Mary E. Alexander

As the founder of her own law firm in San Francisco, Alexander consistently takes on what she calls "David versus Goliath" cases. Her firm specializes in representing plaintiffs in complex personal injury matters.

Oftentimes, these cases involve going against big corporations who may have more lawyers and resources than Alexander and her team.

"We have to be mean and lean," she said. "Well maybe not the mean part but we have to work hard and be the lean part."

In March 2019, Alexander obtained a $21.4 million jury verdict from the Contra Costa Superior Court for the families of two brothers who died of cancer after being exposed to the chemical, benzene, while working at Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. in Texarkana, Arkansas.

The lawsuit filed by the families claimed Unocal, who owns Cooper Tire & Rubber Co., did not warn its employees of the dangers of benzene, a chemical many worked with every day. Regina Eaves v. Ashland Inc., C16-00815 (Contra Costa Super. Ct., filed April 29, 2016)

"It's really important to me to be able to help people get some justice and accountability when they are wrongfully injured as a result of a conduct of another to no fault of their own," Alexander said. "It's very satisfying to be able to make a living while helping people."

Alexander has worked on other cases involving large corporations, including an 18-year-long case against manufacturers regarding lead paint that was found in older housing in 10 California cities. The case resolved when the Supreme Court declined to review it. County of Santa Clara v. Atlantic Richfield Co., et al, 1-00-CV-788657 (S.C. Super. Ct., filed Mar. 23, 2000).

"One of the challenges [of personal injury cases] is that they are so often highly contested," Alexander said. "There is a lot of discovery and motions that have to be made."

Alexander received the National Law Journal's Plaintiff Trailblazer Award for her work on landmark cases.

"There's been a lot of opportunities, particularly in the personal injury arena, for women to excel," Alexander said. "But the playing field is leveled when you're in a courtroom with a jury."

-- Alexandra Applegate