Seasoned Product Liability Litigator Daphne O'Connor Rejoins Arnold & Porter

DENVER, July 7, 2015 -- Arnold & Porter LLP announced today that Daphne O'Connor has rejoined the firm as a partner after serving seven years as Vice President and Associate General Counsel for Altria Client Services LLC. Ms. O'Connor, who practiced at Arnold & Porter for nearly 15 years prior to joining Altria, will be resident in the firm's Denver office. She will focus her practice on managing, litigating, and trying complex product liability and mass tort cases.

Ms. O'Connor's resume as a private practitioner includes litigating cases in many jurisdictions. She has also served as national counsel to major pharmaceutical and tobacco companies, focusing specifically on legal strategy, settlement, and complex scientific and medical issues. Ms. O'Connor has demonstrated a deep commitment to pro bono representation and civil rights issues, having represented individuals in civil Section 1983 lawsuits and in criminal cases. She has served on the Colorado Lawyers Committee and on the University of Colorado Law School Alumni board. While at Altria, Ms. O'Connor managed all aspects of commercial and product liability litigation, including trials and appeals in both state and federal courts throughout the country. She handled a diverse portfolio of cases, including personal injury and consumer fraud, class actions and large consolidations, tax refund, patent, antitrust, contract, environmental, and regulatory cases.

"Daphne has significant experience not only in trying cases but also in managing complex litigation effectively and efficiently," said Arnold & Porter Chairman Thomas H. Milch. "She has demonstrated leadership both at our firm and in her senior role at Altria, and we are very excited to have her rejoin us."

"Daphne's impressive trial and negotiation experience adds further depth to our team of Denver litigators and offers clients an in-house perspective," said Tim Macdonald, head of the firm's Denver office.

In rejoining Arnold & Porter, Ms. O'Connor said: "I am excited to be returning to Arnold & Porter and rejoining the team of talented litigators there."

Ms. O'Connor obtained her JD from the University of Colorado in Boulder School of Law where she was elected to the Order of the Coif. She received her AB from Duke University.

Arnold & Porter LLP is an international law firm of nearly 800 lawyers with offices in Brussels, Denver, Houston, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, and Washington, D. C. The firm, founded in 1946, maintains more than 25 practice areas spanning a broad spectrum