Member | Co-Chair, Construction Group
Winston-Salem, NC
office 336.631.1062
mobile 336.655.2229
Jacksonville, FL
Ms. Eaton's primary areas of practice include litigation involving construction-related claims, energy and utility matters, and product liability and commercial disputes. She has extensive experience handling class actions, mass tort litigation, multi-district litigation and complex, document-intensive matters.
Education
- Emory University, B.A., Phi Beta Kappa, 1993
- University of Florida School of Law, J.D., 1996
Experience
Construction Contract Evaluation, Litigation and Dispute Resolution
- Evaluates and negotiates commercial construction contracts (AIA, ConsensusDocs, Government Contracts and Private Contracts) for owners, contractors and subcontractors, including WBE/MBE’s, tank fabricators and erectors, grading and hauling contractors, and specialty subcontractors, in a variety of public and private building and highway construction
- Uses alternative dispute resolution to resolve litigation disputes as early as practicable, files and/or defends lien claims, and handles construction litigation in court or arbitration to achieve optimal results for clients
- Advises clients, such as lumber supplier and national lien company, on commercial projects with construction management and best practices before, during and following construction
Energy and Utility Litigation
- Represents large end-users of electricity in utility matters before state public service commissions in North and South Carolina and in Florida
- Advocates for clients in renewable energy, energy efficiency, demand side management, and base rate cases
- Participates in stakeholder meetings and state- and commission-led workshops addressing resiliency, storm-preparedness, and increased use of renewable energy
Product Liability and Commercial Litigation
- Defends multi-national industrial and environmental services corporation in product liability and commercial litigation matters, including securing motion for judgment as a matter of law in favor of client at federal jury trial in environmental remediation lawsuit, Rule 12 dismissal of federal lawsuit and successful defense of same suit following appeal to 11th Cir., pre-discovery dismissal of serious accident case in PA
- Collaboration with industrial services client on efficient handling of industrial accident responses, investigation, and pre-suit resolution of disputes
- Service as national and/or regional coordinating counsel to product manufacturers and suppliers in asbestos litigation in the Carolinas, Virginia and New York
- Achieved pre-discovery dismissal of wrongful death lawsuit against manufacturer of residential and commercial drainage and septic products
- Successfully resolved a series of lawsuits by hauling companies against a national highway truck engine manufacturer related to alleged engine defect and performance issues
- Defended an international industrial chemical distributor in a six-week bifurcated jury trial stemming from serious industrial accident involving hazardous chemicals
- Provided trial support in five-week jury trial in defense of a publicly traded company in litigation involving alleged pesticide damage to commercial crops