Monica Williams Monroe
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Monica Williams Monroe, Partner-in-Charge of the San Francisco office, focuses her complex civil litigation practice in the commercial and product liability arenas.
In her capacity as both local and national counsel, Monica represents a variety of corporate and insurance interests, including those of technology companies and product manufacturers. Monica advises on contracts and litigates business and product liability disputes from inception through trial and appeal. Monica also provides solution driven pre-litigation counseling, which identifies and addresses potential litigation risks. Monica’s holistic approach as a trusted adviser supports internal client business and legal teams that fill her portfolio with lasting client partnerships.
Monica defends clients throughout California and stretching to the northwest and western states. She appears in state and federal courts, has arbitrated, mediated, jury tried and bench tried numerous cases. Monica is known for her sophisticated work with client engineers and design teams, as well as legal departments, which lay the foundation for her winning legal theories.
Monica is a longtime member of the Tucker Ellis Equity & Inclusion Committee, serving to support minority and underrepresented groups through the development of sustained diversity initiatives throughout the firm.
- Education
- Loyola Law School, Los Angeles (J.D., cum laude, 2003); Order of the Coif; Dean’s Honor List; Loyola Scholar; International & Comparative Law Review
- Clark Atlanta University (B.A., magna cum laude, 1998); Dean’s List
- State Admissions
- California, 2003
- Federal Admissions
- United States District Court, Central District of California
- United States District Court, Northern District of California
- Service Areas
- Business Litigation
- Mass Tort & Product Liability
- Artificial Intelligence & Autonomous Vehicles
- Industries Represented
- Construction
- Electrical Equipment
- Insurance Carriers
- Machinery Manufacturing
- Real Estate
- Transportation Equipment
- Served as trial team engineering lead in triple-plaintiff electrical explosion claim seeking multimillion-dollar damages in Washington federal court; coordinated complex discovery and established key defense strategies in summary judgment and pre-trial phase, including fact and expert witness development in design and manufacturing disciplines; assisted client with effective resolution on the eve of trial
- Directed team as lead trial counsel in automotive personal injury action seeking $2.5 million in claimed damages against corporation and employee; developed all trial strategy for defense, including direct/cross-exam of 16 witnesses in completely virtual proceeding; secured unanimous jury verdict of 0 damages award in 5/7 categories sought in assumed liability case
- Developed strategy as lead counsel in commercial arbitration dispute for sophisticated Italian digital printing manufacturer; coordinated with engineering teams, business unit, and corporate witnesses in support of defense to breach of contract claim, obtaining a complete defense win and cost award
- Implemented national coordinating strategic initiatives for corporate document reviews, witness preparation, expert depositions, and pre-trial litigation plans for Fortune 500 entity; established complete defense of product liability and mass tort claims, including successful multi-docket resolutions
- Secured complete dismissal of California Department of Fair Employment & Housing claim by fully demonstrating claimant’s lack of admissible evidence supporting unlawful discrimination allegations against technology services entity
- Coordinated lead analysis for complex refrigeration systems manufacturer, involving review of primary contract terms, ongoing performance issues, and continued manufacturing needs; provided engineering, finance, and insurance teams with consistent counseling for project resolution
- Successfully negotiated real estate easement contract in claim against corporate premise owner; served as client liaison with real estate counsel in negotiating contract terms, involving mutual rights and ownership interests related to significant multi-acreage property in Santa Clara County, California
- Led historical contract review and pre-litigation analysis for risk and compliance software provider; evaluated third-party licensing agreements to identify and explore leverage opportunities, which supported successful supplier negotiations in California
Speaking Engagements
- “Flex Working and Its Talent & Operational Impact: Lessons Learned,” 2023 NALP Annual Education Conference, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (April 2023)
- “Working Parents 2.0: Lessons Learned and Next Steps,” NALP 2022 Annual Education Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana (April 2022)
- “Getting More Color on Top: Successful Strategies to Promote Diverse Associates to Partners,” California Minority Counsel Program, Los Angeles, California (September 2019)
- “Lessons Learned on the Path to Management from the Legal and Policy Lens,” Coalition of Black Excellence (CBE) Summit 2019, San Francisco, California (February 2019)
- “Plaintiff Depositions: Strategy and Preparation,” California Mass Tort & Product Liability CLE, Tucker Ellis LLP, San Francisco, California (December 2016)
- “The Powerful Legacy of Female Leadership,” Perrin Conferences’ Diversity and Inclusion Conference, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (November 2016)
- “The Negotiator: Strategies and Perspectives on Case Resolution,” Women of the Section of Litigation: Leading, Litigating & Connecting, American Bar Association, Chicago, Illinois (November 2015)
- “Preparing Your Case for Trial: Jury Instructions and Verdict Forms,” Product Liability CLE, Tucker Ellis LLP, San Francisco, California (March 2015)
Publications
- “Is There a Duty to Warn Even the Most Sophisticated User?“, American Bar Association, Section of Litigation, Products Liability (July 2014)
Media
- “Monica W. Monroe as Partner in Charge in San Francisco,” San Francisco Daily Journal (January 2019)
- Women We Admire, The Top 50 Women Leaders in Law (2022, 2023)
- Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD), Fellow (2021)
- International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC) Trial Academy, Graduate (2014)
- Queen’s Bench Bar Association
- California Minority Counsel Program
- Black Women Lawyers Association of Northern California
- Coalition of Black Excellence (CBE), Impact Nonprofit Program Director
- Tucker Ellis Equity & Inclusion Committee
