastrophic injuries.

Clients appreciate Moira’s ability to understand the issues rapidly, assess the risks, and propose a plan of action to resolve them with minimal disruption to their business. In one case, Moira was retained to defend a large public entity client about an accident involving a catastrophic injury. In addition to obtaining a favorable result in the case, Moira worked with her client by implementing policies and procedures that would dramatically reduce the number and severity of accidents in the future. Although this work was above and beyond the scope of her retention, Moira is always looking for ways to add value to her client relationships, and was pleased to provide additional value to the company. 

As a former Division I athlete, Moira draws on the lessons learned on the basketball court in her legal practice: teamwork, commitment, planning, and flawless execution. A tireless worker, she is laser-focused on helping her clients meet their business and financial objectives through aggressive advocacy.

Experience
  • Serve as national counsel for manufacturer of food-flavoring products in hundreds of toxic tort cases involving allegations that chemicals inhaled during manufacturing process caused significant injury to more than 200 employees
  • Serve as regional counsel for manufacturer of food-flavoring products in more than 30 personal injury cases alleging lung injuries
  • Serve as Ohio counsel in talc litigation for major cosmetic company
  • Defended cosmetic company in personal injury case with favorable mediated outcome  where Plaintiff claimed exposure to toxic chemicals in fragrance spray
  • Defended food supplier in numerous food-poisoning cases involving allegations of salmonella
  • Served as national coordinating counsel for insurer in all mass tort litigation (silicosis and asbestos)
  • Defended auto manufacturer in asbestos litigation in numerous cases
  • Defended a large local company in a lawsuit involving allegations of chemical exposure due to a defective/malfunctioning furnace motor and obtained favorable outcome
  • Represented a large local company in a lawsuit involving release of halon gas alleged to cause permanent, respiratory damage
  • Defended manufacturer of wastewater treatment facility products in complex case involving local public entity
  • Defending putative consumer class action against an energy company involving allegations of odors affecting numerous homeowners
  • Obtained a dismissal in a premises case involving a local community center involving serious injury
  • Represented an oil-and-gas-well operator in federal court against allegations of negligent drilling and fracking and obtained favorable result
  • Handled fire litigation for a major household appliance company which involved serious injuries and resulted in favorable Daubert rulings and summary judgment
  • Defended a major retailer in lawsuit alleging house fire due to electric consumer product

Education

  1. The John Marshall Law School, J.D.
    • cum laude
    • John Marshall Law Review, Staff Editor
  2. Northwestern University, B.A., Political Science

Credentials

Bar Admissions
  1. Illinois
  2. Ohio
Court Admissions
  1. U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio
  2. U.S. District Court, Southern District of Illinois
  3. U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio

Recognitions

  • BV Distinguished® rating, Martindale-Hubbell® (2017)
  • Ohio Super Lawyers magazine (2009-2011)

Affiliations

Professional Affiliations
  • USLAW Network, Board of Directors (2023 – present)
  • Ohio State Bar Association
  • Akron Bar Association
  • Akron Law Library Association
Community Affiliations
  • Weaver Industries, Board of Directors
  • Walsh Jesuit High School Senior Experience, Past Sponsor
  • Volunteers for Youth, Past Member
  • Youth Basketball Coach

Insights

  1. Alerts
    Ohio Appellate Court Holds Hazardous Material Transportation Act Does Not Preempt Ohio Products Liability Act (Feb 8, 2024)
    New Lawsuit Tests Whether Best-in-Class Safety Technology is New Standard of Care (Apr 6, 2020)
    Supreme Court of Ohio Tolls Litigation Deadlines and Timelines (Mar 29, 2020)
    New Ohio Law Tolls Statutes of Limitations and Deadlines in Civil Lawsuits Due to COVID-19 (Mar 27, 2020)
    Ohio Appeals Court Remands Case to Trial Court for Assessment of "Reasonableness" in Delay of Repairs to Well (Dec 2, 2015)
  2. Articles
    Best Practices in Mass and Toxic Torts - Today's General Counsel (April 2021)
    Fracking - The Hot New Area of Litigation and Regulation (Apr 1, 2012)
  3. Presentations
    "Handling Experts: Daubert Motion Practice and Cross Examination Techniques" - DRI Litigation Skills Seminar (February 2023)
    "Diacetyl & Flavoring Litigation: The Origin, the Current Status, and the Future of the Litigation" - Private Client (2018)
    “Product Recalls and Crisis Management: How to Protect Your Company" - Panelist, USLAW Network Conference (2016)
    "When Things Go South: Managing Crisis in the Attorney-Client Relationship" - Panelist, USLAW Network Conference (2016)
    “Lifting the Fog – Defending Punitive Damage Claims” - Moderator, USLAW Network Conference (2014)