Michelle Gilboe

Managing Partner

Michelle.Gilboe@lewisbrisbois.com

Michelle Gilboe is the managing partner in the Minneapolis office of Lewis Brisbois, a Chair of the Life Sciences practice, and a Vice-Chair of the Complex Business & Commercial Litigation and the Products Liability practices. 

Michelle is an experienced first-chair trial attorney with a national practice defending pharmaceutical, medical device, chemical products, industrial equipment, vehicle and food manufacturers and suppliers and manufacturers of consumer goods including exercise equipment. She has significant experience in complex class action and mass tort litigation. She also represents service-based providers in the medical, construction and energy industries, and has substantial experience with cases involving fires and explosions. Michelle has served as both national and regional counsel, and her work defending complex medical and scientific matters in both state and federal courts allows Michelle to skillfully defend her clients in multiple jurisdictions. 

Michelle’s work has included defending medical spa services in personal injury, class action matters and commercial claims including laser hair removal, cellulite reduction, microdermabrasion, botox and dermal fillers; medical devices in product liability matters including heart pumps, defibrillators, infusion pumps, catheters, respiratory devices, medical imaging equipment and surgical devices; and construction and energy cases with catastrophic personal injury claims including explosions, electrocutions and significant property damage matters. The combination of her experience and her acute understanding of the design, manufacture and science of the products she is defending allows Michelle to efficiently master the legal complexities of each case.

In addition to defending manufacturers across the country, Michelle routinely advises clients on risk management strategies including design considerations, regulatory and reporting compliance especially with FDA, EPA, OSHA, and CPSC and recall issues.  

Michelle was also honored to represent George Floyd’s family in their civil lawsuit resulting in one of the largest civil rights settlements in history. 

Primary Area(s) of Practice

  • Products Liability
  • Complex Business & Commercial Litigation
  • General Liability
  • Environment, Land, & Natural Resources Law
  • Life Sciences
  • National Trial Practice
  • COVID-19: FDA Regulatory/Life Sciences

Admissions

Minnesota

Wisconsin

United States District Court for the Central District of Minnesota

Associations

  • Defense Research Institute — Drug and Medical Device Subcommittee
  • Sports & Fitness Industry Association — Legal Task Force
  • Minnesota State Bar Association
  • Wisconsin State Bar Association

Awards & Honors

Martindale-Hubbell —Rated AV Preeminent

Professional Presentations

  • “Navigating the FDA’s new Medical Device Safety Action Plan plus...Staying Ahead of Class Actions in Life Science,” Co-Presenter, Client Webinar, May 2018
  • “Connected Medical Technologies: Empowering Health Outcomes, Inviting Cybersecurity Litigation and the FDA,” Co-Presenter, Client Seminar, October 2017
  • “Exercising Good Judgment,” Zone Defense Seminar, February 2017

Education

University of Minnesota Law School

Juris Doctor, cum laude, 1995

  • Dean’s List, all semesters
  • National Moot Court
  • Misdemeanor Prosecution and Defense Clinics
  • Faculty/Student Admissions Committee

University of St. Thomas

Bachelor of Arts in English and Political Science, magna cum laude, 1992

  • Mock Trial National Top Ten Team Member
  • Outstanding Mock Trial Attorney Award
  • Aquinas Scholars Honors Program
  • Delta Epsilon Sigma

Publications

“FDA Seeks Software Bill of Materials for Medical Devices,” Co-Author, Client Alert, June 2018