Keller Rohrback takes pride in announcing that partners Gretchen Freeman Cappio and Ryan McDevitt have earned recognition as 2024 Law360 MVPs. The honor was conferred upon Cappio for her work in the Product Liability practice area, and takes particular notice of the preliminary approval of settlement that was reached in September for the In Re Chevrolet Bolt EV Battery Litigation. Cappio and McDevitt attribute their success in these and other cases to the team approach employed at Keller Rohrback, and wish to thank their colleagues, co-counsel, and staff for their contributions to this achievement. 

The $150 million deal, announced in May in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, followed lengthy and hard-fought negotiations and provides comprehensive remedies for all class vehicles. The Keller Rohrback team led by Cappio serves as Co-Lead Counsel alongside The Miller Law Firm. The case which arose from claims concerning battery defects that led to overheating and fires. “It’s a great settlement, and we’re working hard to get that relief to consumers,” Cappio said. 

McDevitt’s MVP designation rewards his work on several automotive cases, including the Bolt EV matter, about which he comments “The settlement has a really creative structure, and it prioritizes getting relief to people as quickly as possible to ensure that their cars are safe.” McDevitt and Cappio are also a significant presence in the In Re Kia Hyundai Vehicle Theft Litigation, addressing a nationwide wave of vehicle thefts due to a decision to forego industry-standard theft-prevention features. Cappio is the chair of the Government Entities leadership committee in the MDL, and McDevitt was named to both the Discovery and Expert Committees across the various tracks of the MDL. McDevitt and Cappio also work together on the ZF-TRW airbag control unit matter that reached final approval of one settlement in late 2023, with others likely to follow, and in another Kia & Hyundai case alleging engine defects that reached final approval in April 2024.

The MVP designation is the result of Law360 editors reviewing the high-stakes and complex case work of more than 900 submissions, and takes into account the weight of a career's ambitions and accomplishments. Keller Rohrback is pleased to echo the praise that the MVP honor signifies for our partners Gretchen Freeman Cappio and Ryan McDevitt.