Staci A. Williamson

Staci is an experienced civil defense litigator who concentrates her practice on product liability litigation, including matters involving fires and explosions, product labeling and warnings, and other issues arising under the Consumer Product Safety Act. She currently serves as national counsel for a prominent consumer manufacturer. She also handles complex insurance coverage, professional liability, construction, premises liability, commercial transportation, and general negligence matters. Staci defends owners, construction managers, general contractors, subcontractors, and design professionals in construction litigation involving personal injury, property damage, and construction defects. Staci represents clients in state and federal courts throughout the United States in a variety of complex cases and regularly achieves summary judgment, including successfully defending one judgment on appeal to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.

Staci provides clients with a rapid response to loss and works with investigators and qualified experts following catastrophic events. Staci has proved invaluable in reducing exposure and obtaining early claim resolution when warranted. Staci has successfully tried cases to verdict and has conducted multiple arbitrations in her career. She has achieved success in the courtroom, and positive resolutions of cases through mediation, arbitration, settlement negotiations and dispositive motion practice.

Experience Highlights

Product Liability

•Achieved a motion for summary judgment in the defense of a design engineer against the owner and subrogating property insurance carriers in an $87 million casino complex fire based upon the enforcement of waiver of subrogation provisions in the project construction contracts
•Achieved a summary judgment victory in favor of a gas valve component manufacturer in a personal injury case involving an explosion at a youth festival that resulted in severe burns to four minors by convincing a Pennsylvania court to apply Texas law
•Successfully defended a nationwide consumer class action over a recalled children’s toy, a Seventh Circuit decision which set favorable precedent for cases involving defective products
•Achieved a summary judgment win and Daubert exclusion of plaintiffs’ experts in a $2 million-plus Arkansas consolidated property loss/fire case involving the destruction of a theater and other businesses in a downtown historic district

Honors & Awards

Illinois Super Lawyers, Rising Stars - Product Liability Defense, 2015-16

Publications & Events

Publications

•“Connecticut Ponders Liability in the Absence of Evidence” (Co-Author), Law360, July 18, 2014
•“The Role of Medical Examiners and Forensic Pathologists in the Defense of Wrongful Death Cases” (Co-Author), DRI The Voice, July 16, 2014
•“Do Consumers Have Private Remedies for Violations of the Reporting Requirements Under the Rules of the Consumer Product Safety Act?” (Co-Author), DRI The Voice, Vol. 8, No. 29, 2009
•“The Duty of Vehicle Manufacturers to Protect Non-Occupants, and Construction Negligence and Toxic Torts” (Co-Author), IDC Quarterly, Vol. 18, No. 4, 2008
•“Standard of Care in Negligent Design Product Liability Cases, Existence of a Post-Sale Duty to Warn, the Admissibility of Post-Sale Product Improvements, and Due Process Analysis of Punitive Damage Verdicts: Jablonski v. Ford Motor Company” (Co-Author), IDC Quarterly, Vol. 20, No. 2, 2010

Recent Insights

Loose Handles Lead to Tighter Controls

September 13, 2019

Goldberg Segalla Congratulates 2017 Illinois Super Lawyers

January 8, 2016

Design Engineer and All Defendants Defeat Subrogation Claim Over $87 Million Casino Fire

March 27, 2015

Goldberg Segalla Attorneys Recognized as Super Lawyers in Illinois

January 14, 2015

Connecticut Ponders Liability in the Absence of Evidence, Law360

July 18, 2014

The Role of Medical Examiners and Forensic Pathologists in the Defense of Wrongful Death Cases, DRI The Voice

July 16, 2014