Ms. Eaton's primary area of practice is litigation, with an emphasis on construction, product liability, industrial accident and toxic tort litigation. She is very experienced handling class actions, mass tort litigation, multi-district litigation and complex, document-intensive matters.

Bar Admissions

Admissions

• North Carolina, Florida, South Carolina and Georgia State Bars
• United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth and Eleventh Circuits
• United States Court of Federal Claims
• United States District Courts for the Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of North Carolina
• United States District Court for the District of South Carolina
• United States District Court for the Northern, Middle and Southern Districts of Florida

Education

• Emory University, B.A., Phi Beta Kappa, 1993
• University of Florida School of Law, J.D., 1996

Significant Accomplishments

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
 

Product Liability/Personal Injury Defense

Collaboration with industrial services client on efficient handling of industrial accident responses, investigation, and defense of claims and litigation, including pre-discovery dismissal of serious accident case in PA

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

Defended an international industrial chemical distributor in a bifurcated jury trial stemming from serious industrial accident involving hazardous chemicals

Provided trial support in jury trial in defense of a publicly traded company in litigation involving alleged pesticide damage to commercial crops
 

Commercial and Administrative Law Representation

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 jury trial in environmental remediation federal lawsuit, Rule 12 dismissal of federal lawsuit and successful defense of same suit following appeal to 11^th Cir., and pre-suit negotiation of disputes.

Represents clients in utility matters before state public service commissions in the Carolinas and Florida, including participation in renewable energy, energy efficiency, demand side management, and base rate cases

Successfully resolved a series of lawsuits by hauling companies against a national highway truck engine manufacturer related to alleged engine performance issues

Seminars/ Presentation

Co-Presenter, “Witnesses” and “Expert Reports and Scientific Evidence,” Applying the Rules of Evidence: What Every Attorney Needs to Know, National Business Institute seminar, Greensboro and Raleigh, North Carolina, December 2013

Presenter, "Trying the Personal Injury Case." National Business Institute, Greenville, South Carolina, September 2010

Presenter, "Survey of Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Laws of U.S. States and D.C." Center for International Legal Studies Conference, Kitzbuhel, Austria, March 2007

Presenter, "Successful Defense of Construction-Based Class Actions," International Construction Law Forum, Steamboat Springs, CO, February 2003

Publications & Presentations

• Presenter, "Industry Perspectives on Energy Law Trends," U.S. Air Force JAG, Advanced Environmental Law Course 22-A, February 23, 2022
• Co-Presenter, "Corporate Sustainability Goals – Net Zero By 2030?," DRI Construction Law Committee Annual Seminar, January 27, 2022
• Presenter, “Déjà Vu All Over Again—Virtually (A Program Celebrating the Release of the 8th Edition of the North Carolina Construction Law Deskbook),” NCBA CLE, February 17, 2021
• Presenter, “COVID-19 and the Construction Industry – What You Need to Know,” DRI Construction Law Webinar, April 8, 2020
• Presenter, “Using Experts to Navigate the Minefields of Litigation,” DRI Construction Law Webinar, October 1, 2019
• Author, “DRI Construction Meets Leaders of the National Association of Women In Construction,” The Critical Path, July 2019
• Presenter, "From Order to Chaos: Using Experts to Navigate the Minefields of Litigation," DRI Construction Law Seminar, April 2019
• Author, "What’s That Smell? An Examination of Legal Developments Related to Formaldehyde Products," The Critical Path, DRI Construction Law Committee, 2017
• Presenter, "LEED Perspectives: The Legal Risks of Green Building," DRI Construction Law Seminar, June 2016
• Co-Author, “Licensing of Construction Professionals” Chapter of NCBA Construction Law Deskbook (8th Ed., 2021)
• Co-Author, “Licensing of Construction Professionals” Chapter of NCBA Construction Law Deskbook (7th Ed., 2016)
• Co-Author, “Licensing of Construction Professionals” Chapter of NCBA Construction Law Deskbook (6th Ed., 2012)
• Co-Presenter, “Witnesses” and “Expert Reports and Scientific Evidence,” Applying the Rules of Evidence: What Every Attorney Needs to Know, National Business Institute seminar, Greensboro, North Carolina, December 2013
• Presenter, “Trying the Personal Injury Case.” National Business Institute, Greenville, South Carolina, September 2010
• Presenter, “Survey of Unfair and Deceptive Trade Practices Laws of U.S. States and D.C.” Center for International Legal Studies Conference, Kitzbuhel, Austria, March 2007