Stephanie Sankar

Stephanie S. Sankar defends consumer product manufacturers in complex tort and product liability litigation in state and federal court, focusing on individual smoking-and-health cases around the United States.

Currently, Stephanie is a member of Shook’s team representing Philip Morris USA in the defense of personal injury and wrongful death cases in Florida known as the Engle-progeny litigation.

With significant experience in all stages of litigation, Stephanie has served on numerous case and trial teams that have consistently achieved favorable results.

In particular, Stephanie is responsible for managing a docket of hundreds of Engle-progeny cases and conducting and coordinating discovery and trial preparation in those cases. Her specific pre-trial experience includes:

• identifying and implementing jurisdiction-wide winnowing strategies;
• developing case strategy and implementing goal-oriented discovery;
• taking and defending depositions of plaintiffs, fact witnesses and experts; and
• drafting and arguing procedural, dispositive and evidentiary motions.

Stephanie’s specific trial experience includes formulating case themes and trial strategy; implementing trial strategy in opening statements and closing arguments; assisting in the preparation of cross-examinations of plaintiffs, fact witnesses and experts; and preparing company witnesses for punitive-phase testimony.

In addition to her Engle-progeny work, Stephanie has represented Philip Morris International in product liability litigation brought by Argentinian tobacco farmers.

Through this litigation, she gained experience in dispositive jurisdictional briefing and the procedures of the Hague Service Convention.

Stephanie is also passionate about pro bono work. She has represented pro bono clients in a variety of settings, ranging from Jackson County Family Court to the U.S. Supreme Court.

In recognition of her pro bono efforts, Stephanie was named the recipient of the firm’s William G. Zimmerman Pro Bono Award.

Education:

• J.D., University of Kansas, 2008
  • Order of the Coif
  • Rice Scholarship
  • Phi Kappa Phi
  • Walter Hiersteiner Outstanding Service Award
  • First Year Lawyering Program, Teaching Assistant
  • Kansas Law Review, Note and Comment Editor
  • Student Bar Association, Treasurer
  • Paul E. Wilson Defender Project, Student Director
• B.A., summa cum laude, Bethel College, 2004

Bar Admissions:

• Missouri
• Florida
• U.S. District Court, Western District of Missouri
• U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida