With more than 20 years of litigation experience, Geri has dedicated her career to providing exceptional legal counsel to clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to small businesses. Geri focuses on the defense of corporations in complex litigation, with an emphasis on product liability and general business litigation. She has experience in defending clients across all stages of litigation, from meticulous pre-trial preparation, to zealous representation at trial. Geri’s extensive experience in mass tort actions includes pre-trial strategy coordination, case management—and simultaneous work-up of numerous cases, depositions of plaintiffs, fact witnesses and experts—substantive motion practice, and multiple trials. She excels in leading both case teams and trial teams, ensuring seamless coordination and communication to deliver results.
Geri is a member of Shook’s team representing Philip Morris USA in the defense of both individual smoking-and-health cases, as well as smoking-and-health cases in Florida known as the Engle progeny litigation. Geri has assisted with the firm’s defense of tobacco companies in wrongful death and personal injury lawsuits, participating in more than 20 trials throughout Florida, including cases tried in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Clay, Alachua and Duval Counties. Before joining Shook, Geri represented the state of Florida in personal injury and negligence actions and served as counsel for financial institutions and small businesses in collections and other commercial litigation matters.
In every matter, Geri strives to blend legal acumen with a nuanced understanding of the broader business context in which her clients operate. She draws upon her passion for reading, innate curiosity, and dedication to learning for its own sake in her daily practice. Geri approaches each case as an opportunity to immerse herself in the intricacies of her client’s products and industries, enabling her to understand each client’s unique needs, objectives and concerns, and to serve as a strategic partner and trusted advisor to her clients.
In her spare time, Geri enjoys volunteering in her community.