A physician by training and litigator by profession, Emma helps her clients achieve litigation success by developing expert strategies with an evidence-based, science-forward approach. Emma was a key member of the team that secured landmark Daubert victories in two separate Mirena MDLs. She also plays a leadership role on national science and expert teams in litigation involving the herbicide Roundup and the HPV vaccine Gardasil. Her experience includes developing case-specific and litigation-wide scientific themes, taking and defending expert witness depositions, preparing key company witnesses for deposition and trial, and all stages of expert development and expert discovery. Clients value her attention to detail, creativity, and ability to identify and communicate nuanced scientific and medical themes.

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Gardasil Litigation
Expert and science team co-lead in litigation involving an HPV vaccine.
In re Roundup Products Liability LitigationMember of trial and national science and expert teams, including litigation-wide and case-specific expert strategy.
Consumer Electronics LitigationRepresents a Fortune 10 consumer-electronics company in patent-infringement cases relating to telecommunications, user-interface, computer-security, and battery technologies. Following the dismissal of several of these suits, the remaining actions are pending in the summary-judgment and discovery phases.
In re Mirena IUD Products Liability LitigationMember of the national science and expert team. Involved in fact and expert discovery, including the development of science themes, coordination with discovery teams, expert depositions and Daubert strategy, and defense of key company scientific witnesses.
In re Ethicon Inc., Pelvic Repair System Products Liability LitigationRepresented Johnson & Johnson and Ethicon in federal MDL concerning prescription pelvic mesh products used for the treatment of pelvic organ prolapse and stress incontinence.
Spilker v. Medtronic, Inc.Represented Medtronic in a product liability action concerning its cardiac cryoablation device. Coordinated defense expert development.
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- Partner, Goldman Ismail Tomaselli Brennan & Baum LLP
- Associate, Goldman Ismail Tomaselli Brennan & Baum LLP
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- Duke University School of Medicine (M.D.)
- Dean’s Full Tuition Scholarship
- Vice President, American Medical Student Association
- Columbia University School of Law (J.D.)
- James Kent Scholar
- Hamilton Fellow
- University of California at Berkeley (B.A., Political Science, summa cum laude)
- Dean’s Honors List
- Golden Key Scholar
- Dean’s Full Tuition Scholarship
- Duke University School of Medicine (M.D.)
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Emma Neff, From Equal Protection to the Right to Health: An Evolutionary View of Impact Litigation. 43 Columbia Journal of Law & Social Problems 151 (2010)
Anthony N. Galanos, Emma C. Neff, Roschelle A. Heuberger, and Connie W. Bales, What is “Optimal Nourishment” for Older Adults at the End of Life? A Conversation, 29(4) Journal of Nutrition for the Elderly 386 (2010)
Brian S. Coan, Emma Neff, Srinivasan Mukundan & Jeffrey Marcus, Validation of a Cadaveric Model for Comprehensive Physiologic and Anatomic Evaluation of Rhinoplastic Techniques, 124(6) Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery 2107 (2009)
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- Selected for Benchmark Litigation’s 40 & Under Hot List (2022-2023). Ranked a Future Star (2023)
- Selected by Super Lawyers as an Illinois Rising Star (2019-2023)
- Selected by Lawdragon as among the “all-star litigators” “who excel at representing principally corporations and other organizations” in complex litigation, especially product liability, in the 500 Leading Litigators in America guide
- Serves as Co-Chair for the Law Firm Antiracism Alliance Reproductive Justice Working Group
- Member, DRI Young Lawyers Steering Committee
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- Goldman Ismail Furthers Partnership with Law Firm Antiracism Alliance (LFAA)
- Goldman Ismail Helps Bayer and Monsanto Company Secure a Defense Victory in Roundup Trial
- Goldman Ismail and Partners Receive Top Rankings in Benchmark Litigation 2023
- Goldman Ismail Partners Named to Benchmark’s List of Top 250 Women in Litigation and the 40 & Under Hot List
- Goldman Ismail and Partners Receive Top Rankings in Benchmark Litigation 2022
- Goldman Ismail Partners Named to Benchmark’s List of Top 250 Women in Litigation and the 40 & Under Hot List
- Goldman Ismail Elects to Partnership Allyson Julien and Emma Ross
- Goldman Ismail Wins Motion to Dismiss In Uniloc Patent Litigation, Impacting Dozens of Cases Nationwide
- Second Circuit Court of Appeals Affirms Bayer’s Summary Judgment Win in the Mirena IIH MDL
- Bayer Wins Dismissal of All Cases in the Mirena IIH MDL
- Bayer Wins Daubert Ruling Excluding All Plaintiffs’ Expert Witnesses in the Mirena IIH MDL
- Second Circuit Affirms Orders Dismissing All 1200+ Cases in Mirena Perforation MDL
- Law360 Picks Mirena IUD Products Liability Litigation MDL Ruling as One of Year’s Most Significant
- Federal Judge Dismisses All 1225 Cases in Mirena Multidistrict Litigation
- Second Circuit Affirms Mirena MDL Dismissals
- Landmark Daubert Victory for Goldman Ismail—Federal Judge Excludes Plaintiffs’ Experts
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- State of Illinois
- State of Colorado
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
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Emma C. Neff, Gender and Access to Care in Northern Tanzania, Yale University Global Health & Innovation Conference, April 17, 2011 (Invited platform presentation)
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- Legal Intern, Center for Reproductive Rights
- Resident Physician, Duke University Medical Center Department of Surgery
- Postdoctoral Associate, Duke University Medical Center Department of Surgery
- Investigator, UCSD Department of Physics: Investigated the behavior of molecules in non-Newtonian (polymer) solutions.