Overview
Mary Beth Buckley counsels national and international food and beverage, retail and health care companies, along with their advertising and promotion agencies, on a wide variety of advertising, marketing, social media, pricing practices and e-commerce issues. In addition to counseling, Mary Beth regularly represents clients in connection with federal and state governmental agency inquiries and investigations and also represents clients in self-regulatory proceedings.
Mary Beth's practice also includes defending clients in complex commercial and class action litigation, including consumer fraud, warranty, products liability and mass tort litigation. She has played a key role in defending food and beverage, life sciences, retail, and other consumer products companies in high-profile litigation throughout the country.
- Illinois
- US District Court, Northern District of Illinois
- US District Court, Southern District of Illinois
- US District Court, Central District of Illinois
- US District Court, Western District of Michigan
- US District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin
- US District Court, Eastern District of Arkansas
- US Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
- J.D., Loyola University Chicago School of Law, 2001, cum laude; Sr. Williams Fellow
- B.S., University of Chicago, 1996, History
Representative Matters
- Defending national retailers in class action lawsuits involving allegations of deceptive pricing/deceptive promotions, as well as class action suits involving non-compliance with ADA regulations, FCRA, FACTA and TCPA.
- Defending infant food manufacturer in multiple products liability actions involving allegations of foodborne illness, including fact and expert discovery, jury research, trial preparation and settlement.
- Defending medical device manufacturer in multiple products liability actions following recall of devices.
- Defending nationwide litigation against medical device manufacturer in matters involving 400+ plaintiffs.
- Successfully defeating class certification in several nationwide suits alleging consumer fraud and products liability in connection with the food and beverage industry.
Speaking Engagements
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"Master Class on Upgrading your Advertising Compliance Program: What Risk Management Lessons Can be Gleaned from those in the Class Action Trenches," American Conference Institute's 6th Advanced Regulatory and Compliance Summit on Food & Beverage Marketing and Advertising, May 10, 2016
News & Publications
Publications
Food, Beverage, and Supplements Litigation: Staying Out of the Crosshairs
Food Safety Magazine
November 7, 2019
Media Mentions
Media Cover Steptoe's Win for L.L. Bean in Proposed Class Action Lawsuit
March 18, 2019
Client Alerts
Update on Illinois' Biometric Information Privacy Act Litigation
January 28, 2019
Press Releases
Steptoe Adds Seven-Lawyer Litigation Group in San Francisco and Chicago
January 4, 2018
Publications
IADC Class Actions and Multi-Party Litigation Committee Newsletter
June 2015
Publications
Bringing the Cyber War to the Medical Device Battleground
ABA Mass Torts Litigation Newsletter Vol. 13, No. 2
January 1, 2015
Professional Affiliations
- American Bar Association
- Food and Drug Law Institute