Sharon Rosenberg is a litigator representing publicly held Fortune 500 corporations and privately held businesses facing class action, multi-district litigation (MDLs), and other complex commercial litigation.
Sharon is known for her ability to develop and execute highly effective multi-district litigation (MDL) and class action defense strategies across many sectors, including agriculture, transportation, telecommunications, and finance. She defends clients in state and federal courts across the country.
Her MDL experience includes antitrust, sales and marketing practices, and product defect, in regulated and non-regulated industries. She achieves successful outcomes for clients through class certification proceedings, the most critical juncture in any high-exposure class action. If and when successful resolution is not possible on the court papers or via a favorable settlement, she vigorously represents her clients at trial.
Sharon comes from a family of mathematicians, and as a result fully embraces the important intersection between high-stakes litigation and math. She plays a lead role in cases involving complex financial and other numerical data and has significant experience analyzing exposure, deposing experts, and creating sophisticated damages models. Her leadership on data-intensive litigation, combined with high-level strategic thinking, paves the way for the success in high-value cases.
Drawing on her law school background in constitutional law and her work as a law clerk to the Hon. Phyllis A. Kravitch of the United States Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit, Sharon also advises on First Amendment questions, other constitutional issues, and preempted claims.
experience
- Obtained dismissal for major crop inputs manufacturer in nationwide antitrust MDL alleging group boycott related to distribution channels, as well as in state-court copycat action.
- Won summary judgment on behalf of a national transportation leader in federal contract litigation to defeat a challenge to a crucial aspect of the company’s core business model.
- Prosecuted and obtained trial verdict in state court breach of contract action on behalf of a major public pension system against a beneficiary’s depository bank.
- Oversaw defense of manufacturer in federal sales practices MDL following changes in regulatory landscape, knocking out multiple class claims and causes of action, leading to favorable nationwide settlement.
- Obtained summary judgment in federal court for auto manufacturer on consumer fraud putative class action following product recall.
- Prosecuted claims for breach of fiduciary duty and breach of contract on behalf of a public pension system against an international custodian bank in state court, leading to a major victory.
- Won dismissal for auto manufacturer in federal putative class action based on alleged safety-related product defect.
- Defended agricultural seed producer at federal court trial in product defect case, as well as with respect to related putative nationwide class action culminating in favorable settlement.
- Defended Fortune 100 telecommunications corporation in statewide municipal tax collection class action related to business license taxes.
- Conducted internal investigations of major energy company in connection with public accusations of market manipulation.
- Defended major transportation carrier in nationwide antitrust MDL consumer class action alleging price-fixing related to fuel surcharge.
- Defended Fortune Global 100 company in shareholder class action challenging merger.
- Presented to Board of Directors of national transportation leader regarding major decision by regulatory agency affecting ratemaking process and antitrust counseling.
- Defended Fortune 500 bank in nationwide class action alleging unauthorized charges and deceptive trade practices, including issues of arbitrability and class action waivers.
- Defended major chemical corporation in breach of contract action regarding indemnification of environmental cleanup costs.
- Assisted major radio provider respond to a state AG investigation into whether certain calls were protected First Amendment speech or in violation of state consumer protection laws.
- Defended major energy corporation in breach of contract dispute regarding invocation of material-adverse-event clause.
- Defended major bank in state AG investigation into allegedly deceptive practices in connection with enrollment of consumers in ancillary services.
Professional
- Missouri, Illinois and Texas Bars
- American Bar Association
- Women’s Lawyers’ Association, St. Louis
- Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis
Community
- United Way, Women’s Leadership Initiative
- National Law Journal’s Legal list of Class Action / Mass Tort Litigation Trailblazers, 2023
- Up & Coming attorney by Missouri Lawyers Weekly, 2016
- “Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers” Rising Stars list, 2010-2011; 2013-2016 (by Thomson Reuters)
- “Class action defendants benefit from Spokeo’s ruling on standing”
Thompson Coburn Publications May 2016 - “What’s next for class action defendants after Tyson Foods?”
SCOTUS Blog March 2016 - “Commercial Litigation Q&A: Litigation Costs, E-Discovery, and Class Actions”
Missouri Lawyers Weekly’s Corporate Counsel Desk Book November 2011
- “Mandatory Arbitration Clauses: How to Effectively Use Them In Your Business”
St. Louis Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) August 12, 2011