From high-stakes product liability litigation to leading a growing office in one of the country’s most competitive legal markets, Robyn Maguire is helping define the next chapter of Barnes & Thornburg in Boston. We caught up with the firm’s new Managing Partner to discuss her career journey, leadership style, and vision for the future.
You began your career as a litigator. What first drew you to the law — and what ultimately led you to focus on litigation?
When I was a child, my grandmother was one of the most prominent female business owners in Connecticut at a time when that was a rarity. She owned and operated a business sited on a natural water spring that produced flavored, “bubbly” water sold to customers in the greater Hartford area. After running the business for over 30 years, my grandmother retired and sold the business to a competitor, but she retained the land and leased it to the new business for a 30-year term. That business attempted to void the lease, based on an interpretation of a clause that presented a novel issue of Connecticut law. The case proceeded to trial (she won), was then appealed, and had been slated to go to the Connecticut Supreme Court when the parties reached a settlement. Watching my grandmother live through several years of discussions about legal strategy, oral arguments, and trial presentations inspired me to go to law school and to become a litigator.
Your practice is in drug and medical device product liability litigation — highly technical and evolving fields. What opportunities has that specialization created for your practice and career?
As a young associate, I worked on a variety of general commercial litigation matters but was drawn to the scientific aspect of defending product liability cases, which at the time mostly involved hip and knee replacement products. That work led me to develop expertise and new skills defending other kinds of products, including lifesaving prescription medications and over-the-counter pharmaceuticals. When I joined Barnes & Thornburg to open our Boston office in January 2021, I immediately had a national platform that afforded me greater flexibility to serve as national coordinating counsel in defending sophisticated, mass tort cases around the country. Those cases encompass the bulk of my practice today.
Is there a litigation matter or professional achievement you’re particularly proud of that you’re able to share? What made it meaningful to you?
During the summer of 2021, one of our consumer product clients issued a recall of five product lines of aerosol sunscreens, following the discovery of low levels of benzene in some of the products. The client engaged our group over July 4 weekend to assemble a team to counsel the company through the legal aspects of the recall, assist with the investigation and analysis of the root cause of the benzene impurity, and develop a plan to defend any anticipated product liability litigation. The strategic decisions we made early on not only contained the litigation to less than two dozen individual cases, but also resulted in our team successfully excluding several plaintiff experts, whose opinions were found by the federal courts to be based on junk science. Those courts subsequently granted summary judgment in favor of our client, which swiftly brought the nationwide cases to resolution. I am exceedingly proud not only of the excellent results we accomplished for the client, but of the team of attorneys (some of whom were only a year or two out of law school) who worked tirelessly on the litigation, and who were critical to our success.
What advice would you offer to younger litigators looking to gain meaningful courtroom and client experience early in their careers?
The best way for any lawyer to gain meaningful experience is to consistently show up, produce excellent, on-time work product, and demonstrate a mastery of the facts in a particular case. Doing so opens a world of opportunity when critical opportunities arise, whether it’s counseling clients or making important arguments in court. The ability to understand and speak articulately about the issues most important to a client showcases readiness to take on new and meaningful experiences.
How would you describe your leadership style? As Managing Partner, what priorities are you focused on for the firm in the years ahead?
I try to lead with decisiveness that leaves room for democratic participation. I have never had trouble making decisions, but I recognize that there are many paths to a common goal. Remaining open to a variety of perspectives fosters collaboration and can often lead to a better end result.
Currently, our office is mainly known for expertise in intellectual property and product liability litigation, and life sciences transactional work. For the future, we are looking to grow our headcount in additional, strategic practice areas on the transactional side that can feed off of our current practice areas and continue to raise our profile as a go-to life sciences law firm in Boston.
How do you foster collaboration and mentorship within the firm?
One of the best things about Barnes & Thornburg is its collaborative, supportive culture. In Boston, we have a small group of attorneys who have no choice but to bump into each other in the hallways or the lunchroom. I make a concerted effort to ensure that our younger attorneys are staffed not only on cases in Boston, but also across offices in other cities to ensure a variety of mentorship and work opportunities. I also routinely plan outings outside of the office to allow attorneys and business professionals to get to know each other better and allow friendships and work opportunities to develop organically.
You serve on the Executive Committee and board of Lawyers for Civil Rights and have civil rights experience as a litigator. How does that work connect to and inform your broader practice?
One of the great responsibilities of being a lawyer is serving your community. Lawyers for Civil Rights (LCR) has a mission to make meaningful impact in areas that are deeply personal to communities in Boston and beyond. Whether it’s helping a small business owner obtain a loan, developing and supporting a vaccine clinic during the height of the pandemic, or writing an amicus brief on a matter of national, constitutional concern, it has truly been an honor to use my skills as a litigator to further that mission. Even though my products liability practice does not naturally intersect with the work I do for LCR, the organization’s advocacy, demonstrated leadership on important issues, and the connections I have made as part of the organization have certainly made me a better attorney and leader.
Barnes & Thornburg recently became a sponsor firm member of the Boston Bar Association. What motivated the firm to deepen its engagement with the BBA, and how does that partnership support your business and professional development goals?
Our decision to become a sponsor firm member of the Boston Bar Association reflects our commitment to the Boston legal community and our growing presence in this vital market. The BBA represents an exceptional opportunity to engage with the Massachusetts legal ecosystem at a deeper level, while supporting an organization that advances the profession we serve. Among the myriad benefits of this partnership, perhaps the most important one is the BBA’s extensive network of practitioners, in-house counsel, and connections to the judiciary. This network provides invaluable relationship-building opportunities that support our client development efforts and market visibility.
What do you see as the biggest challenges — and opportunities — facing law firms in Boston today?
Among the biggest challenges is the war for talent. Boston competes with New York, Washington, and other major markets for top legal talent, while also facing pressure from in-house opportunities at the region’s thriving technology, life sciences, and financial services companies. Retention requires not just competitive compensation but meaningful work, flexibility and clear pathways to partnership.
But the opportunities certainly outweigh the challenges. Boston’s innovation economy—particularly in life sciences, biotechnology, healthcare, and technology—creates tremendous demand for sophisticated legal services. Firms positioned to serve emerging companies and established industry leaders can capture substantial growth.
Outside of work, what’s your favorite way to spend time in Boston?
I am Boston born and bred and wouldn’t want it any other way. Taking my kids to any Boston sporting event, whether it’s a Red Sox, Bruins, or Celtics game, always proves to be a great time. With two teen kids deeply involved in sports, there’s hardly a pool, a baseball field or a hockey rink in the greater Boston area that we haven’t spent time in!
