Practice Areas
Practice Description
Caroline Byrne is a Director and Co-Chair of Woodruff & Smart’s litigation practice group. She is a trial attorney with over 20 years experience in state and federal courts. She has successfully defended cities and public agencies against multi-million dollar claims and exposures before jurors, judges, arbitrators and mediators. Ms. Byrne has tried police civil rights claims and employment matters to successful defense verdicts. She has also obtained numerous defense verdicts and arbitration awards in proceedings involving public transportation matters.
During her career, Ms. Byrne has advised clients on strategic matters through all phases of the litigation process from initial claim review, discovery, depositions, dispositive motions, trials and appeals. She focuses on providing excellent results in a customized and highly effective manner. Ms. Byrne works closely with police departments and public agencies throughout the litigation process and through trial to obtain the most effective results.
Professional Activities
Ms. Byrne is admitted to practice before US District Courts and State Courts and is a member of the Orange County Bar Association and Celtic Bar Association.
Representative Matters
- Obtained defense verdicts for city police departments in excessive force claims brought under the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution
- Obtained defense verdicts for public agencies in complex wrongful termination lawsuits involving claims brought under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act
- Negotiated favorable settlements regarding dangerous conditions/catastrophic injury matter claims brought pursuant to the California Government Code
- Obtained defense verdicts and negotiated favorable settlements for a public agency regarding tort transportation claims
- Obtained defense verdicts for a city regarding homeowner constitutional and discrimination claims
Relevant Publications & Presentations
- “Got subpoena?” – Training video presentation to public agency regarding third party deposition subpoena (2008)
Education
- University of San Diego [LLM Comparative Law, 1997 (graduated first place in class)]
- University College Dublin, Ireland (LLM – Commercial Law, 1994)
- University of Dublin, Ireland (TCD – School of Law, LLB 1993)