Karen Cullinane
Partner

Karen Cullinane focuses her practice on complex asbestos litigation, toxic tort matters, mass torts, product liability cases, and general commercial litigation. Karen represents national and international entities including chemical, manufacturing, and mining companies. Her legal experience includes successful precedent-setting motion practice ranging from precluding evidence and dismissing cases on dispositive motions to obtaining directed verdicts on punitive damages.
With a practice spanning pre-trial discovery, jury selection, trials, post-trial briefings, and appellate advocacy, Karen has a detail-oriented approach to litigation but takes a global and comprehensive view of defense strategy. She works to choose and develop consensus-based tactics and approaches to defense, and to resolve immediate legal needs with an eye on minimizing legal spending and achieving each client’s long-term business goals.
Before entering private practice, Karen gained additional experience as a Governmental Affairs legal intern with the New York City Council Legislative Division, and later as a Criminal Appeals Bureau intern with the Legal Aid Society in Manhattan. While an undergraduate at Wellesley College, Karen was an editorial intern in the History Department of Bedford/St. Martin’s Press.
Honors & Awards
Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch — Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, 2021
Admissions
- New York
Education
- The University of Michigan Law School, J.D., 2011
- University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform: Contributing Editor
- UMich Child Advocacy Law Clinic
- Wellesley College, B.A., cum laude, 2005
- National Field Hockey Coaches Association All-American
- Pre-Law Society: Vice President
- Bedford/St. Martin’s Press Editorial Intern
Professional Affiliations
- New York City Bar Association
Publications & Events
- Contributor, Goldberg Segalla’s Asbestos Case Tracker blog: read Karen’s blog posts here
- “How EtO Plants Can Avoid Lawsuits, Cope With Stricter Regulation,” (Author), Medical Design & Outsourcing, March 1, 2021
- “What to Expect From NJ Enviro Justice Rulemaking,” (Co-Author), Law360, January 6, 2021
- “Beirut Blast Shows Need To Review Ammonium Nitrate Regs,” Law360, October 15, 2020
- “Protecting Anonymous Expression: The Internet’s Role in Washington State’s Public Disclosure Laws and the Direct Democracy Process,” University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform, August 2011
- Presenter, “Emerging Trends in Asbestos Litigation,” New York Asbestos Litigation Conference, New York, NY, December 11, 2019
- Presenter, “Effective Discovery Strategies to Uncover Hidden Truths in Asbestos Bankruptcy Trust Proof of Claims,” GS TTEL Webinar, March 12, 2020
Recent Insights
March 3, 2021
January 7, 2021
December 17, 2020
October 19, 2020