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charissa-n-walker

Charissa N. Walker

Charissa Walker defends pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers and healthcare service providers in product liability and medical malpractice claims.

With a thorough understanding of the complex legal problems that clients face, Charissa provides individualized service and solutions to best serve their interests.

An experienced litigator, Charissa has defended actions in both state and federal courts throughout the United States. She takes and defends depositions, consults and prepares experts for deposition, drafts dispositive and evidentiary motions, argues oral motions, and negotiates favorable settlements on behalf of clients.

Charissa offers clients a unique perspective based on her prior experience in the public sector as a law clerk in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. Her fundamental understanding of judicial decision-making and her familiarity with the inner workings of chambers enables her to critically analyze legal arguments and effectively represent clients.

As a member of Tucker Ellis’s national coordination counsel and local counsel teams for a medical device manufacturer, Charissa serves as the liaison between Tucker Ellis and co-defense counsel at other firms throughout the United States to resolve discovery disputes and coordinate company witness depositions. 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 manages cases as part of the Tucker Ellis team that serves as national counsel for two Fortune 300 companies, defending motor vehicle and premises liability claims. She is responsible for pleadings, written discovery, depositions, dispositive and evidentiary motions, mediations, arbitrations and trial.

Aside from being an avid basketball fan, Charissa 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
  • In representing 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)
  • Represents Fortune 500 client in personal injury cases involving motor vehicle accidents and premises liability
  • Represents medical device manufacturer in national pelvic mesh litigation
  • Represents pharmaceutical manufacturer in national proton pump inhibitor litigation

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

Media

  • Next Generation Partners, The Legal 500 United States (2024)
  • J&J Pathways Trial Academy & Fellowship (2023)
  • Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD)
    • City Lead: Charlotte, North Carolina (2022-2025)
    • Pathfinders Program (2021)
  • CSU College of Law, Center for Health Law & Policy Advisory Council
  • Defense Research Institute
    • YLC Diversity and Inclusion Subcommittee (2020-2021)
    • Drug and Medical Device Committee, Young Lawyer Vice Liaison
  • Federal Bar Association
    • Federal Law Clerk Committee, N.D. Ohio
  • Leadership Council on Legal Diversity
    • Pathfinders Program (2021)
  • Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, 3Rs Volunteer
  • Ohio Multi-County Development Corporation, Board Member