Rebecca Baden Chaney

Partner
Washington, D.C.
rchaney@crowell.com
Phone: +1 202.624.2772
1001 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20004-2595

Rebecca Baden Chaney, a partner in the firm's Washington, D.C. office, practices in the Mass Tort, Product, and Consumer Litigation and Product Risk Management groups and serves as co-chair of the firm's Transportation Practice. She primarily serves clients in the transportation industry, with an emphasis on automotive and micromobility products, and autonomous and electric vehicles. Rebecca’s practice includes both litigation and product regulatory counseling, to which she brings a deep understanding of the digital transformation that is significantly impacting this industry.

Rebecca litigates complex product-related commercial disputes and consumer litigation as well as class action and mass tort proceedings. Her commercial litigation and counseling practice includes crisis management, warranty, indemnity, and breach of contract matters. Clients appreciate Rebecca’s close coordination with them, her proactive approach, and her critical and creative thinking about each stage in a litigation. For the past six years, she has been ranked by Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers as a “Rising Star,” where she is currently recognized for class action and mass torts and was previously ranked for personal injury – products: defense.

Rebecca advises clients in her product regulatory counseling practice, with a particular focus on autonomous vehicles and other automotive and trucking, micromobility, and consumer products. She counsels clients on product liability and risk management issues during the life cycle of products from pre- to post-launch. This includes advice on product labelling, minimizing risk, and drafting contract language and indemnification provisions, as well as providing guidance on recall and regulatory compliance issues in connection with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

As part of her active pro bono practice, Rebecca is especially proud of having argued successfully to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit to vacate a district court decision under the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of Child Abduction. In this matter, two minor children were to be separated from their primary caregiving mother in the U.S., and sent to Mexico where their estranged father resided. Rebecca then successfully advocated for dismissal of the Hague Convention petition before the district court on remand.

Representative Matters

  • Representing leading Tier 1 automotive parts supplier in multiple disputes and litigation concerning defect and indemnity claims; representation includes favorable resolution of a dispute with claims valued in excess of $1 billion.
  • Achieved and defended on appeal dismissal on the pleadings for a hotel door lock manufacturer in four consolidated putative class action lawsuits filed by hotels alleging that plaintiffs’ locks were “hackable.”
  • Achieved and defended on appeal dismissal on the pleadings for an automotive manufacturer in a putative class action lawsuit alleging warranty, consumer protection and invasion of privacy claims on the grounds that plaintiffs’ vehicles were “hackable.”
  • Achieved and defended on appeal dismissal on the pleadings for a smoke alarm manufacturer in a putative class action lawsuit alleging that the products were defective and deceptively advertised.
  • Negotiated and supported a limited fund class action settlement to resolve more than 300 lawsuits asserted against a university following its loss of accreditation.
  • Representing a medical device manufacturer in product liability litigation filed in multiple jurisdictions in the U.S.
  • Achieved dismissal on forum non conveniens grounds of a U.S. component part manufacturer in MDL litigation arising from the crash of Air France Flight 447. 
  • Resolved successfully pre-suit litigation threatened against product manufacturer concerning marketing contract.
  • Advised offshore wind project in potential litigation of force majeure clause.
  • Prepared U.S. government contractor to defend breach of contract litigation following its termination of a subcontract.

Rebecca received a B.A. in public relations and political science with a minor in psychology from Syracuse University, magna cum laude, in 2006, where she was elected Phi Beta Kappa. She earned her J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law, Order of the Coif, magna cum laude, in 2009. While in law school, Rebecca interned with the U.S. Department of Justice in the Antitrust Division, with the Hon. Lynne A. Battaglia, Maryland Court of Appeals, with the National Association of the Deaf, and with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland. Rebecca additionally served as a writing fellow and as a notes and comments editor for the Maryland Journal of Health Care Law and Policy.


Affiliations

Admitted to practice: District of Columbia, Maryland, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan and the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Rebecca is active in the American Bar Association, where she is a member of the Litigation and Young Lawyers sections, as well as the Products Liability and Women in Products Liability subsections. Rebecca is also a member of the Product Liability section of DRI.



Highlights, News & Knowledge

Speeches & Presentations

  • "The Safety Agencies in Transition – What to Expect at FDA, CPSC, and NHTSA in the First 100 Days," Crowell & Moring Webinar (March 30, 2017). Presenters: Cheryl A. Falvey, John Fuson, Matthew Cohen, Scott L. Winkelman, Lauren Bell, Daniel T. Campbell, and Rebecca Baden Chaney.
  • “On the Frontier of the Internet of Things: Cybersecurity, Regulation, and Litigation in a Hyper-Connected World,” Joint Program, ABA Public Contract Law Section’s Cybersecurity, Privacy, and Data Protection Committee and Science & Technology Law Section’s Homeland Security Committee (April 13, 2016). Presenters: Clifford J. Zatz, Rebecca Baden Chaney, and David Z. Bodenheimer.
  • "A Conversation About Driverless Vehicles, Regulation, and Litigation," Products Liability Committee Section of Litigation (August 26, 2014). Moderator: Laura Jastrem Walther; Presenter: Rebecca Baden Chaney.
  • "Changes to NHTSA Rules: Early Warning Reporting and Recall Procedures," Crowell & Moring Webinar (October 30, 2013). Presenters: Daniel T. Campbell, Michael L. Kuppersmith, and Rebecca Baden Chaney.
  • "Motor Vehicle Safety / NHTSA: Steering in the Right Direction: What you need to know about NHTSA enforcement, the ‘electrification’ of motor vehicles, and other automotive hot topics," Crowell & Moring Product Risk Management Seminar (October 19, 2011). Moderators: Dan Campbell; Rebecca Baden Chaney. Panelists: O. Kevin Vincent (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration); James Chen (Tesla Motors); Joe Stancati (Dana Holding Corporation).
  • "Trial Skills: Perceptions of Gender in the Courtroom," American Bar Association, Section of Litigation, Women in Products Liability Regional CLE Workshop, Nashville, TN (October 2011). Co-Moderator: Rebecca Baden Chaney.

Publications


Client Alerts & Newsletters


Media Mentions


Firm News & Announcements

Sep.20.2019 Super Lawyers Recognizes 82 Crowell & Moring Lawyers Across United States
Mar.12.2019 Crowell & Moring Partners Scott Winkelman, John Gibson, and Rebecca Chaney Honored with Burton Awards' 'Law360 Distinguished Legal Writing Award'
Jan.03.2019 Crowell & Moring Elects Eight New Partners and Promotes 21 Associates to Counsel
Oct.15.2018 Super Lawyers Recognizes 82 Crowell & Moring Lawyers Across United States
Oct.31.2017 Super Lawyers Recognizes 79 Crowell & Moring Lawyers Across United States
Nov.30.2016 Super Lawyers Recognizes 71 Crowell & Moring Lawyers Across United States
Oct.27.2015 Super Lawyers Recognizes 90 Crowell & Moring Attorneys
Jan.02.2015 Crowell & Moring Elects Six New Partners and Promotes Eight Associates to Counsel
Sep.30.2014 Super Lawyers 2014 Recognizes 90 Crowell & Moring Attorneys
Oct.05.2011 Crowell & Moring Consumer Product Safety Seminar to Feature Senator Mark Pryor and Other Key Government Officials