Cooper Ashley Quoted in Minneapolis Star Tribune on the Legal Strategy for the Federal Toyota Case

Cooper Ashley, partner in Maslon's Litigation Group and Chair of Maslon's Governance Committee, is quoted in a January 29, 2015 Minneapolis Star Tribune article titled "Startling approach in Toyota crash case's closing catches automaker off-guard." The article reports on the federal case against Toyota Motor Co. that had closing arguments on January 28, 2015, in which "the attorney for the driver suing the automaker unveiled his theory for what caused a 2006 fatal crash."

In the article, Cooper points out, "What happened at the Toyota trial was unusual… It’s rare that you have some primary theory of liability or defense theory, and get through an entire trial without somebody from the opposing counsel taking a shot at it." He continues, "It's a risk that [the jury] may think that it should have been developed more fully during the trial," he said. "The positive is you have a key piece of evidence that goes unrebutted by the defense."

To read the full article online, go to: Minneapolis Star Tribune "Startling approach in Toyota crash case's closing catches automaker off-guard."

Cooper Ashley is a partner in Maslon's Litigation Group and Chair of Maslon's Governance Committee, and is focused primarily on product liability matters on behalf of both plaintiffs and defendants and complex class action and tort cases, including environmental toxic tort and fire/explosion cases. Cooper has first-chaired numerous jury and bench trials in state and federal courts, argued appeals before the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Minnesota Supreme Court and the Minnesota Court of Appeals, and conducted all manner of related fact and expert discovery and motion practice.