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Heather Counts

Partner

St. Louis
314 552 6551 direct

OVERVIEW
INSIGHTS
NEWS & EVENTS
RELATED INFORMATION

INDUSTRIES

PRACTICES

Education
- Washington University School of Law,
  
  J.D., 2003
  
  Order of the Coif
  
  Washington University Law Quarterly
  
  Student Clerk, Hon. Theodore McMillian, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
- Washington University in St. Louis,
  
  M.A., British and American Literature, 2000
- University of Missouri-Columbia,
  
  B.A., English, magna cum laude, 1999
  
  , Phi Beta Kappa
Admissions
- Illinois
- Missouri
Representative Clients
- R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
- Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A.
- Kawasaki Motors Corp.
- Maritz Holdings, Inc.
- American Tower Company
Employment
- Thompson Coburn LLP
  
  Partner, 2012-Present
  
  Associate, 2003-2011
  
  Summer Associate, 2002
- United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
  
  Student Clerk for the Honorable Theodore MacMillian, 2002
- Turner, Reid, Duncan, Loomer & Patton, P.C.
  
  Summer Associate, 2001

Heather defends clients facing consumer products claims and commercial litigation.

Heather acts as national counsel for manufacturers facing tort and injury litigation in state and federal courts, including, most recently, representing a tobacco client at trial in California and an automotive manufacturer facing trial in Texas.

Heather is well-versed in commercial claims as well, including civil RICO. She served on the defense trial team for one of the largest civil RICO cases brought by the Department of Justice (U.S. v. Philip Morris USA), where she handled issues including marketing, consumer risk perception, injury causation and compelled commercial speech. Heather has also helped craft RICO claims brought by civil plaintiffs in complex commercial litigation in the telecommunications industry.

Heather is experienced in all phases of litigation, from responsive pleadings through post-trial and appellate briefing. In particular, she has successfully worked to limit or exclude from trial the opinions of opposing experts. Heather's work regarding expert witnesses extends to fields as diverse as epidemiology, neuropsychology, emergency medicine, mechanical engineering, and marketing.

In addition to her litigation practice, Heather also counsels product manufacturing clients regarding issues such as CPSC product recalls and investigations.