Class actions

Katharine was a key member of the legal team that defeated class certification and was the second chair on the trial team that successfully defended a large insurance carrier and won a directed verdict for directors of the Mississippi Windstorm Underwriting Association in a case brought in a Mississippi federal court by members of the association, who alleged that the board members breached fiduciary duties and were negligent in failing to purchase adequate reinsurance to cover Hurricane Katrina claims. She was also a key member of the legal team that defeated class certification on behalf of a personal lines insurer in a putative nationwide class action in the Southern District of Illinois alleging unfair rate discrimination based on the use of credit scores to price insurance policies.

Insurance coverage actions

Katharine regularly represents insurance companies in complex insurance coverage disputes, especially in environmental and asbestos claims litigation in state and federal courts across the country. She represented Indian Harbor Insurance Company in litigation with Republic Services in federal and state courts in Arizona, in a matter involving claims for coverage arising out of landfills. She was a key member of the team that obtained a highly favorable settlement for an insurer in the Navistar asbestos coverage action in Cook County, Illinois. She represented a large insurer in a salt contamination coverage action in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas. Katharine was also a key member of the team that tried a jury case in DuPont v. Stonewall, a Delaware state court action involving coverage for DuPont's polybutylene pipe claims. She was also a key member of the team that represented an insurer in the Chesterton v. Travelers asbestos action in Massachusetts state court.

General commercial litigation

Katharine has represented and advised a diverse array of clients regarding a wide range of complex commercial disputes, including contract disputes, fraud, business torts, and other business disputes. She represents clients in pre-litigation resolution, arbitration, mediation, and federal and state court proceedings. She also has extensive experience litigating and advising clients on complex discovery disputes.

Condemnation actions

Katharine was a key member of the team that successfully represented a large railroad company in an action to prevent the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) from obtaining a permanent easement in the railroad's mainline through condemnation. The Northern District of Illinois federal court granted summary judgment in favor of the railroad, and the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the decision, finding that the CTA's proposed condemnation was preempted under the Interstate Commerce Commission Termination Act.