Charissa N. Walker
Charissa Walker defends pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers, and healthcare service providers in high-stakes product liability and personal injury litigation throughout the United States.
With a sharp legal mind and a strategic approach honed through years of trial advocacy, Charissa guides clients through complex disputes with skill and confidence.
An experienced litigator, Charissa has served as trial counsel in both state and federal courts nationwide, achieving successful outcomes in some of the most closely watched cases in her field. She has defended multimillion-dollar claims to decisive victories, taken and defended depositions, consulted and prepared expert witnesses, drafted dispositive and evidentiary motions, argued oral motions, and negotiated favorable settlements on behalf of clients. Charissa’s ability to analyze intricate medical and scientific evidence has been instrumental in defending major pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
Charissa’s insight into judicial decision-making, gained through her experience as a law clerk in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, gives her a critical edge in litigation. This background has made her adept at crafting persuasive arguments and anticipating courtroom challenges with precision.
As part of Tucker Ellis’s national and local counsel teams for a prominent medical device manufacturer, Charissa plays a pivotal role in coordinating complex litigation strategies. She collaborates with co-defense counsel across the country to resolve discovery disputes, manage company witness depositions, and steer cases toward favorable resolutions for our client. She also supervises the day-to-day tasks of cases pending in multi-district litigation, including work on remanded cases in preparation for trial.
Charissa also leads defense efforts for two Fortune 300 clients facing motor vehicle and premises liability claims, overseeing all aspects of litigation from initial pleadings to trial advocacy.
Beyond her legal work, Charissa is deeply engaged in initiatives that promote equity, diversity, and inclusion in the legal profession. She co-chairs Tucker Ellis’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee, participates in the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, and frequently speaks on industry panels addressing inclusion in the legal profession.
Outside the courtroom, Charissa is an avid basketball fan who enjoys jogging, cooking, and spending time with her family.
- Education
- Cleveland State University College of Law (J.D., summa cum laude, 2009); Cleveland State Law Review, Business Editor
- Kent State University (B.A., magna cum laude, 2003); Golden Key Honor Society
- State Admissions
- Ohio, 2010
- North Carolina, 2017
- Federal Admissions
- United States District Court, Central District of Illinois
- United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois
- United States District Court, Middle District of North Carolina
- United States District Court, Western District of North Carolina
- United States District Court, Northern District of Ohio
- United States District Court, Southern District of Ohio
- Served as co-lead trial counsel for a medical device manufacturer in Baltimore, Maryland, coordinating the defense trial strategy for a team of attorneys from four different law firms, successfully narrowing the issues for trial through motion practice and oral argument, which ultimately lead to settlement less than 24 hours before trial (February 2025)
- Served as second-chair trial counsel in a preterm infant formula case, obtaining a unanimous defense verdict on claims of strict liability and negligence after plaintiff’s counsel requested over $6.27 billion in compensatory and punitive damages (September–October 2024); ranked Courtroom View Network’s Most Impressive Defense Verdict of 2024
- Served as co-trial counsel for a pharmaceutical company in a high-profile matter in Baltimore, Maryland, that settled less than 48 hours before trial (September 2024)
- Manages the defense strategy for a number of cases filed against an elevator manufacturer in North Carolina and Georgia, securing summary judgment and favorable settlements (2023 – present)
- Successfully argued a motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim on behalf of an elevator manufacturer in North Carolina, securing dismissal with prejudice (April 2023)
- Served as second-chair trial counsel in the Central District of Illinois for a medical device manufacturer, successfully arguing to limit plaintiff’s expert opinions and prevent untimely discovery sought by the plaintiff, which led to a favorable settlement in 2023
- Served as second-chair trial counsel on behalf of a medical device manufacturer, directing pre-trial strategy and achieving a favorable settlement one month before trial (April 2023)
- Served as second-chair trial counsel in the Central District of California for a medical device manufacturer, directing pre-trial strategy and securing settlement on the eve of trial (2023)
- Successfully argued a motion permitting a medical device client to file a supplemental dispositive motion, which led to dismissal of all claims, which was affirmed by the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals (June 2022)
- Throughout 2020 and 2021, led and directed the defense strategy for approximately 50 cases against a pharmaceutical manufacturer in Georgia state court, securing a favorable appellate ruling and a complete defense verdict in a multimillion-dollar jury trial
- Served as third-chair trial counsel in a talc exposure case for PTI Royston, LLC, in Augusta, Georgia; after a three-week trial in which plaintiff’s counsel requested $84,795,800 in compensatory damages during closing, the jury entered a verdict in favor of all defendants on all claims (September–October 2021); ranked among Courtroom View Network’s Top 10 Most Impressive Defense Verdicts of 2021
- In representing a Fortune 500 client, excluded key testimony from all three of plaintiff’s experts and defeated motions to exclude testimony and evidence from defense experts (February–March 2019)
- Reached favorable settlement for client in personal injury case involving motor vehicle accident with an employee and a pedestrian (December 2018)
- Obtained unanimous defense verdict before arbitration panel in Philadelphia County Common Pleas Court (December 2017)
- Obtained defense verdict in Northern District of Illinois on two out of three claims asserted by plaintiff and limited plaintiff’s recovery on third claim to $55,000 although plaintiff sought over $70 million in damages (August 2017)
Speaking Engagements
- “Women of Color Roundtable: The Path to Promotion,” DRI 2024 Diversity for Success Seminar, Nashville, Tennessee (June 2024)
- “Evolving Evidence: Adapting to the Latest Federal Rules of Evidence 702 for Experts,” DRI 2024 Business and Intellectual Property Litigation Super Conference,” Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (March 2024)
- “‘Kung Flu’: A History of Violence and Hostility against Asian Americans,” DRI 2023 Drug and Medical Device Seminar, New Orleans, Louisiana (May 2023)
- “In-House Counsel Roundtable,” Moderator and co-author of materials, DRI 2021 Drug and Medical Device Virtual Seminar (April 2021)
- “’22 Lewd Chinese Women’: A Diversity and Inclusion CLE Historical Reenactment,” DRI Drug and Medical Device Litigation Seminar, Washington, D.C. (May 2019)
- “Jurors in the Age of Trump,” materials prepared and submitted for DRI Drug and Medical Device Litigation Seminar, Washington, D.C. (May 2019)
- “Remanded from an MDL: Trial Preparation,” DRI Drug and Medical Device Seminar, New York, New York (May 2018)
- “Dos and Don’ts: Practice Pointers from Federal Law Clerks,” Panelist (March 2012)
Publications
- “Seven Things to Avoid When Working with Young, Diverse Lawyers,” DRI’s Raising the Bar (October 2021)
- “Jury Trends in the Post-Truth Era and Strategies to Maximize Your Chances of Success,” IADC Trial Techniques and Tactics (March 2020)
- “Juror Jeopardy: What Is Gender Fluidity and How Does It Impact Voir Dire?“, IADC Trial Techniques and Tactics Committee Newsletter (October 2019)
- “Your Case Has Been Remanded by the MDL Court – Now What? “, Law360 (February 2018)
Media
- “CVN’s Top 10 Most Impressive Defense Verdicts of 2024,” Courtroom View Network (January 2025)
- “Top Product Liability Cases of 2024,” Law360 (December 2024)
- “Multi-Billion Dollar Law Victory for Women Law Team,” lawfuel.com (November 2024)
- “Abbott, Mead Cleared in Baby Formula Trial,” Law360 (October 2024)
- “CVN’s Top 10 Most Impressive Defense Verdicts of 2021,” Courtroom View Network (December 2021)
- Next Generation Partners, The Legal 500 United States (2024)
- J&J Pathways Trial Academy & Fellowship (2023)
- CSU College of Law, Center for Health Law & Policy Advisory Council
- Defense Research Institute (DRI)
- YLC Diversity and Inclusion Subcommittee (2020–2021)
- Drug and Medical Device Committee, Young Lawyer Vice Liaison (2022–2023)
- Drug and Medical Device Committee, Marking Vice-Chair (2024)
- Drug and Medical Device Committee, Marking Co-Chair (2025)
- Federal Bar Association
- Federal Law Clerk Committee, N.D. Ohio (2013–2015)
- Leadership Council on Legal Diversity
- City Co-Lead, Charlotte, North Carolina (2024–2025)
- City Lead, Charlotte, North Carolina (2022–2023)
- Pathfinders Program (2021)
- Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, 3Rs Volunteer (2013–2016)
- Ohio Multi-County Development Corporation, Board Member (2015–2023)
