Bridget K. O'Connor, P.C.

In addition to significant roles in a number of confidential arbitration proceedings and investigations on behalf of her clients, the following are some of Bridget’s public cases:

Complex Commercial Litigation

• BNSF v. J.B. Hunt: A multi-week arbitration trial resulting in a $200 million plus recovery (featured in the National Law Journal).
• BNSF Railway Company v. FirstEnergy Corporation: Second chaired two-week trial for BNSF in its successful lawsuit against FirstEnergy for breach and repudiation of a long-term contract for the transportation of coal to FirstEnergy’s coal-fired power plants. FirstEnergy claimed that its failure to ship coal was excused as force majeure because a recently enacted environmental regulation prevented its performance. After a two-week trial, the panel unanimously sided with BNSF. The parties subsequently reached a settlement, pursuant to which FirstEnergy agreed to pay $109 million to BNSF. The result was profiled in the American Lawyer and Law360.
• BASF Corp v. Lyondell Chemical Co.: Trial, appellate and restructuring litigation counsel for BASF in seven-week jury trial in New Jersey state court for breach of contract. Jury verdict for client for $169.9 million. The jury verdict for BASF was one of the top ten jury verdicts of the year nationwide and was featured as an American Lawyer “Big Suit.”

Complex Multi-District Litigation

• In re: Syngenta AG MIR162 Corn Litigation (MDL 2591): In-court trial team member representing Syngenta in multi-forum litigation involving hundreds of class action and individual lawsuits alleging damages due to the commercialization of a genetically modified corn trait in the United States prior to China approving the trait for import.
• In re General Motors LLC Ignition Switch Litigation (MDL 2543): In-court trial team member representing GM in the successful first bellwether trial in the ignition switch litigation cases, which resulted dismissal of Plaintiff’s claims mid-trial. 
• In re Oil Spill by the Oil Rig “Deepwater Horizon” (MDL 2179): In-court trial team member representing BP in the civil defense of claims brought by the U.S. Department of Justice, numerous plaintiffs, and several states seeking recovery from BP for injury and costs allegedly attributable to the Deepwater Horizon incident in the Gulf of Mexico, in addition to representing BP in numerous other investigations and proceedings relating to the incident.

Restructuring Litigation

• In re Energy Future Holdings Corp.: Represented EFH entities in contested matters before the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, in the largest operating Chapter 11 case ever filed in Delaware and the seventh largest Chapter 11 case filed in history.
• In re Charter Communications: Counsel for Charter Communications in 19-day trial of “one of the most hotly contested confirmation battles ever conducted,” the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York found in favor of Charter on all claims in reinstating $11.8 billion in bank and bond debt and confirmation of Charter’s Plan of Reorganization. The ruling was affirmed by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. The case was featured by the American Lawyer in its AmLaw Litigation Daily.
• In re Technical Olympic USA (TOUSA): Represented TOUSA in securities class action litigation and restructuring matters before the Southern District of Florida.

Second chaired trial and appellate counsel for plaintiffs in successful challenge to voting restrictions in North Carolina through proceedings in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court. The work has been detailed in the National Law Journal’s Pro Bono Hot List, as well as the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, the Washington Post and other outlets.

Counsel for pro bono client in death penalty appeal, in which a stay was obtained from the U.S. Supreme Court hours before the client’s scheduled execution and the Governor of Virginia subsequently commuted the client’s death sentence. This work was profiled nationally, including in the Washington Post and the New York Times, among others.