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Turning 125: Nelson Mullins Celebrating 125 Years of Legal Service in 2022
In January 1897, attorney P.H. Nelson left his position as solicitor of the Fifth Judicial Circuit to set up a private law practice in Columbia, S.C. The State newspaper contained a short but prescient news item on Jan. 26 about the endeavor, which noted that "the new firm should meet with great success."
And they were right. Today, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP offers legal services in 15 states and the District of Columbia from 31 offices with 930+ attorneys, policy advisors, and professionals. It is the 71st largest law firm in the nation based on 2020 gross revenues, according to The American Lawyer’s Am Law 100, a legal news organization that tracks law firm growth.
Throughout 2022, Nelson Mullins will be sharing seminal events from its history that highlight its growth from a one-man firm in 1897 to where we are today. Click here to learn more.
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Ericka L. Downie
Partner
Suite 1600
Baltimore, MD 21201
Ericka brings to her practice over 20 years of experience in complex litigation involving pharmaceutical and medical device product liability, toxic tort and environmental litigation, and general tort liability claims. Ericka provides legal representation to a wide variety of clients, including leading pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers, and industrial manufacturers. She has served on trial...
Ericka brings to her practice over 20 years of experience in complex litigation involving pharmaceutical and medical device product liability, toxic tort and environmental litigation, and general tort liability claims. Ericka provides legal representation to a wide variety of clients, including leading pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers, and industrial manufacturers. She has served on trial teams involved in some of the most complex and high-profile litigations of the last two decades.
In the pharmaceutical/medical device industry, Ericka has represented pharmaceutical manufacturers in cases involving personal injury claims related to a variety of products, including antibiotics, heart medication, blood products, over-the-counter cold medication, diabetes medication, cholesterol medication, vaccines, and diet drugs. She also represented medical device manufacturers in claims alleging injury as a result of product defects.
Ericka's toxic tort experience includes the representation of Baltimore City property owners involved in lead-based paint litigation as well as the representation of manufacturers in cases of alleged injury from exposure to benzene and vinyl chloride. She also has wide experience in general litigation involving product liability, personal injury, and property claims. In the context of litigation, Ericka has evaluated indemnity issues, contractual matters, and business practices of her clients.
Ericka is committed to counseling her clients to negotiate potential and actual litigation in a manner that best protects their legal and business interests. She has negotiated multimillion-dollar settlements and discovery agreements. She has also managed the production of millions of pages of documents through the course of discovery and taken numerous depositions defending company witnesses. She has appeared before judges and juries on behalf of her clients in trial, motions hearings, and evidentiary hearings, and at court-ordered conferences across the country.
Ericka also has appellate experience and has argued before the Court of Special Appeals of Maryland.
teams involved in some of the most complex and high-profile litigations of the last two decades.
In the pharmaceutical/medical device industry, Ericka has represented pharmaceutical manufacturers in cases involving personal injury claims related to a variety of products, including antibiotics, heart medication, blood products, over-the-counter cold medication, diabetes medication, cholesterol medication, vaccines, and diet drugs. She also represented medical device manufacturers in claims alleging injury as a result of product defects.
Ericka's toxic tort experience includes the representation of Baltimore City property owners involved in lead-based paint litigation as well as the representation of manufacturers in cases of alleged injury from exposure to benzene and vinyl chloride. She also has wide experience in general litigation involving product liability, personal injury, and property claims. In the context of litigation, Ericka has evaluated indemnity issues, contractual matters, and business practices of her clients.
Ericka is committed to counseling her clients to negotiate potential and actual litigation in a manner that best protects their legal and business interests. She has negotiated multimillion-dollar settlements and discovery agreements. She has also managed the production of millions of pages of documents through the course of discovery and taken numerous depositions defending company witnesses. She has appeared before judges and juries on behalf of her clients in trial, motions hearings, and evidentiary hearings, and at court-ordered conferences across the country.
Ericka also has appellate experience and has argued before the Court of Special Appeals of Maryland.
Experience
Previous Professional Experience
- Partner, Baltimore office of Mid-Atlantic law firm (2013–2021)
- Of Counsel (2010–2012)
- Partner (2006–2007)
- Associate (2000–2005)
- Of Counsel, Washington D.C. office of international law firm (2007–2010)
- Associate, Maryland law firm (1999–2000)
- Assistant Public Defender, Maryland Office of the Public Defender (Jan. 1999–Sept. 1999)
Education
- University of Maryland School of Law, JD (1998)
- American University, BA (1992)
Admissions
- District of Columbia
- Maryland
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
- U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland
Practice Areas
Industries
Previous Professional Experience
- Partner, Baltimore office of Mid-Atlantic law firm (2013–2021)
- Of Counsel (2010–2012)
- Partner (2006–2007)
- Associate (2000–2005)
- Of Counsel, Washington D.C. office of international law firm (2007–2010)
- Associate, Maryland law firm (1999–2000)
- Assistant Public Defender, Maryland Office of the Public Defender (Jan. 1999–Sept. 1999)
Media
Recognitions
- Maryland Super Lawyers, Personal Injury – Products: Defense (2022)
Ericka brings to her practice over 20 years of experience in complex litigation involving pharmaceutical and medical device product liability, toxic tort and environmental litigation, and general tort liability claims. Ericka provides legal representation to a wide variety of clients, including leading pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers, and industrial manufacturers. She has served on trial... teams involved in some of the most complex and high-profile litigations of the last two decades.
In the pharmaceutical/medical device industry, Ericka has represented pharmaceutical manufacturers in cases involving personal injury claims related to a variety of products, including antibiotics, heart medication, blood products, over-the-counter cold medication, diabetes medication, cholesterol medication, vaccines, and diet drugs. She also represented medical device manufacturers in claims alleging injury as a result of product defects.
Ericka's toxic tort experience includes the representation of Baltimore City property owners involved in lead-based paint litigation as well as the representation of manufacturers in cases of alleged injury from exposure to benzene and vinyl chloride. She also has wide experience in general litigation involving product liability, personal injury, and property claims. In the context of litigation, Ericka has evaluated indemnity issues, contractual matters, and business practices of her clients.
Ericka is committed to counseling her clients to negotiate potential and actual litigation in a manner that best protects their legal and business interests. She has negotiated multimillion-dollar settlements and discovery agreements. She has also managed the production of millions of pages of documents through the course of discovery and taken numerous depositions defending company witnesses. She has appeared before judges and juries on behalf of her clients in trial, motions hearings, and evidentiary hearings, and at court-ordered conferences across the country.
Ericka also has appellate experience and has argued before the Court of Special Appeals of Maryland.
Experience
Following is a selected sampling of matters and is provided for informational purposes only. Past success does not indicate the likelihood of success in any future matter.Previous Professional Experience
- Partner, Baltimore office of Mid-Atlantic law firm (2013–2021)
- Of Counsel (2010–2012)
- Partner (2006–2007)
- Associate (2000–2005)
- Of Counsel, Washington D.C. office of international law firm (2007–2010)
- Associate, Maryland law firm (1999–2000)
- Assistant Public Defender, Maryland Office of the Public Defender (Jan. 1999–Sept. 1999)
Education
- University of Maryland School of Law, JD (1998)
- American University, BA (1992)
Admissions
- District of Columbia
- Maryland
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
- U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland
Practice Areas
- Class Action & Multi-Claim Litigation
- Products Liability - Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices
- Toxic Torts
- Environmental Enforcement & Litigation
Industries
- Maryland Super Lawyers, Personal Injury – Products: Defense (2022)
Highlights from the Firm’s Idea Exchange
