Madeleine McDonough is the chair of Shook, Hardy & Bacon, an international firm with 19 offices recognised for its representation of health, science and technology clients in complex litigation. A former clinical pharmacist, she counsels multinational companies in a range of industries: pharmaceuticals, animal health, medical devices, food, cosmetics and beverages. McDonough, who had served the firm as chair for five years, was re-elected for another five-year term in January 2022.
McDonough advises organisations on preventative litigation approaches, policy and governance issues, emerging international legal developments, creative resolution strategies, risk management, corporate social responsibility and crisis management. She brings her pharmaceutical background to her representation of pharmaceutical, medical device, food and cosmetics manufacturers in product liability, regulatory and related legal issues.
McDonough’s clients have described her as “a true visionary and trusted counsel” and “one of the finest lawyers I have ever worked with—brilliant, innovative, with enormous integrity.” In Chambers USA 2024, a client noted of McDonough, “She is an excellent lawyer and a leader in the products space for a very long time.”
A pioneer in the legal field, McDonough is one of only a handful of women leading firms in Big Law. She earned a Women, Influen...
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With her unique background as a clinical pharmacist, Madeleine M. McDonough remains a favourite with peers and clients who highly recommend her for high profile product liability cases in the health science sectors.