Shaila Diwan

Since joining Kirkland in 2025, Shaila has achieved notable trial outcomes including:

• First-chair trial counsel in a six-week multiplaintiff, bellwether jury trial resulting in a complete defense verdict. The cases were part of the California State Court Judicial Counsel Coordinated Proceeding (JCCP) alleging that exposure to Johnson’s Baby Powder caused the claimants to develop ovarian cancer. Shaila was named “Litigator of the Week” by The American Lawyer and a “Legal Lion” by Law360 for this win. Owens v. Johnson & Johnson; Tienken v. Johnson & Johnson; Williams v. Johnson & Johnson (2026).
• First-chair trial counsel in a three-week jury trial resulting in a favorable verdict for the company – a compromise verdict of $250,000. The case took place in a notoriously difficult jurisdiction, the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, and involved allegations that Johnson’s Baby Powder causes ovarian cancer. Emerson v. Johnson & Johnson (2026).
• First-chair trial counsel in a jury trial alleging exposure to Johnson’s Baby Powder caused the claimant to contract mesothelioma. The case took place in a notoriously difficult jurisdiction, Oregon State Court, and ended after Shaila successfully moved for a mistrial following improper conduct by plaintiffs’ counsel. The case is set to be retried in 2026. Chatfield v. Johnson & Johnson (2025).

Prior to joining Kirkland, Shaila was involved in the following representative matters:

• Represented Johnson & Johnson as trial counsel and national coordinating counsel in litigation alleging that asbestos contamination in talcum powder caused mesothelioma.
• Represented TikTok and ByteDance in multidistrict litigation (MDL) alleging that various social media platforms causes addiction and leads to various personal injuries to adolescents.
• Represented a medical device manufacturer as trial counsel in product liability litigation relating to injuries allegedly caused by the company’s female pelvic mesh devices.
• Represented the Dow Chemical Company’s subsidiary Union Carbide as trial counsel in consumer product litigation.