Ariela Migdal conducts impact litigation on behalf of state and local governments and tribes, class-action and other mass-tort plaintiffs, and companies. She handles all stages of litigation, from designing and planning a case through discovery, briefing, trial, and appeal.
Ariela’s diverse practice includes reproductive rights litigation, consumer-protection and health cases, litigation protecting natural resources, complex bankruptcy appeals on behalf of mass-tort victims, and immigrants’-rights cases on behalf of unaccompanied children facing deportation. Ariela also has experience litigating class actions and multi-district cases, primarily on appeal.
Recently, Ariela played a crucial role in representing the State of Florida in its suit against major pharmaceutical companies for their role in causing the opioid addiction crisis. This case settled following a jury trial and resulted in billions of dollars to fund treatment and prevention programs throughout Florida. Ariela presented a key expert to the jury, argued many motions including on summary judgment, drafted pleadings and critical briefing including at the motion-to-dismiss and summary-judgment stages, and conducted fact and expert depositions.
Ariela’s pro bono docket includes serving as lead counsel for unaccompanied minors seeking relief from deportation. She obtained Special Immigrant Juvenile Status visas for four minor siblings from Honduras, in collaboration with the non-profit Safe Passage Project, resulting in dismissal or closure of the deportation cases against these children.
Before joining Kellogg Hansen, Ariela worked at the national office of the American Civil Liberties Union, where she litigated civil and women's rights cases. She played a pivotal role in representing military servicewomen in challenging the Pentagon's rule prohibiting women from serving in ground combat units. The Pentagon changed the policy shortly after the suit was filed.