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“Erin Linder Hanig's client service ... is very strong. She has a very positive attitude and strong analytical ability.”
—Client | Chambers USA Guide 2024About Erin
Erin’s practice focuses on commercial litigation and labor and employment issues. She is a member of the firm’s Chambers-ranked litigation team and represents clients in a variety of matters, including product liability, mass tort, personal injury, employment, and contract disputes.
Erin has extensive experience defending manufacturers against claims involving medical devices, consumer products, and vehicles, working with national trial teams on complicated issues involving jurisdictional challenges, discovery disputes, and scientific evidence.
Erin also works with her clients to solve employment challenges, developing best practices, training, and proactive solutions to positively influence workplace culture and avoid litigation risks. If litigation arises, Erin has experience successfully representing employers before administrative agencies, in mediation, and in state and federal jurisdictions.
Prior to joining SouthBank Legal, Erin served as a law clerk to the Honorable Robert L. Miller, Jr. of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana. Before returning to South Bend, Erin practiced at an AmLaw 100 firm in Chicago, Illinois, focusing on complex civil litigation.
Erin has served as an adjunct professor at the Notre Dame Law School and on the faculty at the National Institute for Trial Advocacy, where she has taught in the areas of deposition and trial advocacy skills. Erin has also coached high school mock trial, where her teams won two Indiana state championships and the National High School Mock Trial Championship.
Experience
In previous cases, Erin has:
- Served as liaison counsel for a Fortune 500 orthopedics manufacturer in multidistrict litigation involving thousands of product liability claims.
- Practiced on national counsel team defending Fortune 500 orthopedics manufacturer—responsible for briefing and arguing dispositive, discovery, and Daubert motions, preparing company witnesses and experts for deposition, conducting fact and expert depositions, and defending sales representatives.
- Defended an international power tool manufacturer against wrongful death claims involving a commercial lawnmower.
- Represented American manufacturer of commercial vehicles in multiple lawsuits involving products liability, warranty, and contract claims.
- Represented manufacturer of blow molding machinery in multimillion-dollar contract dispute with a customer in federal court.
- Represented American aerospace manufacturer in AAA arbitration concerning a multimillion-dollar contract dispute with a component supplier.
- Represented municipality in multiple cases involving serious personal injury, wrongful death, and property damage claims.
- Successfully defended North American manufacturer and supplier in an employment discrimination trial in federal court, obtaining a complete jury verdict for the defense.
- Represented national recreational vehicle manufacturers in matters involving warranty and tort claims, including a jury trial in a multimillion-dollar fire damage dispute.
- Represented international chemical corporation in class action litigation concerning toxic tort and environmental claims.
- Defended a national civil rights organization in federal employment discrimination litigation involving a local affiliate.
- Defended international manufacturer in federal employment discrimination litigation involving subsidiary company.
- Defended and advised a major defense contractor, a private research university, a financial services company, and a variety of regional businesses on a wide range of employment issues, including claims for discrimination, retaliation, unlawful termination, and breach of contract.
Education
- University of Illinois College of Law, J.D., magna cum laude
- Notes Editor, University of Illinois Law Review
- Northwestern University, B.A., honors
Admissions
- Indiana
- Illinois
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit