Bethany Gayle Lukitsch

Bethany Gayle Lukitsch currently serves as one of the co-chairs of the firm’s class action practice. She has over 20 years of experience litigating class actions and complex litigation, including the defense of antitrust matters, consumer class actions, mass tort and product liability claims, and commercial disputes.

Bethany represents global clients, including Fortune 100 companies and product manufacturers, as national counsel in federal and state courts around the country and has significant first chair and liaison counsel experience in complex civil and class action litigation and multidistrict litigation.

She frequently prepares internal client witnesses for testimony, interacts with expert witnesses and counsels clients regarding complex discovery proceedings, including international discovery and data privacy issues.

Bethany taught Appellate Advocacy at the University of Richmond’s T.C. Williams School of Law for four semesters from 2005-2009. Her curriculum included persuasive appellate writing and effective appellate oral advocacy.

While she earned her law degree from the University of Richmond, she was honored as a member of the McNeill Law Society and served as manuscripts editor of the law review.

Bethany is an avid cyclist and triathlete in her time away from the office. She has completed three long distance triathlons (Lake Placid, Coeur d’Alene and Florida) along with numerous shorter distance races.

EXPERIENCE :

• Defense of polyurethane foam manufacturer in direct purchaser and indirect purchaser antitrust class actions and opt-out litigation stemming from allegations of price-fixing and market allocation.
• National counsel for power tool manufacturer in toxic tort cases and domestic and international discovery matters.
• Won summary judgment against the State of New Hampshire for handheld outdoor power tool manufacturer in declaratory judgment matter regarding the state’s new dealer laws.  Summary judgment upheld on appeal to the NH Supreme Court.
• Defended a NYSE-traded insurance company in complex antitrust litigation involving alleged violations of federal antitrust laws and state consumer protection statutes.
• Defense of Fortune 100 company in multidistrict class action and opt-out antitrust litigation involving the vitamins industry in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and various state courts.

Education :

• University of Richmond School of Law, JD, cum laude, Manuscripts Editor and Member, University of Richmond Law Review, 1998
• The College of William & Mary, BS, BA, 1994

Admissions :

• California
• Virginia
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit
• U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia

Affiliations :

• Member; Chair, 2003-2004; Co-chair, 2001-2003, Admissions and Orientation Committee, Virginia State Bar
• Member, Defense Research Institute
• Member, Antitrust Division, American Bar Association