Mary Alexander

Alexander has made headlines over the years, representing plaintiffs in high profile personal injury cases across the state. Her most recent victory was the settlement she helped negotiate in the Oakland warehouse fire, also known as the Ghost Ship Fire litigation. The incident killed 36 people and injured several others in 2016. In re Ghost Ship Fire Litigation, RG16843631 (Alameda Co. Super. Ct., filed Dec. 23, 2016).

Alexander, who was part of the liaison committee in the mass tort action, secured a $32.7 million settlement with the City of Oakland while Pacific Gas & Electric Co. paid an undisclosed amount and the warehouse’s owners added millions more.

Settling Ghost Ship was her proudest accomplishment this year, Alexander said.

“It was such a tragedy, but we were able to get some kind of justice and accountability for these families. And it was a very difficult liability case, but to be able to do that was very satisfying,” she said.

Depositions for Ghost Ship were underway a month into the COVID-19 lockdown orders, all of which had to proceed remotely. Alexander was involved in intense negotiations and deposing PG&E officials.

Alexander teamed up with Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein and Nelson and Fraenkel LLP to take on Carnival Corporation on behalf of passengers on the ill-fated Grand Princess, which docked at the port of San Francisco in March 2020 after a trip to Hawaii was interrupted due to COVID-19 breakout. The passengers alleged they were infected or exposed to COVID-19 on the ship. Trial is set for September.

“My client was on that ship, he called me on my cell phone, and told me the governor didn’t want them to come back to the harbor,” Alexander recalled. “There was a lot going on, having to do everything remotely.”

But she said she and her team adapted to working from home, keeping each other updated with conference calls every morning.

“I feel we’ve been working harder than ever,” Alexander said.

— Gina Kim