Biography

Michelle I. Schaffer is a shareholder of Campbell Campbell Edwards & Conroy Professional Corporation, resident in its Boston, Massachusetts office. Ms. Schaffer concentrates her practice on civil litigation, particularly the defense of products liability, motor vehicle warranty, long term care and negligence matters. Recent jury trials have included the defense of an automobile manufacturer against claims of a defective cruise control device, a driver involved in a motor vehicle accident and the owner of a summer camp attended by a boy paralyzed in a diving accident.

Ms. Schaffer earned her B.A. degree, magna cum laude, from Tufts University and her J.D. degree from Northeastern University School of Law. Following law school she served as law clerk to the Justices of the Superior Court of Massachusetts. She is admitted to practice in the state and federal courts in Massachusetts, Maine, and Connecticut, as well as in the District of Columbia, the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and the United States Supreme Court.

She is a member of the Defense Research Institute (member of the SLDO Relationship Committee and former chair of the Lawyers Professionalism and Ethics Committee), American, Massachusetts (former associate editor of the MASSACHUSETTS LAW REVIEW) and Federal Bar Associations (former co-chair of the Massachusetts Young Lawyers Division), Massachusetts Defense Lawyers Association and Women's Bar Association of Massachusetts.

Ms. Schaffer has published articles on a variety of subjects, including product liability, trial practice, toxic torts and environmental law. She was the author of the "Multiple Litigation" chapter for the 1992 edition of Frumer & Friedman's PRODUCTS LIABILITY treatise, the most frequently cited and respected authority in the field. She has served as the chair of several educational programs sponsored by professional organizations such as the American Bar Association, DRI and Massachusetts Continuing Education, Inc. She has spoken on topics relating to litigation techniques, including motion practice, discovery and depositions, introduction of evidence, defenses and legal writing.

Curriculum Vitae

Professional:

Shareholder. Trial counsel in the Boston office of Campbell Campbell Edwards & Conroy, a nationally recognized law firm dedicated to the litigation of complex, high stakes cases throughout the United States. Ms. Schaffer concentrates her practice on civil litigation, particularly the defense of products liability, motor vehicle warranty, long term care and negligence matters.

Education:

1985		B.A., magna cum laude, Tufts University
1988		J.D., Northeastern University School of Law

Clerkship:

1988-1989

Law Clerk, Superior Court of Massachusetts

Bar Admissions:

1988		Massachusetts
1989		Maine and U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts
1990		U.S. District Court, District of Maine
1991		District of Columbia Court of Appeals
1993		U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit and U.S. Supreme Court
1996		U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut
1997		Connecticut

Publications:

"Product Liability", Ch. 22, Massachusetts Expert Witnesses (MCLE, Inc. 2002 and first supplement 2004)

"Controlling Bad Behavior: The Court's Role at Depositions", For the Defense (August 2000)

"Representing Insureds: Using Staff Counsel", For the Defense (December 1999)

Requests for Class Action Certification of Medical Monitoring Claims, 63 DEF. COUNS. J. 26 (1996)

"Preemption by Product Labeling Statutes", For the Defense (May 1996)

"A Guide for New Practitioners on Preparing Discovery Motions for Civil Matters in Superior Court", MBA Young Lawyers Division, Section News (September 1996)

"The Evolution of the Pollution Exclusion: From Sudden and Accidental to Absolute and Unambiguous", Comprehensive General Liability Policy: Coverage Provisions, Exclusions and Other Litigation Issues (American Bar Association 1995)

"The Federal Preemption Defense in Tobacco Litigation Post Cipollone v. Liggett Group, Inc.", The Federal Preemption Defense (DRI Special Publication 1995)

"Targeting Lawyers for Prosecution", Massachusetts Bar Association: Best of the Sections (1994)

Case Comment, Sullivan v. Boston Gas Co., 414 Mass. 129 (1993), Massachusetts Law Review (September 1993)

2A Frumer & Friedman, Multiple Litigation, Ch. 19, Products Liability (Matthew Bender, 1992)

"Case Comment, Commonwealth v. Licata", 412 Mass. 654 (1992), Massachusetts Law Review (December 1992)

"Failure to Serve Alcohol Responsibly", The Advocate (Fall 1992)

Presentations and Seminars:

"Presenting and Defending Motions to Disqualify," Current Scientific Issues and Practical Litigation Techniques, ABA Tort and Insurance Practice Section, Toxic Torts and Environmental Law Committee, 2001 Annual CLE Spring Meeting (March 22-25, 2001)

"Updates: Recent Case Developments in Toxic Torts," DRI Toxic Torts and Environmental Law Seminar (April 30-May 1, 1998)

"The Assertion of Privileges in Discovery," ABA Women as Trial Advocates Seminar (March 19- 20, 1998)

"Civil Deposition Practice," MCLE (1997)

Seminar Chair, Fourth Annual National Women Defense Attorneys Seminar, DRI (February 27-March 1, 1997)

"The Preemption Defense in Environmental Litigation - Alive and Well (?)," DRI Environmentl and Chemical Exposure Seminar (April 17-19 1996)

"How to Write and File a Motion and Memorandum," Massachusetts Bar Association (February 1995)

"Introducing Evidence at Trial: The Mechanics of Offering or Opposing the Introduction of Evidence," MCLE (1995)

Program Chair, Discovery Practice in State & Federal Courts, Massachusetts Bar Association (April 1994)

Professional Associations:

American Bar Association

Defense Research Institute

Member, SLDO (State or Local Defense Organization) Relationship Committee, 2006-present

Chair, Lawyers Professionalism and Ethics Committee, 1999-2001

Federal Bar Association

Co-Chair, Young Lawyers Division, 1993-1994

Massachusetts Bar Association

Associate Editor, Massachusetts Law Review, 1991-1998

Massachusetts Defense Lawyers Association

Women's Bar Association of Massachusetts

Description of Practice:

Product Liability: Complex product liability defense.

Motor Vehicle Warranty

Long Term Care

Negligence

Trial Experience

Giannini v. Ford Motor Co., U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut, Bridgeport, CT, product liability alleging defective seat belt

Sammon v. Favreau, Somerville District Court, Cambridge, MA, motor vehicle negligence

Knoster, Adm. v. Ford Motor Company, U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey, Trenton, NJ, product liability alleging defective cruise control resulting in death

Federico, Adm. v. Ford Motor Company, Middlesex Superior Court, Cambridge, MA, product liability alleging defective cruise control resulting in death

Schwartz v. Camp Robin Hood, U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts, Boston, MA, diving accident leaving a minor camper paralyzed

Cibere v. Zambuto, Plymouth Superior Court, Plymouth, MA, medical malpractice alleging failure to diagnose

Augusto v. Lebaron, Suffolk Superior Court, Boston, MA, personal injury/negligence resulting from motor vehicle accident at an intersection

Siminovitch v. Home Depot U.S.A., Inc., Worcester District Court, Worcester, MA, premises liability

Buizon v. The Sherwin-Williams Company, Cambridge District Court, Cambridge, MA, motor vehicle negligence

Ryan v. Marriott Corporation, U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts, Boston, MA, foodborne illness

Samuels v. Marriott Corporation, U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts, Boston, MA, premises liability

Luk v. Marriott Corporation, Middlesex Superior Court, Cambridge, MA, premises liability

Diduca v. General Motors Corporation, Middlesex Superior Court, Cambridge, MA, product liability alleging defect in seat belt resulted in catastrophic brain injury

Fortier v. General Motors Corporation, Quincy District Court, Quincy, MA, product liability

Body Magic v. The Sherwin-Williams Company, Stoughton District Court, Stoughton, MA, product liability alleging defective paint

Stimpson v. Marriott Corporation, Middlesex Superior Court, Lowell, MA, premises liability

Murphy v. Komatsu, Middlesex Superior Court, Cambridge, MA, product liability alleging defective front end loader

Lee v. Stone & Webster Engineering Corp., Suffolk Superior Court, Boston, MA, premises liability

Anzivino v. Uniroyal Goodrich Tire Company, Framingham District Court, Framingham, MA, product liability alleging property damage

Russell v. Harvard Community Heath Plan, Norfolk Superior Court, Dedham, MA, medical malpractice alleging failure to diagnose

Cameron v. Otto Boch Orthopedic, U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts, Boston, MA, product liability alleging defect in prosthetic device

Aprile v. Eaton Corporation, U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts, Boston, MA, premises liability

Rodriquez v. Uniroyal Goodrich Tire Co., Suffolk Superior Court, Boston, MA, product liability alleging defective "donut" spare tire resulting in death

Breault v. Marriott Corporation, Suffolk Superior Court, Boston, MA, premises liability

Burgess v. General Motors Corporation, U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts, Boston, MA, product liability alleging defective axle shaft