Maja Eaton

About Maja Eaton

I retired from the partnership of Sidley Austin LLP as of June 30, 2021 after 37 years of practice in the defense of product liability and mass torts litigation. I am currently enjoying life as a grandmother, supporting my husband and children in their careers and lives, indulging my travel bug, and serving in various organizations whose missions are important to me, including the provision of legal services to underserved communities (Legal Aid Chicago, Legal Action Chicago), and the delivery of excellence in legal education (the University of Iowa College of Law, and the Iowa Law School Foundation).

Experience

1. Partner

   Sidley Austin LLP

   Jul 1984 — Present · Chicago, IL, US

   I am a partner in Sidley’s Chicago office and am a co-leader of the firm\'s Product Liability practice, and its Global Life Sciences practice. I am a member of the firm\'s Executive Committee, and am a co-chair of the firm\'s Committee for Retention and Promotion of Women. My practice has focused on the defense and trial of a wide variety of products liability cases, ranging from toxic tort litigation to mass tort litigation involving pharmaceutical drugs and medical devices. I specialize in the defense of cases and trials involving complex medical, scientific and legal issues.I was recognized as “Top Female Litigator of the Year” for the Midwest by Benchmark Litigation in 2013. Benchmark Litigation also named me as one of the Top 250 Women in Litigation and one of the Top 10 Female Litigators in the nation in 2013 and 2014. I am also featured as a Life Sciences Star in LMG Life Sciences 20••••14 for outstanding litigation work. I am ranked as a leading lawyer nationally in Litigation-Products Liability by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business – The Client’s Guide (20••••14), and as a Leading Lawyer in “Product liability and mass tort defense: pharmaceuticals and medical devices” by The Legal 500 – The Clients’ Guide to the US Legal Profession (20••••14). I was also named in Who’s Who Legal 20••••14 for Product Liability Defense and Life Sciences, as a “Litigation Star” nationally in Product Liability by Benchmark 20••••15, and listed as a “local star” for Illinois in Benchmark 20••••15.

Education

• University of Iowa College of Law

  J. D., Law

  1982 — 1984

• University of Iowa

  B.A., Zoology

  1974 — 1977

Skills

• Litigation
• Litigation Support
• Jury Trials
• Product Liability
• Products Liability
• Employment Law
• Legal Issues
• Trial Practice
• Defense
• Medical Device Litigation -- Defense
• Liability
• Appeals
• Toxic Tort
• Pharmaceutical Liability Litigation -- Defense
• Civil Litigation
• Personal Injury
• Courts
• Torts
• Trials
• Legal Assistance
• Commercial Litigation
• Mediation
• Class Actions
• Dispute Resolution