They’ve Got Next: The 40 Under 40 - Robert Collins III of Latham & Watkins

Please describe two of your most substantial, recent wins in practice.

I served as co-lead counsel for The Dow Chemical Company in a six-week jury trial in San Francisco in 2023 that secured a complete defense verdict after more than 25 years of litigation, defeating a demand for millions in compensatory and punitive damages.

The City of Modesto alleged that Dow sold a dry-cleaning chemical that caused contamination of the city’s soil and groundwater, and the city asserted product liability and nuisance claims. After examining city, expert, and third-party witnesses before the jury, I was thrilled we convinced the jury ...